Chapter 6 traitor
There is a wall between them.It was because of this cut corner apartment partition wall that Robert had the opportunity to meet the girl.
At first, it was just the sound of footsteps, the clatter of high heels pacing up and down the house.At that time, he was watching "The Fragrance of the Green Valley" raptly, following the beautiful Lima to explore in the maze-like Amazon jungle.He subconsciously thought that the girl next door must be very young.Then he heard her voice, speaking softly and fast, warm and playful as she hummed to the pop music playing on the radio.She must be lovely, he thought, and found himself listening more and more attentively, and loving her more and more.
Her name is Amy, and she is a married woman.Her husband, Vince, had a limp, morose voice, with a peculiar sense of gloom.Their occasional quarrel ended with the man slamming the door and thumping down the stairs to leave.Left alone in the room, she wept softly.Whenever this happened, Robert would lean against the wall, feeling as if a hand had reached into his chest and twisted his heart.He sometimes fancied that it only took a few steps to walk to her door, a few words to show her that he was her friend, willing to do something—willing to do anything—to help her.Maybe she only needs to meet once, and she will find the love in his heart.maybe……
This kind of thought repeated itself, but Robert just stood there, powerless.
To make matters worse, he had no one to talk to.The only people in this world who he could call acquaintances were those few men in the office, but they absolutely couldn't understand this.He had a very mundane job in the credit department of the largest department store in town, a job that became cynical over time.He and his colleagues go into other people's accounts every day, look for tax evasion records, public money scandals spent on women, and check whether you have stolen a penny from others.
What would colleagues say after hearing his words?A lovely girl living next door?Her husband is often away?You go, don't see outsiders!
How to make them understand that he didn't want this?What he is after is someone who can accept his love, and he hopes that someone can end his loneliness.In the endless dark night, loneliness is as cold and heavy as a stone on the heart.
So he didn't tell anyone, but continued to lean against the wall, letting his imagination run wild.He thinks about that girl day and night, and it is not uncommon for him to meet in the end.The whole building's mail would be on a table on the ground-floor porch, and he'd come downstairs to work that morning when she took a letter from the table and walked upstairs toward him.
He knew she was the girl, absolutely right.She was small and frail, with dark hair, and all the beauty that Robert had imagined when he leaned against the wall was reflected in her.She wore a long loose coat, which she pulled back to her breast as she passed him, and then quickened her steps, as if frightened of him.Only then did he realize that he was staring straight at her, so he blushed and hurried downstairs and walked to the street, dazed all the way.
He met her several times later in the same situation, but it was weeks before he finally worked up the courage to stand at the bottom of the stairs and watch her process letters: her slender ankles, her softly curved calves, wrapped in long The body under the coat is exquisite and exquisite.As she reached the top of the stairs, she seemed suddenly aware of his gaze and glanced back at him, their eyes meeting.
In that moment when his heart almost stopped beating, Robert tried to read the expression on her face.However, her husband's voice suddenly came from the room, and the tone was very unfriendly. "Amy, why are you so slow!"—she was gone, and the moment was gone.
When he saw that man, Robert was very surprised and wondered how she could choose such a man as her husband.The man was short and strong, with a combative look on his face.He is not good-looking, his face is tense, his cheekbones are high, and his mouth is drawn into a rigid line.As Robert passed him, the man looked him up and down, eyes as relentless as black holes.At that moment, Robert seemed to understand the expression on her face.This man is like an untamed beast, who may kill anyone indiscriminately.Just passing by him can make people feel his danger, let alone getting along with him day and night.
The brutal cells in that man's blood finally broke out one night.Robert woke up from a deep sleep and sat drowsily on the bed, realizing that it was not the high-decibel sound that woke him up, but the malice hidden in the words.The voices from beyond the wall were barely audible, but every word was tinged with danger.
He got off the bed and stood with his ear against the wall.He closed his eyes, trying to hear the conversation next door.He could seem to see the couple swearing at each other, and the picture was as vivid as if the wall in front of him didn't exist at all.
"You know," said the man, "but so what?"
"... get out!" said the girl.
"And then you go tell everyone, tell the world?"
"I won't do that!" cried the girl, "I swear I won't!"
