於是，他們把她留在那裏，開始忙自己的事情——搜索整個住宅。時不時地，一個探員會跑過來問她一些問題。有時，當傑克·努南從她跟前經過的時候，會像一個紳士，和她說上幾句話。他告訴她，她的丈夫是由於後腦勺遭受很沉的鈍器猛擊而致死的，基本上可以肯定，凶手所用的凶器是一件大型的金屬器具。他們正在尋找這個凶器。凶手可能已經把它隨身帶走了，但是也不能排除把它扔掉了，也有可能藏在這棟房子的某個地方。
“都是老一套了，”他說，“隻要找到了凶器，就很容易抓到凶手。”
過了一會兒，其中的一個警探走到她身邊坐了下來。他問她，房間裏是不是有一些可以當作凶器的東西，如果她不介意的話，可以四處檢查一下，看看有沒有少了某些東西——比如，那種特別大的扳手，或者是很重的金屬質地的花瓶。
她告訴他們，家裏從來就沒有那種很重的金屬質地的花瓶。
“那是否有那種大型的扳手呢？”
她說也沒有印象他們有過大的扳手。但是，她說這種東西應該能在車庫裏找到。
他們繼續進行搜索。她知道，除了眼前的這些警察，還有其他的警察在院子裏麵，遍布整個宅子。她能清晰聽到他們的腳步聲，聽到他們踩在石子上麵的聲音。偶爾，她會透過窗簾的縫隙看見手電筒的閃光。夜色慢慢變深，她看見壁爐上方的鍾表指針已經指向九點。搜查房間的那四個男人估計有些疲倦了，看起來有點惱火。
“傑克，麻煩你幫我拿杯喝的好不好？”努南警官再次在她身邊走過時，她對他說。
“當然可以，這就給你拿，你是不是要這個威士忌？”
“沒錯，就是這個，謝謝。不過，一小杯就行了。我想，這也許能讓我感覺好些。”
他把一小杯威士忌遞給她。
“你何不也倒一杯呢，”她說，“你一定累壞了吧，喝一杯吧。一直以來，你對我都這麽關心。”
“是這樣，”他答道，“我們有嚴格規定，不許喝酒，不過稍微喝一點也無妨，這樣好有力氣幹活。”
其他的警察也陸續走進屋，在她的鼓勵下，他們都喝了一小口威士忌酒。他們在她周圍站著，手裏都拿著酒杯，可能是因為她在場的原因，所以有點拘謹，不自在。他們盡量對她說一些安慰的話。努南警官晃晃悠悠地走進廚房，但是很快又出來了，“我說，馬勒尼夫人，你是不是忘了你們家的烤箱還開著呢，並且烤肉還在裏邊。”
“啊，天哪！”她叫道，“我還真把它給忘了，烤箱確實還開著呢！”
“我還是幫你把它關了吧，怎麽樣？”
“真讓你費心了，那就麻煩你把它關了吧，太謝謝你了。”
當傑克·努南警官再次回來時，她用她那雙又黑又大的眼睛望著他，眼睛裏充滿著淚水，“傑克·努南，”她說。
“怎麽了？”
“你可不可以幫我一個小忙？——你，還有剩下的人，”她對屋裏所有的人說。
“我們會盡力而為的，馬勒尼夫人。”
“是這樣，”她說，“你們今天都來到這裏，還有親愛的帕特裏克的好友們，你們為了抓到殺害他的凶手費盡心血。我想，現在你們肯定餓得不行了，因為現在早已過了晚飯的時間了，並且，如果我繼續讓你們待在房子裏，而不好好地招待你們一下的話，我的丈夫帕特裏克永遠不會原諒我的，上帝保佑他的靈魂。我有一個想法，想讓你們把烤箱裏的烤羊肉吃掉，當作晚餐吧。我想，羊肉應該剛好烤熟了，怎麽樣？”
“真是連做夢都夢不到的好事，”努南警官說。
“拜托你們了，”她乞求道，“你們就把它吃掉吧。就我本人而言，我不能碰這裏的任何東西。當然，當他在的時候，情況是不一樣的。但是你們不一樣，你們可以隨便碰屋裏的東西。你們要是把羊肉吃了，那可真是幫了我的大忙了。吃完後，你們就有力氣繼續工作了。”
四名警察猶豫了很長一段時間，不過很明顯，他們確實都已經非常餓了。經過她一番真誠地邀請後，他們急忙跑到廚房，為空****的肚子填東西去了。女人坐在原位上，聽著他們在廚房裏說笑著，他們的聲音雖然很大，但是說話的聲音不太清楚，因為嘴裏塞滿了烤熟的羊肉。
“多吃點，查理。”
“還是算了吧，別把人家的肉吃光了。”
“是她要我們吃光的，她不是說了嘛，務必幫她這個忙。”
“那好吧，再給我來點。”
“歹徒肯定是用一根可以置人於死地的大型棒器殺害可憐的帕特裏克的，”其中一個人說道，“法醫說，他的頭骨已經被擊碎了，好像是被鐵錘擊過一樣。”
“所以說，這麽大的凶器應該很容易找到的。”
“這正是我要說的。”
“不管是什麽人，幹完之後，都不會攜帶那麽笨重的東西四處溜達。”
其中一個人打了個飽嗝。
“要我說呀，那凶器肯定就在這兒，就在宅子的什麽地方藏著呢！”
“可能就在我們眼皮子底下。你說是吧，傑克？”
這時候，在另一個房間裏，瑪麗·馬勒尼笑了起來。
The room was warm and clean， the curtains drawn， the two table lamps alight-hers and the one by the empty chair opposite. On the sideboard behind her， two tall glasses， soda water， whiskey.Fresh ice cubes in the Thermos bucket.
