Soma Blues Read Online Free PDF Page B

not spy on the tenants.”
    Lee turned to leave. Gherig grabbed his arm so suddenly that he spun the smaller man around and had to support him to keep him from falling.
    “Lee,” Gherig said, “I don’t want to have to get this out of you piece by piece. Suppose you tell me all about this Mutinami right now and save yourself a night in the can.”
    “There’s nothing you can hold me for,” Lee said.
    “Don’t worry, I’ll invent something.”
    “We Chinese are a law-abiding people. You have no right to do this.”
    “I’m not going to do anything because you, as a concerned citizen, are going to tell me all about Mutinami and his friends.”
    “All right, let go of my arm.” Lee brushed himself off, took off his Panama hat, reblocked it and put it on again. Gherig fished an evidence bag out of his pocket and put the jadelike bottle into it. Then he crossed his arms and waited until Lee had straightened his tie, and, presumably, his story.
    “I don’t know anything about Mutinami or his friends. You have to understand how popular Chinatown is with the Japanese. Several other Japanese businessmen have also stayed here. I presume they were Mr. Mutinami’s friends. Or maybe they were Mr. Ahmadi’s friends. No one tells me anything. Maybe they were helping out on the rent. How should I know? I don’t have their names. This isn’t a police state. Not yet, anyway.”
    “No, but we’re working on it,” Gherig said. “Lighten up, Lee! This is a murder investigation. Would you feel better if I arrested you and questioned you down at the stationhouse?”
    “I said you wouldn’t like what you saw here,” Lee said. “But I’ve told you everything I know. May I go now?”
    “Leave your name, address, and phone number with the sergeant downstairs. Don’t try to leave town without notifying us. Here’s my card. I’m Lieutenant Gherig. If you think of anything else, I’d appreciate your calling me.”
    “Yes,” Fauchon said, “we have had a similar occurrence here. Last night. I’ll have to await my pathologist’s report to be sure. But there was a green bottle similar to the one you described. I’ll telephone when I know more.”
     
     

 
    7
     
     
    In midafternoon there was a caller at Marielle’s apartment. Hob answered it. In the doorway stood a tall, blond Englishman.
    “Mr. Draconian?”
    Hob somewhat cautiously allowed as how he was.
    “I’m Timothy Bower. Stanley’s brother. That French policeman was good enough to give me your address. He told me you’ve been assisting him on this case.”
    Hob invited him in and gave him a place to sit on Marielle’s uncomfortable black leather and chrome couch.
    “You’re a private detective, I understand?”
    Hob nodded.
    “Did you know Stanley well?”
    “I hardly knew him at all. We said hello once or twice at parties in Ibiza. I don’t think we ever had a real conversation.”
    “Hmm, yes,” Timothy said. “I don’t mean to be rude, but if you hardly knew Stanley, why are you helping the French police in their inquiry?”
    “Stanley lived in Ibiza,” Hob said. “That’s where I live, too, most of the time. And I’m helping because Inspector Fauchon feels diffident about inquiring into the lives of foreigners who don’t even live in Paris and would much prefer I did it for him.”
    “Hmm, yes. I suppose you know that Stanley was homosexual?”
    “Yes. That is to say, it was common knowledge in Ibiza, whether it was true or not.”
    “Oh, it was true all right,” Timothy said. “He’d been a flaming little queer since Eton. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be judgmental, but it was a trial to his family.”
    “How so?” Hob asked.
    Timothy smiled condescendingly. “You know something about England, don’t you? Still quite a tight little right little island. People know each other. Especially military families. Our own family dates back to the time of Richard the Lionhearted.”
    “He was queer, too, wasn’t he?” Hob