On the whole, no one seemed to object. Phil Smithy did remark, mildly, that no one in the building had been out to lunch. The sheriff pointed out in return that Kline’s Grill would send in sandwiches. Miss MacGowan glanced at her watch, frowned, and telephoned the Library Guild to apologize for not being present at the afternoon’s meeting. The white-faced young district attorney shut himself in his office.
大楼里没有人假装继续工作。一群男人聚集在公路办公室里，围在治安官克林周围。办公室的女孩们在走廊的最尽头，是一群安静但仍在叽叽喳喳的人。副治安官们不允许任何人上到二楼。
No one in the building made any pretense of continuing work. A group of men gathered in the highway office, around Sheriff Kling. The office girls were a subdued, but still chattering group at the farthest end of the corridor. The deputy sheriffs refused to let anyone up to the second floor.
雷声减弱了一点，但外面的雨还在下着。海伦渴望地看向门口。
The thunder had slackened a little, but outside the rain was still falling. Helene glanced longingly toward the door.
“我可以大吵大闹说被关在这里，但不知为何我觉得这样不太明智。我也觉得在验尸官来之前我们不能移动这些尸体。”
“I could kick up a row about being kept here,” Jake said. “But somehow I’ve an idea it wouldn’t be tactful. I don’t think we move these bodies, either, until the coroner arrives.”
“哦，好吧，” 海伦说。“也许最终我们会喜欢这里。” 她点烟的时候停了一下。“验尸官来了之后我们有机会离开，对吧？”
“Oh well,” Helene said. “Maybe in time we’ll get to like it here.” She paused in the act of lighting a cigarette. “There’s a chance we’ll be able to leave after the coroner arrives, isn’t there?”
“别担心，” 杰克坚定地告诉她。“如果你认为我会让任何一个小镇治安官……”
“Don’t worry,” Jake told her firmly. “If you think I’m going to let any small-town sheriff -”
她叹了口气打断他。“你在埃文斯顿那次我因超速被抓的时候也这么说。你说没有哪个埃文斯顿的警察会把我关进监狱……”
She interrupted him with a sigh. “That’s what you said the time I was arrested for speeding in Evanston. You said no Evanston cop was going to put me in jail -”
“那不一样，” 杰克一本正经地说。“那是违反埃文斯顿的限速规定。这只是一起谋杀案。” 他拉着她的胳膊，把她领进县书记员的办公室，巴顿正渴望地看着他的拖把和水桶，以及躺着尸体的走廊地面。除此之外，办公室空无一人。
小主，这个章节后面还有哦，请点击下一页继续阅读，后面更精彩！