Mary Maloney was waiting for her husband to come home from work.
Now and again she would glance up at the clock， but without anxiety， merely to please herself with the thought that each minute gone by made it nearer the time when he would come. There was a slow smiling air about her， and about everything she did.The drop of a head as she bent over her sewing was curiously tranquil.Her skin-for this was her sixth month with child-had acquired a wonderful translucent quality， the mouth was soft， and the eyes， with their new placid look， seemed larger， darker than before.When the clock said ten minutes to five， she began to listen， and a few moments later， punctually as always， she heard the tires on the gravel outside， and the car door slamming， the footsteps passing the window， the key turning in the lock.She laid aside her sewing， stood up， and went forward to kiss him as he came in.
"Hello， darling，"she said.
"Hello， darling，"he answered.
She took his coat and hung it in the closet. Then she walked over and made the drinks， a strongish one for him， a weak one for herself；and soon she was back again in her chair with the sewing， and he in the other， opposite， holding the tall glass with both hands， rocking it so the ice cubes tinkled against the side.
For her， this was always a blissful time of day. She knew he didn't want to speak much until the first drink was finished， and she， on her side， was content to sit quietly， enjoying his company after the long hours alone in the house.She loved to luxuriate in the presence of this man， and to feel-almost as a sunbather feels the sun-that warm male glow that came out of him to her when they were alone together.She loved him for the way he sat loosely in a chair， for the way he came in a door， or moved slowly across the room with long strides.She loved intent， far look in his eyes when they rested in her， the funny shape of the mouth， and especially the way he remained silent about his tiredness， sitting still with himself until the whiskey had taken some of it away.
"Tired， darling？"
"Yes，"he said."I'm tired."And as he spoke， he did an unusual thing. He lifted his glass and drained it in one swallow although there was still half of it， at least half of it left.She wasn't really watching him， but she knew what he had done because she heard the ice cubes falling back against the bottom of the empty glass when he lowered his arm.He paused a moment， leaning forward in the chair， then he got up and went slowly over to fetch himself another.
"I'll get it！"she cried， jumping up.
"Sit down，"he said.
When he came back， she noticed that the new drink was dark amber with the quantity of whiskey in it.
"Darling， shall I get your slippers？"
"No."
She watched him as he began to sip the dark yellow drink， and she could see little oily swirls in the liquid because it was so strong.
"I think it's a shame，"she said，"that when a policeman gets to be as senior as you， they keep him walking about on his feet all day long."
He didn't answer， so she bent her head again and went on with her sewing；but each time he lifted the drink to his lips， she heard the ice cubes clinking against the side of the glass.
"Darling，"she said."Would you like me to get you some cheese？I haven't made any supper because it's Thursday."
"No，"he said.
"If you're too tired to eat out，"she went on，"it's still not too late. There's plenty of meat and stuff in the freezer， and you can have it right here and not even move out of the chair."
Her eyes waited on him for an answer， a smile， a little nod， but he made no sign.
"Anyway，"she went on，"I'll get you some cheese and crackers first."
"I don't want it，"he said.
She moved uneasily in her chair， the large eyes still watching his face."But you must eat！I'll fix it anyway， and then you can have it or not， as you like."
She stood up and placed her sewing on the table by the lamp.
"Sit down，"he said."Just for a minute， sit down."
It wasn't till then that she began to get frightened.
"Go on，"he said."Sit down."
She lowered herself back slowly into the chair， watching him all the time with those large， bewildered eyes. He had finished the second drink and was staring down into the glass， frowning.
"Listen，"he said."I've got something to tell you."
"What is it， darling？What's the matter？"
He had now become absolutely motionless， and he kept his head down so that the light from the lamp beside him fell across the upper part of his face， leaving the chin and mouth in shadow. She noticed there was a little muscle moving near the corner of his left eye.
"This is going to be a bit of a shock to you， I'm afraid，"he said."But I've thought about it a good deal and I've decided the only thing to do is tell you right away. I hope you won't blame me too much."
And he told her. It didn't take long， four or five minutes at most， and she sat very still through it all， watching him with a kind of dazed horror as he went further and further away from her with each word.
"So there it is，"he added."And I know it's kind of a bad time to be telling you， but there simply wasn't any other way. Of course I'll give you money and see you're looked after.But there needn't really be any fuss.I hope not anyway.It wouldn't be very good for my job."