"You think I'll believe it?" said the man, and then his voice became soft and mocking. "Ten thousand dollars, where else can I make ten thousand dollars? Gold mining?"
"That's better than this! Since this is the case... I'll go!"
The man didn't respond with words this time, but hit her hard, and the impact of her hitting the wall even hurt Robert's face. "Vince!" she yelled, her voice shaking with fear, "Vince! Don't!"
Then came another blow, and the girl's pain roused every nerve in Robert.He listened to the chaotic breathing on the other side of the wall, his fingernails digging into the wall.She seems to have avoided it.
"Oh no!" she cried, accompanied by hoarse breathing, as if taking a deep breath, but there was no response.Then there was a bang, something soft hitting the ground, and then there was a sudden silence.Frighteningly quiet.
Robert stepped back quickly, staring at the wall in horror, as if it was her dead cold body.His thoughts were confused for a moment, but he came back to his senses immediately.Something was gradually magnified until he had to admit it, had to face it.
She was killed, there was no need for the slightest doubt, because he was standing behind her and heard the whole process!If it wasn't for the wall, he could even reach out and touch her, and do something to help her, instead of standing there like a fool and waiting until it was too late.
But there is still time to do one thing, he said to himself.The lunatic next door didn't know that he was a witness, so he could be arrested on the spot.Call the police, five minutes later...
But before Robert could react from his nervousness, there was another rustling sound from the next room, as if some ulterior secret activity was going on.Something was moved, and then there was a distinct sound of a human body being dragged, and then a creaking door was carefully opened.The last movement scared Robert into a fool, and at the same time he finally understood what was going on next door.
The murderer was brutal, but by no means stupid.As long as the body can be safely disposed of in the few hours before dawn, no matter what method is used, then the crimes he committed can be written off!
Robert stopped at the door.Heavy but regular footsteps came from the corridor outside the door, and the man was about to drag the corpse downstairs.He had just killed someone, so he was obviously panicked, and even risked being bumped into and went out with the corpse.What would he do if he met someone at this time?
Robert leaned back against the door and closed his eyes tightly. He felt difficult to breathe, as if the man had put his hand on his neck.He's a coward, no doubt about it.When he really needed courage, he realized that he was a hopeless coward.He saw the girl's face floating in front of him, no fear in her expression, but contempt.
Still—and the thought led him to a brief victory scene—he could still call the police.He seemed to see himself doing that, but he couldn't see the scene of victory.He heard some movement from the room where the murder had just occurred.What about the corpse?No.What about the murderer?does not exist.There is only one man who was abandoned by his wife because of a quarrel.What about the informant?An imaginative young man who is downright dorky, in other words, Robert himself.
There was a click from the downstairs door, and Robert hurried out of the house, walked through the corridor, and went downstairs carefully step by step.Halfway down, he saw a handkerchief, crumpled into a tiny ball, with an ugly stain.He carefully picked up the handkerchief, lifted it up and unfolded it facing the dim light.The stain was sticky and wet and red, almost covering the word "Amy" embroidered on the edge of the handkerchief.blood, her blood.Is this evidence?
Of course it was, he could hear the policeman answer mockingly, of course it could be counted as evidence of a nosebleed.He felt a pang of despair.
The sound of the car starting woke him, and he rushed down the stairs, but it was too late.When he leaned against the curtain of the gate and looked out, the car had already roared away from the side of the road.The shining rear lights are like a pair of vicious eyes, and the license plate number cannot be seen clearly in the dark.He was angry with himself, it would have been obvious if the reaction had been quicker, and it was clear from all indications that the murderer would have used the car.Now, the opportunity slipped away and all was missed.
He went back to his room and circled the room aggressively.Half an hour later, he heard the murderer sneaking back.What does this mean?Robert thought about it, explaining that he had already dealt with her, that he was safe, and could pretend nothing happened and move on with his life.
If I can break into his house and force him to tell the truth... all kinds of thoughts are rolling in his head, or if I report him to a powerful and powerful person, my words have weight...
But these are just as dreamy as the enthusiasm he once devoted to the girl.Which sword of vengeance will obey him?He's just a nameless clerk...
Suddenly, inspiration swept through Robert's body like a wave.He squinted his eyes and stared at the wall, as if an invisible hand was scribbling brilliant ideas, word for word.
