“This is Arlene, Tom. Yes, I know I wasn’t going to call you up again. But I knew you’d want to know. Senator Peveley has been killed. Murdered.” There was a longish pause, then, “I don’t know. Somebody shot him, and he’s dead.” Another pause. “On the floor of the corridor. Tom -”
显然汤姆已经挂了电话。棕色头发的女孩轻轻地拨了一两次电话钩，说：“哦，天哪！” 然后出乎意料地哭了起来。巴顿冲动地朝她走去，但她跑进一个小衣帽间，关上了门。
Evidently Tom had hung up. The brown-haired girl jiggled the phone hook once or twice, said, “Oh dear!” and unexpectedly burst into tears. Buttonholes made an impulsive move in her direction, but she ran into a little coat closet and shut the door.
海伦看着她，摇了摇头。“在威斯康星州的杰克逊，从来没有无聊的时刻。” 她评论道。
Helene looked after her, shaking her head. “Never a dull moment in Jackson, Wisconsin,” she mented.
巴顿皱起了眉头。“如果她父亲知道了 ——”
Buttonholes frowned. “If her father finds out -”
他被县书记员菲尔?史密斯的到来打断了。这位英俊的白发男人礼貌地对杰克和海伦微笑。
He was interrupted by the arrival of Phil Smith, the county clerk. The handsome, white-haired man smiled politely at Jake and Helene.
“很抱歉你们的钓鱼之旅被打断了，” 他流畅地说。“不过，在法院里你们比在这场雨中外出要好。”
“Sorry you’ve had this interruption of your fishing trip,” he said smoothly. “Still, you’re better off here in the courthouse than you would have been, out in this rain.”
“我们没被淋湿，” 海伦说，“如果这是你的意思的话。”
“We’re not wet,” Helene said, “if that’s what you mean.”
杰克叹了口气。“有人知道是谁杀了他吗？”
Jake sighed. “Does anyone have any idea who killed him?”
菲尔?史密斯摇了摇头。“一点头绪都没有。我自己都不明白这是怎么发生的。” 他皱起眉头。“哎呀，我们听到枪声的时候都在法庭里，然后他就倒下了。”
Phil Smith shook his head. “Not an idea in the world. I don’t see how it could have happened, myself.” He scowled. “Why, we were all right there in the courtroom when we heard the shot, and he fell.”
“肯定是上面的某个人开枪打了他。” 杰克说。
“Someone who was up there must have shot him,” Jake said.
县书记员摇了摇头。“不可能。那些人里的一个？荒谬。” 他愤怒地看着杰克，杰克耸了耸肩，把目光移开。
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