Tanith Lee by Red As Blood or Tales from the Sisters Grimmer

Author:Red As Blood or Tales from the Sisters Grimmer
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-12-12T02:16:48+00:00

She’s a dowdy, homely wench, but she probably doesn’t see herself that way.”

“Labels,” said Nick Noble. “Let’s see.”

MacDonald placed them before him:

Mrs Stephen Harnett

11749 Verdugo Drive

Los Angeles 24, Calif.

Mrs Lynn Dvorak

6708 Las Aves Road

Hollywood 28, Calif.

Nick Noble leaned back in the booth and a film seemed to obscure his eyes.

“Mrs…?” he said softly.

“Lynn? Divorced. Three years ago. That doesn’t enter in. You’ll notice the postmark, too. Downtown Hollywood. Steve admitted he’d been in to see the advertising agency; but that doesn’t help now. The secretary lives near here-which might be a good reason for not mailing here. And that reminds me: I’m down in this part of town to see her. I’d better-“

“Why?” said Nick Noble.

MacDonald smilingly disregarded the query. “Oh-one odd thing I forgot to tell you about Steve. When that New York call came through he muttered something about life goes on, and added: Life’s crime’s fool. I told you he’s a sucker for quotations, but I couldn’t spot this one; it bothered me, so I stopped at the library to use a concordance. It’s Hotspur’s death speech in Henry IV, Part I, the same speech Huxley used for a title a while back, only it’s properly Life’s time’s fool. Interesting subconscious twist, don’t you think?” Nick Noble’s lips moved softly, almost inaudibly: But thought’s the slave of life, and

life’s time’s fool; And time, that takes survey of all the world,

Must have a stop…

He broke off, looking almost embarrassed by so long and articulate a speech.

“Wife and I,” he explained. “Used to read Shakespeare. Time… crime… must have a stop.”

“Lieutenant MacDonald?”

This was a strange new voice, deep, with a slight Central European accent.

Bitterly remembering what had begun when last a new voice accosted him in the Chula Negra, MacDonald looked up to see a dapper little man waving a sheet of notepaper at him.

“They tell me at your Headquarters,” the little man was saying, “I may possibly find you in this Lokal; so I come. Our friend Stephen Harnett gives me this letter for you long since, but I am first now in Los Angeles with the opportunity to present it.”

Puzzled, MacDonald began to read:

Dear Don:

This is to introduce Dr Ferdinand Wahrschein, who is (need I say?) a friend of the sponsor’s wife and who is conducting a technical investigation into American police methods. I’d deeply appreciate (and so would the sponsor) any help which you can give him.

Sincerely,

STEVE

The lieutenant rose, tossing the letter to Nick Noble. “Delighted to meet you, but you catch me just when I am leaving to interview a witness, and I’d sooner do it alone. But I tell you what: if you really want to know how the local department cracks its toughest nuts, you stay right here with The Master.” And he was gone. Dr. Ferdinand Wahrschein stared speculatively at the pinched white face in the booth, then gingerly seated himself and resignedly began, “Na also! Is it your finding that anthropometric method-“

“Sherry?” suggested Nick Noble hospitably.

Miss Patricia McVeagh had a room (adjacent bath-no cooking priv.

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