No one's past is clean—is that what the old employees in the same department say?Everyone is suspicious, especially the man next door.He was violent, and when he talked about $10,000 through the wall, he had a very uncomfortable tone.Such a person must have many disgraceful records, but they were ignored by the police. Once a corner is uncovered, they can follow the clues and discover the truth.If someone who is good at investigating comes and revisits the man's past, justice will be done.This is a powerful weapon: the dark records accumulated over the years, just waiting to be ignited this time!
While thinking deeply, Robert slowly stuffed the woman's crumpled handkerchief into the envelope and sealed it.Then, racking his brains to recall, he wrote down on a piece of paper the horrific conversation between the victim and the murderer at the time of the incident.After that, he put the envelope and paper in the drawer of the wardrobe, and the first step was completed.
At this moment, Robert began to ask himself, how much did he know about that man?Knowing his name is Vince, that's all.This bit of information is not enough to uncover a person's dark past, one must learn more, at least find a starting point.
After a sleepless night, Robert finally thought of the landlady, the squat, tired-looking woman whose only joy in life seemed to be collecting the rent on time, but who ought to know something about the man.She lived in the innermost room on the first floor of the apartment, and Robert woke her up early in the morning with a knock on the door.
She looked more tired than usual, and at first she missed Robert's question and asked him to repeat it. "Ask them?" she said finally. "The Snyders are nice people, that's all." She winked at Robert. "You're not going to have any trouble with them, are you?"
"No no, it's nothing like that. Is that all you know? I mean, where they come from or something?"
The landlady shrugged. "I'm pretty sure it's none of my business," she said haughtily. "All I know is that they pay the rent on the first of every month, and they're a respectable, nice couple."
He turned away from the bloated woman just in time to see the postman closing the apartment door.Miraculously, the landlady was gone, and now he was standing alone at the table piled with letters.On the envelope facing him, "Vincent, to Mrs. Snyder" was clearly written.
On the way to work, he hid the letter in his inside pocket until he locked himself in a cubicle in his office before opening it and reading it carefully.There was only one page of letter paper, without a few lines written on it, ambiguously expressing that everything was fine at home.The signature at the end of the letter is: Your sister, Celia.Nothing to get into—no, wait a minute, there was a return address on the letter, a small town in the northern mountains.
After hesitating for a moment, Robert stuffed the letter and envelope into his pocket, straightened his jacket, and walked straight to the supervisor's office.Mr. Sprague, the department head, was also the one most affected and disaffected by the job.He asked sourly: "What's the matter?"
"I'm sorry, sir," said Robert, "but I must take a few days off. You see, someone in my family has suddenly become critically ill."
Sprague grumbled that it would disrupt the department's plans, but with an appropriately sympathetic look on his face, he said, "Someone's dying?"
"Dying," said Robert.
The house, which was not far from the station, had a serious and unfriendly air about it, and the young girl who opened the door for Robert had the same feeling.
"Yes," she said, "my sister's name is Amy Snyder, which is her married name. My name is Celia Thompson."
"I've come to find out about your sister," said Robert.
The young girl looked devastated. "What happened to her?"
"Not sure yet." Robert cleared his throat and said, "She disappeared from the apartment where she lived, and I'm looking for her. Now, if you..."
"Are you a policeman?"
"I work for them," said Robert, praying that the ambiguity would get away with it.The prayer was answered, the girl beckoned him in, and they sat face to face in the poor, almost empty living room.
"I knew it," she said, "I knew what was going to happen." She rocked pitifully in her chair.
Robert leaned forward and patted her hand lightly. "How did you know?"
"How would I know? When you throw a child out of the house and slam the door on her face, what do you expect! You just throw her out into the world without her even taking care of herself?" Know!"
Robert immediately withdrew his outstretched hand. "You did that to her?"
"My father. Her father, too."
"why?"
"You don't know him," said the girl. "He's a man who thinks all good things are evil. He's terrified of hellfire and brimstone, and puts us in it.
"Since she's gotten prettier and boys have been around her all day, he's been treating her that way. When she gets involved with that man, he kicks her out of the house and throws her belongings away. If he knew I was still writing to her," said the girl fearfully, "he'd throw me out too. I couldn't even mention her name to him, that's what he was."
