chapter 2

The place was full of plants with

heavy flowers and leaves like dead fingers.

From a wheelchair in the middle of the greenhouse an old

man with black eyes watched us. Although it was so hot, he was covered in blankets.

The butler said, `This is Mr Marlowe, General.'

The old man didn't move or speak. He just looked at me. Then he said, `Brandy, Norris. Please

bring some brandy.'

The butler went and the old man spoke again. He used his weak old voice as carefully as a poor

actress uses her last good pair of shoes.

`I used to like champagne with my brandy. Cold champagne. I can't drink now. Please allow me to

enjoy watching you drink. Take off your coat, sir. It's too hot in here for a healthy young man. You may

smoke. I like the smell of cigarettes.'

I took off my coat and lit a cigarette. The butler brought me brandy and I drank some. The General

watched me, with his eyes half−closed.

`Tell me about yourself, Mr Marlowe.'

`There's very little to tell. I'm thirty−three. I used to work for the District Attorney. His chief

investigator, Bernie Ohls, told me you wanted to see ,me. I'm not married. I don't like policemen's

wives.'

`Why did you stop working for the District Attorney?'

`I was fired. I don't enjoy taking orders from other people. I like thinking for myself.'

The old man smiled. `I feel the same myself, sir. I'm glad to hear you say that. What do you know

about my family?'

`Your wife is dead. You have two young daughters. They're both pretty and both wild. One of

them has been married three times − the last time to a bootlegger called Rusty Regan.'

The General smiled his thin smile.

`I was very fond of Rusty Regan. He was a big red−haired Irishman with sad eyes and a wide

smile. He spent hours with me. He was a grand story−teller and a grand drinker. Of course, he was not a

suitable husband for my daughter. I'm telling you our family secrets, Mr Marlowe.'

`They'll stay secrets,' I told him. `What happened to Regan ?'

The old man looked at me sadly. `He went away a month ago. Without saying goodbye. That hurt

me. I hope he'll come back. And now someone is blackmailing me again.'

`Again?'

He took a packet of papers from under the blankets. `Nobody blackmailed me while Rusty was

here, you can be sure. But nine or ten months ago I paid a man called Joe Brody five thousand dollars to

leave my younger daughter Carmen alone.'

`Ah,' I said.

`What does that mean?'

`Nothing,' I said.

He stared at me. `Look at this,' he said. `And have some more brandy.'

I took the packet. The address said: General Guy Sternwood, 3765 Alta Brea Crescent, West

Hollywood, California. There was a ...

continued ~

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