Эрл Гарднер - The Case of the Backward Mule

“And in this particular instance,” Malloy went on, “you might give him my thanks, and that good-looking Chinese-American girl, too.”

“I’ll tell her.”

Cynthia Renton followed him out. “Owl,” she said, “you’re leaving me just when I... damn it, just when I want you more than I ever wanted you in my life.”

Clane said, “You have a duty to perform, Cynthia. Edward Harold has lost faith in everything. You’ve got to tell him the news in such a way that he feels that justice can triumph in the world.”

“When you’re around to help it triumph,” Cynthia said. “Where would he have been if you hadn’t shown up?”

“Don’t put it to him that way,” Clane said, “or you’ll undo all the good you want to accomplish.”

“What will I tell him?”

“Tell him he’s been exonerated and they’re rushing through a pardon for him as soon as the red tape can be unwound. That’s about all you need to do.”

“And you? Where will you be?”

“Oh, I’ll be around.”

“Owl, are you trying to... Owl... are you in love with that Chinese girl?”

Clane said, “She’s just a dear friend, Cynthia.”

“You play around with that stuff and you’ll find out something about friendship you never knew before,” she told him. “Owl — come here.”

He moved closer to her. Suddenly her arms were around his neck and her lips, salty with tears, were against his. “Oh, Owl, I need you so much,” she sobbed, “and you’re going away.”

“Not very far away.”

She watched him wistfully. “One can never tell about you, Terry Clane. I...”

Inspector Malloy opened the door. “Men are bringing Nevis down here,” he said. “You’ll have to get out of sight, Miss Renton. And you, Clane, are...”

“Just leaving,” Clane said.

Cynthia Renton stood in the doorway with Malloy, watching Clane walk away into the darkness.

Inspector Malloy said musingly, “A remarkably talented young man.”

“A rank amateur,” Cynthia said, so savagely that Malloy turned to her in surprise. “The things that a really smart man should know, he doesn’t know a damn thing about!”

Malloy raised his eyebrows, then stepped back inside the warehouse and softly closed the door.