"So," asked Robert eagerly, "did she marry the man with whom she had been entangled? Was it the Vincent Snyder?"
"I don't know," the girl said blankly, "I really don't know. No one knows except Amy and Dad. It's a secret. I didn't even know she was married until one day I suddenly received a message from her." A letter from the city."
"Since your father knows, I might as well go and talk to him."
"No! You can't go! If he knows what I've told you so much..."
"But I can't just go back like this," he begged. "I have to find that man, and then maybe everything will be clear."
"Okay." The girl said weakly, "There is another person, of course not my father, please stay away from him for my sake. I'm talking about a teacher who teaches in a high school over there, Miss Benson She's met the man, and she likes Amy; Amy's letters to me go to her first, in case papa sees them. She might be able to tell you something. But she's always tight-lipped. I'll write A note, take it to find her."
He thanked her at the door, and she stared at him intently. "Beautiful people are always in trouble," she said, "so I never have to worry about it. Please find Amy and make sure she's all right."
"Well," replied Robert, "I'll do my best."
After arriving at school, he learned that Miss Benson was taking a typing class, and the get out of class ended at three o'clock. If he wanted to chat with her alone, he had to wait until after three o'clock.While waiting, he could only wander anxiously along the few main roads in the town, feeling the curious gazes of passers-by.As he strolled, he thought about Amy.These streets were familiar to her, and she had been reflected in these shop windows.Thinking of this, he couldn't help being a little jealous, that figure wasn't always alone.And the boys.Boys are naturally attracted to her, but she never realizes the price of playing with fire.If only he had known her then, if only he had been one of those boys...
At three o'clock sharp, he stood outside the classroom door, waiting for all the students to leave before walking in impatiently.Miss Benson, a petite, frail gray-haired lady, was almost lost among rows of hooded typewriters.After Robert had finished introducing himself and read the note from Celia Thompson, Miss Benson looked as if she was on the verge of tears.
"She shouldn't have done it!" she said. "She should never have asked you to come to me. She should have known."
"Why shouldn't she do that?"
"Why? Because she knows I won't reveal a word to anyone. She knows what will happen if I do!"
"Listen," Robert advised patiently, "I don't want to find out what happened. I just want to find the man. I want to know what his name is, where he came from, and where I can ask more about him. news."
"No," said Miss Benson in a trembling voice, "I'm sorry."
"Excuse me?" Robert said angrily, "a girl is missing, this man may have something to do with it, and you can only say sorry to me!"
Benson's jaw was no longer so tense. "You mean he—what did he do to her?"
"Yes." Robert said, "He did it." After speaking, he quickly grabbed her arm to stabilize her who was already shaking.It was evident that Miss Benson was on the verge of fainting.
"I should have known," she said feebly. "I should have known when it happened. But then..."
She was then a student of Miss Benson's.A good student, although not smart, will try his best to do everything well.And she was well developed, not like these young people these days.
On the afternoon when it happened, she told Miss Benson herself that she would go to the principal's office after school to correct the mistakes.If she was going to do something weird, of course she wouldn't tell anyone, would she?Isn't this the most obvious evidence?
"Evidence?" Robert asked, puzzled.
Yes, evidence.When screams were later heard from the principal's office, Miss Benson was alone in the school.She ran straight to the office, slammed the door open, and witnessed that scene.The girl was crying and her skirt was half down; Mr. Price stood behind her, staring at the startled Miss Benson at the door.
"Mr. Price?" asked Robert, who seemed to be swimming in mud with his eyes closed, unable to see clearly.
Mr. Price is the principal.He stood there staring at her, blushing.The girl rushed out the door and ran, but Price stopped after a step.Then he pushed Miss Benson into the office, closed the door, and began a long conversation.
He spouted a tirade, just trying to tell her that the female student just now was a slut.She ran to the principal's office and said she was going to blackmail him. When he made his position known, she suddenly acted like that.But he will handle it with a magnanimous and merciful approach.He wouldn't call the police, because doing so would not only tarnish the school's reputation, but would also embarrass her well-behaved, respected father.His solution was simple, expel the girl student, and then advise her father to send her out of town immediately.
