The Twelve Crimes of Christmas Read Online Free PDF

harder for you, but sometimes they make it easier for us. I’ll leave it at
that for now. Mr. Kiernan and Mr. Hatch, these men”—he aimed a thumb over his
shoulder at two dicks standing back of him—“will take you downtown. The rest of
you can go, but remember what I said. Goodwin, I want to see you.”
    He
had already seen me, but I wouldn’t make a point of it. Kiernan, however, had a
point to make, and made it: he had to leave last so he could lock up. It was so
arranged. The three women, Leo Jerome, and Stebbins and I took the elevator
down, leaving the two dicks with Kiernan and Hatch. Down on the sidewalk, as
they headed in different directions, I could see no sign of tails taking after
them. It was still snowing, a fine prospect for Christmas and the street
cleaners. There were two police cars at the curb, and Purley went to one and
opened the door and motioned to me to get in.
    I
objected. “If I’m invited downtown too I’m willing to oblige, but I’m going to
eat first. I damn near starved to death there once.”
    “You’re
not wanted downtown, not right now. Get in out of the snow.”
    I
did so, and slid across under the wheel to make room for him. He needs room. He
joined me and pulled the door shut.
    “If
we’re going to sit here,” I suggested, “we might as well be rolling. Don’t
bother to cross town, just drop me at Thirty-fifth.”
    He
objected. “I don’t like to drive and talk. Or listen. What were you doing there
today?”
    “I’ve
told you. Having fun. Three kinds of champagne. Miss Dickey invited me.”
    “I’m
giving you another chance. You were the only outsider there. Why? You’re
nothing special to Miss Dickey. She was going to marry Bottweill. Why?”
    “Ask
her.”
    “We
have asked her. She says there was no particular reason, she knew Bottweill
liked you, and they’ve regarded you as one of them since you found some
tapestries for them. She stuttered around about it. What I say, any time I find
you anywhere near a murder, I want to know. I’m giving you another chance.”
    So
she hadn’t mentioned the marriage license. Good for her. I would rather have
eaten all the snow that had fallen since noon than explain that damn license to
Sergeant Stebbins or Inspector Cramer. That was why I had gone through the
wastebasket. “Thanks for the chance,” I told him, “but I can’t use it. I’ve
told you everything I saw and heard there today.” That put me in a class with
Mrs. Jerome, since I had left out my little talk with Margot. “I’ve told you
all I know about those people. Lay off and go find your murderer.”
    “I
know you, Goodwin.”
    “Yeah,
you’ve even called me Archie. I treasure that memory.”
    “I
know you.” His head was turned on his bull neck, and our eyes were meeting. “Do
you expect me to believe that guy got out of that room and away without you
knowing it?”
    “Nuts.
I was kneeling on the floor, watching a man die, and they were around us.
Anyway, you’re just talking to hear yourself. You don’t think I was accessory
to the murder or to the murderer’s escape.”
    “I
didn’t say I did. Even if he was wearing gloves—and what for if not to leave no
prints?—I don’t say he was the murderer. But if you knew who he was and didn’t
want him involved in it, and let him get away, and if you let us wear out our
ankles looking for him, what about that?”
    “That
would be bad. If I asked my advice I would be against it.”
    “Goddam
it,” he barked, “do you know who he is?”
    “No.”
    “Did
you or Wolfe have anything to do with getting him there?”
    “No.”
    “All
right, pile out. They’ll be wanting you downtown.”
    “I
hope not tonight. I’m tired.” I opened the door. “You have my address.” I
stepped out into the snow, and he started the engine and rolled off.
    It
should have been a good hour for an empty taxi, but in a Christmas-season
snowstorm it took me ten minutes to find one. When it pulled up in front