Finally, Mr. Price did not forget to emphasize meaningfully that it was fortunate that Miss Benson showed up in time to testify for this incident.It would be a great pity if Miss Benson could not testify for him.
"He's serious," said Miss Benson bitterly. "Their family ruled the town and ruled everything. If I dared to say what I really wanted to say, or even dared to move my mind, I would never find it in my life." Work. But I should say it anyway, I know I should, especially when it happens again!"
She tried to walk back to her own office at the end of the corridor, feeling exhausted.Once inside, she saw the girl, lying on the floor under the bulletin board.There usually was a pair of sharp scissors hanging there, but at this time, the scissors were held tightly in the girl's fist.There was blood all around, and the blood stained everything red.
"She's that kind of child," Miss Benson continued dully, "that kind... even if you criticize her for a little thing, she'll want to find a hole in the ground and face her with death. After going through that kind of thing , she probably only had one thought in her mind: hurry up and die. Fortunately, God has mercy on her, she did not succeed in committing suicide that time."
Miss Benson called for the doctor, a discreet man who asked no questions.After she was kicked out by her father, Miss Benson has been taking care of her.
Miss Benson said: "When she was finally able to go out and about, I used my position to send her to the city. Of course, she hadn't graduated yet, but she had learned a lot of skills. I wrote her a letter. Letters of recommendation, explaining that she's in some trouble and needs help, imploring them to give her a job."
Miss Benson put her hand to her forehead. "If I had said what I had to say then... I should have known that even then he wouldn't be relieved, he would keep looking, keep looking, until—"
"It's not him!" cried Robert hoarsely. "He's not the man I'm talking about!"
She looked at him in confusion: "But you said..."
"No," said Robert feebly, "I'm looking for someone else. A completely different man."
She flinched back. "You're playing tricks on me!"
"I swear it wasn't my intention."
"But that's all right," she whispered. "Whoever you tell this about, no one will believe it. I'll tell everyone you're a liar and you're making things up!"
"You don't have to," said Robert, "you just have to tell me where you referred her to work. After you tell me that, you can forget the rest."
She hesitated for a moment, her eyes brightened, and she looked at his face again with a look of fear. "Okay," she finally said, "Okay."
When Robert was about to leave, she put his arm nervously and said, "Come on, because I know these things, you must think I'm not a good person, right?"
"No," said Robert, "I have no right to judge."
He spent the rest of the day driving, and the hotel bed at night was no better than a car seat.Mr. Paddy in particular - classy Paddy - was simply the toughest level to deal with.He is a hale and hearty man who likes to talk in a small office, showing a warm and lively look.
He studied Robert's business card with interest. "Credit investigators, huh?" he said enviously. "No matter where they are, you can check other people? This is really great. Just like the policemen in "The History of Cavalry Bloody Battle", they only want to social harmony , right? As long as I can help, no matter..."
Remember, he clearly remembered that girl.
"She's the cutest little girl I've ever seen around here," he mused. "She's not very skilled at her job, but just watching her walk around the office is worth what she's paid for." gone."
Robert tried hard not to make redundant comments. "Was there any boy she was interested in at the time? Someone who came to the office a lot, or who didn't work here at all? Or whoever, you can tell me."
Mr Paddy squinted at the ceiling. "No," he said, "I can't think of anyone like that. She's been courted by a lot of boys, but you can't read her mind, she won't reveal a word. She's too mysterious. In fact, it's Because she hides everything in her heart, she caused such trouble."
"trouble?"
"Oh, no big deal. Someone lost a nice purse, and everyone in the store was eager to help except her, who looked like she had it. Then one day, she had a letter and said she ripped it off. Got into some trouble - so we had to let her go.
"After a while," Mr. Paddy went on cheerfully, "we found out it wasn't really her, but it was too late. We didn't know how to contact her." He snapped his fingers. "She's like this, Disappeared."
Robert took a deep breath to calm himself down. "There must be someone in the office who understands her," he asked pleadingly. "Maybe there is a girl she can talk to."
"Oh, yes," said Paddy. "Well, as I said, although she's not very friendly with other people, she does occasionally hang out with Jenny, Rizzo, who runs the switchboard. If you want to talk to Jenny, just Just go there. As long as I can help, no matter..."
It's Jenny who can help.She was an ordinary-looking girl in bright clothes of low taste.She looked at Robert with disdain, and then said coldly that she had nothing to say to him about Amy.There are too many people bothering that child, you just leave her alone for a while.
"I'm not interested in her," said Robert. "I've come to find the man who married her. A man named Vincent Sidney. Do you know him?"
From her shocked expression, Robert concluded that she knew the man.
"He!" she cried, "so she's married to him!"
"What's wrong?"
"What's the matter? I told her a thousand times that he's not a good guy. I told her to stay away from him as much as possible."
"why?"
"Because I know people like him well. The kind of guy who always has money in his pocket, and you never know where it comes from. He's the kind of guy who can play tricks and get away with it, That's why the money in your hand comes quickly!"
"Why do you know him so well?"
"Why? Because I've known him since I was a kid, and he lives next door to me. You see." Jenny rummaged through a drawer filled with personal belongings.Finally, he took out a stack of photos and stuffed them to Robert. "We used to hang out together, Vince and Amy, me and my boyfriend. I told Vince a few times, right in front of her, that this guy wasn't a good guy. But he always had a way of getting her to me She's like a child; if someone is nice to her, she'll give her all."
The photo wasn't very clear, but it was enough to make out the faces of Vince and Amy.
"Can I keep one?" asked Robert, in a subtly spontaneous tone.
Jenny shrugged. "Take whatever you want." So Robert put away the photos.
"What happened next?" he asked. "I mean Vince and Amy."
"You got me. She left with him when she got fired. She said Vince got a job down south, at Sutton. That was the last time I saw either of them. I It was impossible for him to work honestly, but from the way she spoke, it was clear that she believed in him. In short, I never saw her again. "
"Do you remember when was the last time you saw her? The time she told you she was moving to Sutton."
Jenny remembered.She probably remembered more, but Robert left just in time, leaving her to watch him leave with her mouth open in surprise.
It took only an hour to get to Sutton by car, but it took Robert another full hour to collect the Sutton newspapers and pile them up in front of him.The town's newspapers are well made, large format, neatly folded, and well preserved.In the two days following the day Jenny, Rizzo said, Robert found the news he wanted in the newspapers.News headlines decorated with floral patterns span the entire front page.
News reports said $10,000 was stolen.A daring lone robber breaks into Sutton Bank and Trust, takes the manager hostage as no one else knows, and calmly escapes with a bag containing $10,000 in cash.The police have been fully mobilized to search for the criminals.Solving the case is just around the corner...
Robert flipped through the newspapers for the next few days with trembling hands.The police abandoned the pursuit and did not arrest any suspects...
Robert carefully cropped the photo so that only Vince remained.The bank manager looked anxiously at the photo, then swallowed hard.
"It's him!" he said to Robert in disbelief. "It's this man! I'll know what he has become. If I could catch him with my own hands..."
"Before that, you have other things to do," said Robert.
"I don't want to make a deal," said the manager warily. "I want to catch him and get back every penny he took."
"I'm not talking about a deal," said Robert. "All you have to do is put in the papers and identify the bank robbers. If you do what I say, the police will come for you tomorrow."
"Is that all right?" the manager asked skeptically.
"That's all right," said Robert.
He sat in the familiar room again, surrounded by newspapers and evidence.His only worry before was whether the murderer would flee vigilantly while he was not at home.Thinking of this, he even felt a little short of breath, until he heard a faint, furtive movement from the next door.This shows that the situation is the same as when he left.
He began to carefully examine the notes he had painstakingly collected.The transcripts of conversations with so many individuals are here, enough for justice to be served.Not only that, he thought painfully, but these records also paint a picture of a girl's life.Step by step, she stepped into the grave dug for her by one betrayer after another.
Every man who has ever had a relationship with her can be called the spokesperson of the betrayer.The father, the principal, the employer, and finally her husband, everyone is guilty.Jenny, Rizzo's words are still echoing in Robert's ears.
As long as someone treats her well, she will immediately devote herself wholeheartedly.If he spoke first, took that step first, he would be the one.When she stood on the stairs watching him that day, she was probably waiting for him to speak, or to walk towards her.It's too late now, and now, he can no longer let her know what these notes mean; he can't let her know what he has done for her...
As Robert expected, the police acted step by step after seeing the statement posted by the bank manager.They studied the statement over and over, pored over the photograph, sent Robert politely from one office to another, and finally invited him to a room marked "Sheriff Kethering."The man who greeted him in the room was a tall, thin man with a soft voice.
It was a long story--before this, Robert had never realized how long it was, and how many details had to be explained--but he told it every word, without interruption.At last Inspector Kethering took up the newspaper, the handkerchief, and the photograph, gazed at them, and then looked at Robert curiously.
"It's all here," he said. "One more question, and that's why you're doing this, why you're getting into all this trouble. What are you trying to do?"
Confiding your most intimate dreams to a stranger is not easy.Robert struggled to choose his words. "Because of her. I have feelings for her."
"Oh." Sergeant Kesselin nodded understandingly, "You want to have an affair with her?"
"No," said Robert angrily, "we haven't even spoken yet."
Sergeant Kethering tapped the newspaper in front of him lightly.
"Oh," he said, "it's none of my business. But you've done a great job, great job. In fact, yesterday we found a car a few blocks from your house with有一具尸体。这辆车一个月前失窃，尸体上没有任何能证明身份的东西，衣服、线头都没有，只是一具留有巨大伤口的尸体。要是没有你走进来，拿着一份从A到Z分门别类的完美证据，这件案子很可能放上一百年都破不了。”
“我很荣幸。”罗伯特说，“这正是我所希望的。”
“嗯，”克瑟林警长说，“如果你想来警局谋个职位，随时来找我。”
他说完便走出了办公室，过了很久才回来，身边多了一个大块头，是一位态度冷漠的便衣侦探。这位便衣可怕地笑着。
“我们要把这件事做一个了结。”克瑟林警长对罗伯特说。说完，他朝新来的男人打了个手势。
他们小心翼翼地上了楼，站在门旁，克瑟林警长把耳朵贴在门上听了一阵。接着迅速朝便衣侦探点了点头，狠狠地敲了敲门。
“开门！”他喊道，“警察。”
一阵让人难以置信的安静。罗伯特觉得自己嘴巴发干，看着克瑟林警长和便衣侦探从别在腰上的手枪皮套里拿出令人胆寒的蓝钢左轮。
“别跟我要花招！”克瑟林警长咆哮道，说完突然抬起脚，用鞋跟狠狠砸向门锁。门被踢开了，罗伯特慌忙缩到楼梯间的栏杆后面——他看见了她。
她站在房间中央，毫无遮掩地面对着他。这梦幻般的时刻让他明白，此时她脸上的神色，正是每次面对背叛者暴露本来面目时的表情。她后退了一步，突然转过身朝窗户奔去。
“哦，不！”她哭喊着，声音正如罗伯特上次听到的那样，接着呼喊声便被玻璃破碎声取代。她发出一声绝望的尖叫，然后突然归于寂静。
罗伯特站在原地，咸咸的汗流进他的眼睛，咸咸的血流出他的嘴唇。窗户仿佛遥不可及，但他还是走到窗边，推开克瑟林警长，往下看去。
她蜷成一团，躺在人行道上。浓密的黑发散落在脸上，遮住了怒目圆睁的双眼。
便衣侦探已经走了，克瑟林警长还在，同情地看着罗伯特。
“我以为他把她杀了，”罗伯特低语，“我发誓他杀了她！”
“我们发现了他的尸体，”克瑟林警长说，“她是凶手。”
“那你为什么不告诉我？！”罗伯特恳求道，“你为什么不让我知道！”
克瑟林警长一脸精明地看着他。“什么？”他说，“然后呢？等你向她告密，然后带着她一走了之？那样我们就真的有麻烦了。”
这些问题没有答案，也无须多言。
“她只不过是突然崩溃了。”克瑟林警长解释道，“她以那样的方式长大，不知道该往哪条路走，也没人能够信任……一切都是注定的。你无能为力。”
他走下楼梯离开了，留罗伯特一个人待在她的房间。他慢慢地环顾四周，看着她留下的东西，接着小心地拉过一把椅子，高高举过头顶，用尽全身力气朝那堵墙砸去……
Notes:
Notes: