Curtains for Three

"No."

"Then I won't. It would suit me fine if the occasion arose someday for me to pat you. When I'm dining

108 Rex Stout

with the inspector this evening I'll put in a word for you, not saying what kind."

I hoofed it out of the park and along Sixty-sixth Street to Broadway, found a drugstore and a phone booth, wriggled onto the stool, and dialed my favorite number. It was Orrie Gather's voice that answered. So, I remarked to myself, he's still there, probably sitting at my desk; Wolfe's instructions for him must be awful complicated. I asked for Wolfe and got him.

"Yes, Archie?"

"I am phoning as instructed. Officer Hefferan is a Goodwin-hater, but I swallowed my pride. On the stand he would swear up and down that he saw Keyes at the place and time as given, and I guess he did, but a good lawyer could shoot it full of ifs and buts."

"Why? Is Mr. Hefferan a shuttlecock?"

"By no means. He knows it all. But it wasn't a closeup."

"You'd better let me have it verbatim."

I did so. By years of practice I had reached the point where I could relay a two-hour conversation, without any notes but practically word for word, and the brief session I had just come from gave me no trouble at all. When I had finished Wolfe said, "Indeed."

Silence.

I waited a full two minutes and then said politely, "Please tell Orrie not to put his feet on my desk."

In another minute Wolfe's voice came. "Mr. Pohl has telephoned again, twice, from the Keyes office. He's a jackass. Go there and see him. The address--"

"I know the address. What part of him do I look at?"

"Tell him to stop telephoning me. I want it stopped."

Curtains for Three 109

"Right. I'll cut the wires. Then what do I do?"

"Phone in again and we'll see."

It clicked off. I wriggled off the stool and out of the booth and stood muttering to myself until I noticed that the line of girls on stools at the soda fountain, especially one of them with blue eyes and dimples, was rudely staring at me. I told her distinctly, "Meet me at Tiffany's ring counter at two o'clock," and strode out. Since I wouldn't be able to park within a mile of Forty seventh and Madison, I decided to leave my car where it was and snare a taxi.

IX

One quick look around the Keyes establishment on the twelfth floor was enough to show where a good slice of the profits had gone, unless that was what Pohl's hundred grand had been used for. Panels of four kinds of blond wood made up both the walls and ceiling, and the furniture matched. The seats of the chairs for waiting callers were upholstered in blue and black super-burlap, and you had to watch yourself on the rugs not to twist an ankle. Everywhere, in glass eases against the walls, on pedestals scattered around, and on platforms and tables, were models of almost anything you could think of, from fountain pens to airplanes.

When a woman with pink earrings learned that I sought Mr. Pohl she gave me a wary and reproachful look, but she functioned. After a little delay I was waved through a door and found myself at the end of a long wide corridor. There was no one in sight and I had been given no directions, so it was a case of hide and seek. The best opening move seemed to be to walk down the corridor, so I started, glancing into open

110 Rex Stout

doors on either side as I passed. The same scale of interior architecture seemed to prevail throughout, with wide variations in style and color. At the fourth door on the right I saw him, and he called to me, simultaneously.

"Come in, Goodwin!"

I entered. It was a big room with three wide windows, and at a quick glance appeared to be the spot where they had really decided to spread themselves. The rugs were white and the walls were black, and the enormous desk that took all of one end was either ebony or call in an expert. The chair behind the desk, in which Pohl was seated, was likewise.

"Where's Wolfe?" Pohl demanded.

"Where he always is," I replied, negotiating rugs. "At home, sitting down."

He was scowling at me. "I thought he was with you. When I phoned him a few minutes ago he intimated that he might be. He's not coming?"

"No. Never. I'm glad you phoned him again because, as he told you this morning in my hearing, he'll need the cooperation of all of you."

"He'll get mine," Pohl stated grimly. "Since he's not coming for it himself, I suppose I ought to give this to you." He took papers from his breast pocket, looked through them, selected one and held it out. I stepped to the desk to take it.

It was a single sheet, with "Memo from Sigmund Keyes" on it, printed fancy, and scrawled in ink was a list of towns:

Dayton, Ohio Aug. 11 & 12 Boston Aug. 21

Los Angeles Aug. 27 to Sept. 5 Meadville, Pa. Sept. 15

Curtains for Three 111

Pittsburgh Sept. 16 & 17 Chicago Sept. 24-26 Philadelphia Oct. 1

"Much obliged," I thanked him, and stuck it in my pocket. "Covers a lot of country."

Pohl nodded. "Talbott gets around, and he's a good salesman, I admit that. Tell Wolfe I did just as he said, and I got it out of a record right here in Keyes' desk, so no one knows anything about it. Those are all the out of-town trips Talbott has made since August first. I have no idea what Wolfe wants it for, but by God it shows he's on the job, and whoever does know what a detective is after? I don't give a damn how mysterious it is as long as I can help him get Talbott."

I had an eye cocked at him, trying to decide whether he was really as naive as he sounded. It gave me one on Wolfe, knowing that he had tried to keep Pohl away from a phone by giving him work to do, and here Pohl had cleaned it up in no time at all and was ready to ask for more. But instead of asking Wolfe for more, he asked me. He shot it at me.

"Go out and get me some sandwiches and coffee. There's a place on Forty-sixth Street, Perrine's."

I sat down. "That's funny, I was about to ask you to get me some. I'm tired and hungry. Let's go together."

"How the hell can I?" he demanded.

"Why not?"

"Because I might not be able to get in again. This is Keyes' room, but Keyes is dead, and I own part of this business and I've got a right here! Dorothy has tried to chase me out--damn her, she used to sit on my lap! I want certain information, and she has ordered the staff not to give me any. She threatened to get the police to put me out, but she won't do that. She's had enough of

112 Rex Stout

the police this last week." Pohl was scowling at me. "I prefer corned beef, and the coffee black, no sugar."

I grinned at his scowl. "So you're squatting. Where's Dorothy?"

"Down the hall, in Talbott's room."

"Is Talbott there?"

"No, he hasn't been in today."

I glanced at my wrist and saw twenty minutes past one. I stood up. "Rye with mustard?"

"No. White bread and nothing on it--no butter."

"Okay. On one condition, that you promise not to phone Mr. Wolfe. If you did you'd be sure to tell him that you got what he's after, and I want to surprise him with it."

He said he wouldn't, and that he wanted two sandwiches and plenty of coffee, and I departed. Two men and a woman who were standing in the corridor, talking, inspected me head to foot as I passed but didn't try to trip me, and I went on out to the elevators, descended, and got directed to a phone booth in the lobby.

Orrie Gather answered again, and I began to suspect that he and Saul were continuing the pinochle game with Wolfe.

"I'm on my way," I told Wolfe when he was on, "to get corned-beef sandwiches for Pohl and me but I've got a plan. He promised not to phone you while I'm gone, and if I don't go back he's stuck. He has installed himself in Keyes' room, which you ought to see, against Dorothy's protests, and intends to stay. Been there all day. What shall I do, come home or go to a movie?"

"Has Mr. Pohl had lunch?"

"Certainly not. That's what the sandwiches are for."

Curtains for Three 113

"Then you'll have to take them to him:"

I remained calm because I knew he meant it from I his heart, or at least his stomach. He couldn't bear the | idea of even his bitterest enemy missing a meal.

"All right," I conceded, "and I may get a tip. By the |, way, that trick you tried didn't work. Right away he I found a record of Talbott's travels in Keyes' desk and I copied it off on a sheet from Keyes' memo pad. I've got I it in my pocket."

"Read it to me."

"Oh, you can't wait." I got the paper out and read I the list of towns and dates to him. Twice he said I was going too fast, so apparently he was taking it down. ijiWhen that farce was over I asked, "After I feed him, Mfcen what?"

"Call in again when you've had your lunch."

I banged the thing on the hook.

They were good sandwiches. The beef was tender and full of hot salty sap, with just the right amount of fat, and the bread had some character. I was a little short on milk, having got only a pint, but stretched it out. In

s between bites we discussed matters, and I made a mis; take. I should of course have told Pohl nothing whatever, especially since the more I saw of him the less I

liked him, but the sandwiches were so good that I got careless and let it out that as far as I knew no attack had been made on the phone girl and the waiter at the Hotel Churchill. Pohl was determined to phone Wolfe immediately to utter a howl, and in order to stop him I had to tell him that Wolfe had other men on the case

|,and I didn't know who or what they were covering.

114 Rex Stout

I was about to phone myself when the door opened and Dorothy Keyes and Victor Talbott walked in.

I stood up. Pohl didn't.

"Hello hello," I said cheerfully. "Nice place you have here."

Neither of them even nodded to me. Dorothy dropped into a chair against a wall, crossed her legs, and turned her gaze on Pohl with her chin in the air.

Talbott marched over to us at the ebony desk, stopped at my elbow, and told Pohl, "You know damn well you've got no right here, going through things and trying to order the staff around. You have no right here at all. I'll give you one minute to get out."

"Youll give me?" Pohl sounded nasty and looked nasty. "You're a paid employee, and you won't be that long, and I'm part owner, and you say you'll give me! Trying to order the staff around, am I? I'm giving the staff a chance to tell the truth, and they're doing it. Two of them have spent an hour in a lawyer's office, getting it on paper. A complaint has been sworn against Broadyke for receiving stolen goods, and he's been arrested by now."

Talbott said, "Get out," without raising his voice.

Pohl, not moving, said, "And I might also mention that a complaint has been sworn against you for stealing the goods. The designs you sold to Broadyke. Are you going to try to alibi that too?"

Talbott's jaw worked a couple of seconds before it let his lips open for speech. His teeth stayed together as he said, "You can leave now."

"Or I can stay. I'll stay." Pohl was sneering, and it made his network of face creases deeper. "You may have noticed I'm not alone."

I didn't care for that. "Just a minute," I put in. "I'll hold your coats, and that's all. Don't count on me, Mr.

Curtains for Three 115

"ft

Pohl. I'm strictly a spectator, except for one thing, you haven't paid me for your sandwiches and coffee. ; Ninety-five cents before you go, if you're going."

"I'm not going. It's different here from what it was in the park that morning, Vie. There's a witness."

Talbott took two quick steps, used a foot to shove the big ebony chair back free of the desk, made a grab in the neighborhood of Pohl's throat, got his necktie, and jerked him out of the chair. Pohl came forward and tried to come up at the same time, but Talbott, moving fast, kept going with him, dragging him around the "corner of the desk.

I had got upright and backed off, not to be in the way.

Suddenly Talbott went down, flat on his back, an upflung hand gripping a piece of the necktie. Pohl was not very springy, even for his age, but he did his best. He scrambled to his feet, started yelling, "Help! Police! Help!" at the top of his voice, and seized the chair I had been sitting on and raised it high. His idea was to drop it on the prostrate enemy, and my leg muscles tightened for quick action, but Talbott leaped up and yanked the chair away from him. Pohl ran. He scooted around behind the desk, and Talbott went after him. Pohl, yelling for help again, slid around the other end, galloped across the room to a table which held a collection of various objects, picked up an electric iron, and threw it. Missing Talbott, who dodged, it crashed onto the ebony desk and knocked the telephone to the floor. Apparently having an iron thrown at him made Talbott mad, for when he reached Pohl, instead of trying to get a hold on something more substantial than a necktie, he hauled off and landed on his jaw, in spite of the warning I had given him the day before.

"Off of that, you!" a voice boomed.

116 Rex Stout

Glancing to the right, I saw two things: first, that Dorothy, still in her chair, hadn't even uncrossed her legs, and second, that the law who had entered was not a uniformed pavement man but a squad dick I knew by sight. Evidently he had been somewhere around the premises, but it was the first I had seen of him.

He crossed to the gladiators. "This is no way to act," he declared.

Dorothy, moving swiftly, was beside him. "This man," she said, indicating Pohl, "forced his way in here and was told to leave but wouldn't. I am in charge of this place and he has no right here. I want a charge against him for trespassing or disturbing the peace or whatever it is. He tried to kill Mr. Talbott with a chair and then with that iron he threw at him."

I, having put the phone back on the desk, had wandered near, and the law gave me a look.

"What were you doing, Goodwin, trimming your nails?"

"No, sir," I said respectfully, "it was just that I didn't want to get stepped on."

Talbott and Pohl were both speaking at once.

"I know, I know," the dick said, harassed. "Ordinarily, with people like you, I would feel that the thing to do was to sit down and discuss it, but with what happened to Keyes things are different from ordinary." He appealed to Dorothy. "You say you're making a charge, Miss Keyes?"

"I certainly am."

"So am I," Talbott stated.

"Then that's that. Come along with me, Mr. Pohl."

"I'm staying here." Pohl was still panting. "I have a right here and I'm staying here."

"No, you're not. You heard what the lady said."

"Yes, but you didn't hear what I said. I was as Curtains for Three 117

ilted. She makes a charge. So do I. I was sitting etly in a chair, not moving, and Talbott tried to *le me, and he struck me. Didn't you see him te me?"

was in self-defense," Dorothy declared. "You an iron--" "To save my life! He assaulted--" "All I did--"

"Hold it," the law said curtly. "Under the circum aces you can't talk yourselves into anything with You men will come along with me, both of you. e's your hats and coats?" ey went. First they used up more breath on and gestures, but they went, Pohl in the lead, only half a necktie, Talbott next, and the law in srear.

^Thinking I might as well tidy up a little, I went and I the chair Pohl had tried to use, then retrieved iron and put it back on the table, and then ex aed the beautiful surface of the desk to see how damage had been done, suppose you're a coward, aren't you?" Dorothy

had sat down again, in the same chair, and the same legs. They were all right; I had no : coming there.

t's controversial," I told her, "It was on the Town ting of the Air last week. With a midget, if he's led, I'm as brave as a lion. Or with a woman. Try ag on me. But with--" A buzz sounded.

phone," Dorothy said. ;! pulled it to me and got the receiver to my ear. fc "Is Miss Keyes there?"

"Yes," I said, "she's busy sitting down. Any mesp?" 118 Rex Stout

"Tell her Mr. Donaldson is here to see her."

I did so, and for the first time saw an expression that was unquestionably human on Dorothy's face. At sound of the name Donaldson all trace of the brow lifter vanished. Muscles tightened all over and color went. She may or may not have been what she had just called me, I didn't know because I had never seen or heard of Donaldson, but she sure was scared stiff.

I got tired waiting and repeated it. "Mr. Donaldson is here to see you."

"I--" She wet her lips. In a moment she swallowed. In another moment she stood up, said in a voice not soft at all, 'Tell her to send him to Mr. Talbott's room," and went.

I forwarded the command as instructed, asked for an outside line, and, when I heard the dial tone, fingered the number. My wrist watch said five past three, and it stopped my tongue for a second when once more I heard Orrie's voice.

"Archie," I said shortly. "Let me speak to Saul."

"Saul? He's not here. Been gone for hours."

"Oh, I thought it was a party. Then Wolfe."

Wolfe's voice came. "Yes, Archie?"

"I'm in Keyes' office, sitting at his desk. I'm alone. I brought Pohl his lunch, and he owes me ninety-five cents. It just occurred to me that I've seen you go to great lengths to keep your clients from being arrested. Remember the time you buried Clara Fox in a box of osmundine and turned the hose on her? Or the time--"

"What about it?"

"They're scooping up all the clients, that's all. Broadyke has been collared for receiving stolen goods --the designs he bought from Talbott. Pohl has been pulled in for disturbing the peace, and Talbott for as Curtains for Three 119

, arid battery. Not to mention that Miss Keyes has had the daylights scared out of her." "What are you talking about? What happened?" I told him and, since he had nothing to do but sit I let Orrie answer the phone for him, I left nothing . When I was through I offered the suggestion that ght be a good plan for me to stick around and find twhat it was about Mr. Donaldson that made young

en tremble and turn pale at sound of his name. |?No, I think not," Wolfe said, "unless he's a tailor. , find out if he's a tailor, but discreetly. No disclo 8. If so, get his address. Then find Miss Rooney-- it, I'll give you her address--" |*I know her address." Sl?Find her. Get her confidence. Get alone with her.

en up her tongue." I^What am I after--no, I know what I'm aftei". What � you after?"

"I don't know. Anything you can get. Confound it, know what a case like this amounts to, there's ag for it but trial and error--" pMovement over by the door had caught my eye, I focused on it. Someone had entered and was ap

me.

)kay," I told Wolfe. "There's no telling where she at I'll find her if it takes all day and all night." I f up and grinned at the newcomer and greeted her. P?*Hello, Miss Rooney. Looking for me?"

XI

i Audrey was all dressed up in a neat brown wool t with red threads showing on it in little knots, but didn't look pleased with herself or with anyone

120 Rex Stoat

else. You wouldn't think a face with all that pink skin could look so sour. With no greeting, not even a nod, she demanded as she approached, "How do you get to see a man that's been arrested?"

"That depends," I told her. "Don't snap at me like that. I didn't arrest him. Who do you want to see, Broadyke?"

"No." She dropped onto a chair as if she needed support quick. "Wayne Safford."

"Arrested what for?"

"I don't know. I saw him at the stable this morning and then I went downtown to see about a job. A while ago I phoned Lucy, my best friend here, and she told me there was talk about Vie Talbott selling those designs to Broadyke, so I came to find out what was happening and when I learned that Talbott and Pohl had both been arrested I phoned Wayne to tell him about it, and the man there answered and said a policeman had come and taken Wayne with him."

"For why?"

"The man didn't know. How do I get to see him?"

"You probably don't."

"But I have to!"

I shook my head. "You believe you have to, and I believe you have to, but the cops won't. It depends on what his invitation said. If they just want to consult him about sweating horses he may be home in an hour. If they've got a hook in him, or think they have, God knows. You're not a lawyer or a relative."

She sat and looked at me, sourer than ever. In a minute she spoke, bitterly. "You said yesterday I may be nice."

"Meaning I should mount my bulldozer and move heaven and earth?" I shook my head again. "Even if you were so nice it made my head swim, the best I

Curtains for Three 121

do for you this second would be to hold your ad, and judging from your expression that's not at you have in mind. Would you mind telling me at you have got in your mind besides curiosity?" | She got up, circled two corners of the desk to reach i phone, put it to her ear, and in a moment told the emitter, "This is Audrey, Helen. Would you get me o. Forget it."

hung up, perched on a corner of the desk, and giving me the chilly eye again, this time slant; down instead of up. �*It's me," she declared. F^What is?" ? "This trouble. Wherever I am there's trouble."

I;''

*Yeah, the world's full of it. Wherever anybody is e's trouble. You get shaky ideas. Yesterday you scared because you thought they were getting f to hang a murder on you, and not one of them has i hinted at it. Maybe you're wrong again."

3, I'm not." She sounded grim. "There was that aess of accusing me of stealing those designs. They I't have to pick me for that, but you notice they did. all of a sudden that's cleared up, I'm out of that, what happens? Wayne gets arrested for murder. , thing--" thought you didn't know what they took him

| "I don't. But you'll see. He was with me, wasn't ' She slid off the desk and was erect. "I think--I'm ty sure--I'm going to see Dorothy Keyes." "She's busy with a caller." "I know it, but he may be gone." H "A man named Donaldson, and I'm wondering at him. I have a hunch Miss Keyes is starting a

122 Rex Stout

little investigation on her own. Do you happen to know if this Donaldson is a detective?"

"I know he isn't. He's a lawyer and a friend of Mr. Eeyes. I've seen him here several times. Do you--"

What interrupted her was a man coming in the door and heading for us.

It was a man I had known for years. "We're busy," I told him brusquely. "Come back tomorrow.".

I should have had sense enough to give up kidding Sergeant Parley Stebbins of the Homicide Squad long ago, since it always glanced off and rolled away. When he got sore, as he often did, it wasn't at the kidding but at what he considered my interference with the performance of his duty.

"So you're here," he stated.

'Tep. Miss Rooney, this is Sergeant--"

"Oh, I've met him before." Her face was just as sour at him as it had been at me.

"Yeah, we've met," Purley acquiesced. His honest brown eyes were at her. "I've been looking for you, Miss Rooney."

"Oh, my Lord, more questions?"

"The same ones. Just checking up. You remember that statement you signed, where you said that Tuesday morning you were at the riding academy with Saf ford from a quarter to six until after half-past seven, and both of you were there all the time? You remember that?"

"Certainly I do."

"Do you want to change it now?"

Audrey frowned. "Change what?"

"Your statement."

"Of course not. Why should I?"

"Then how do you account for the fact that you were seen riding a horse into the park during that

Curtains for Three 123

iod, and Safford, on another horse, was with you, Safford has admitted it?"

"Count ten," I snapped at her, "before you answer. even a hun--"

"Shut up," Purley snarled. "How do you account for Miss Rooney? You must have figured this might ne and got something ready for it. What's the an- ar?�

PX *

Audrey had left her perch on the desk to get on her and face the pursuer. "Maybe," she suggested, one couldn't see straight. Who says he saw us?" "Okay." Purley hauled a paper from his pocket and folded it. He looked at me. "We're careful about i little details when that fat boss of yours has got i nose in." He held the paper so Audrey could see it. is a warrant for your arrest as a material wit Your friend Safford wanted to read his clear ?h. Do you?"

e ignored his generous offer. "What does it i?" she demanded. "It means you're going to ride downtown with me." "It also means--" I began.

"Shut up." Purley moved a step. His hand started her elbow, but didn't reach it, for she drew back I then turned and was on her way. He followed and i at her heels as she went out the door. Apparently thought she had found a way to get to see her ayne.

I sat a little while with my lips screwed up, gazing > the ashtray on the desk. I shook my head at nothing particular, just the state of things, reached for the hone, got an outside line, and dialed again. Wolfe's voice answered.

"Where's Orrie?" I demanded. "Taking a nap on my 1?"

124 Rex Stout

"Where are you?" Wolfe inquired placidly.

"Still in Keyes' office. More of the same. Two more gone."

"Two more what? Where?"

"Clients. In the hoosegow. We're getting awful low--"

"Who and why?"

"Wayne Safford and Audrey Rooney." I told him what had happened, without bothering to explain that Audrey had walked in before our previous conversation had ended. At the end I added, "So four out of five have been snaffled, and Talbott too. We're in a fine fix. That leaves us with just one, Dorothy Keyes, and it wouldn't surprise me if she was also on her way, judging from the look on her face when she heard who was-- Hold it a minute."

What stopped me was the sight of another visitor entering the room. It was Dorothy Keyes. I told the phone, "I'll call back," hung up, and left my chair.

Dorothy came to me. She was still human, more so if anything. The perky lift of her was completely gone, the color scheme of her visible skin was washed-out gray, and her eyes were pinched with trouble.

"Mr. Donaldson gone?" I asked her.

"Yes."

"It's a bad day all around. Now Miss Rooney and Wayne Safford have been pinched. The police seem to think they left out something about that Tuesday morning. I was just telling Mr. Wolfe when you came--" ; "I want to see him," she said.

"Who? Mr. Wolfe?"

"Yes. Immediately."

"What about?"

Curtains for Three 125

I'll be damned if her brows didn't go up. The hulity I thought I had seen was only on the surface. "I'll tell him that," she stated, me being mud. "I Bust see him at once."

"You can't, not at once," I told her. "You could rush in a taxi, but you might as well wait till I go to ty-fifth Street and get my car, because it's after o'clock and he's up with the orchids, and he ildn't see you until six even though you are the only it he's got still out of jail." "But this is urgent!"

"Not for him it isn't, not until six o'clock. Unless want to tell me about it. I'm permitted upstairs. you?" "No."

"Then shall I go get my car?" "Yes." I went.

XII

three minutes past six Wolfe, down from the plant s, joined us in the office. By the time Dorothy and jphad got there she had made it perfectly plain that as as I was concerned she was all talked out, our conation during the ride downtown having consisted ' her saying at one point, "Look out for that truck," me replying, "I'm driving," so during the hour's it I hadn't even asked her if she wanted a drink, ad when Wolfe had entered and greeted her, and got i bulk adjusted in his chair behind his desk, the first ling she said was, "I want to speak to you privately." Wolfe shook his head. "Mr. Goodwin is my confiden

126 Bex Stout

tial assistant, and if he didn't hear it from you he soon would from me. What is it?"

"But this is very--personal."

"Most things said in this room by visitors are. What is it?"

"There is no one I can go to but you." Dorothy was in one of the yellow chairs, facing him, leaning forward to him. "I don't know where I stand, and I've got to find out. A man is going to tell the police that I forged my father's name to a check. Tomorrow morning."

Her face was human again, with her eyes pinched.

"Did you?" Wolfe asked.

"Forge the check? Yes."

I lifted my brows.

"Tell me about it," Wolfe said.

It came out, and was really quite simple. Her father hadn't given her enough money for the style to which she wanted to accustom herself. A year ago she had forged a check for three thousand dollars, and he had of course discovered it and had received her promise that she would never repeat. Recently she had forged another one, this time for five thousand dollars, and her father had been very difficult about it, but there had been no thought in his head of anything so drastic as having his daughter arrested.

Two days after his discovery of this second offense he had been killed. He had left everything to his daughter, but had made a lawyer named Donaldson executor of the estate, not knowing, according to Dorothy, that Donaldson hated her. And now Donaldson had found the forged check among Keyes' papers, with a memorandum attached to it in Keyes' handwriting, and had called on Dorothy that afternoon to tell her that it was his duty, both as a citizen and as a lawyer, considering the manner of Keyes' death, to give the

Curtains for Three 127

to the police. It was an extremely painful duty, had asserted, but he would just have to grin and

it.

I will not say that I smirked as I got these sordid scratched into my notebook, but I admit that I no difficulty in keeping back the tears. Wolfe, having got answers to all the questions that [ occurred to him, leaned back and heaved a sigh. "I i understand," he murmured, "that you felt impelled rid of this nettle by passing it on to someone, even if I grasped it for you, what then? What do I with it?"

"I don't know." It is supposed to make people feel to tell their troubles, but apparently it made athy feel worse. She sounded as forlorn as she aked.

"Moreover," Wolfe went on, "what are you afraid The property, including the bank balance, now be ags to you. It would be a waste of time and money for District Attorney's office to try to get you indicted brought to trial, and it wouldn't even be consid Unless Mr. Donaldson is an idiot he knows that, him so. Tell him I say he's a nincompoop." Wolfe jled a finger at her. "Unless he thinks you killed father and wants to help get you electrocuted. as he hate you that much?" "He hates me," Dorothy said harshly, "all he can." "Why?"

"Because once I let him think I might marry him, he announced it, and then I changed my mind. He strong feelings. It was strong when he loved me, it is just as strong now when he hates me. Any ay he can use that check to hurt me, hell do it." "Then you can't stop him, and neither can I. The check and your father's memorandum ape le 128 Rex Stout

gaily in his possession, and nothing can keep him from showing them to the police. Does he ride horseback?"

"Oh, my God," Dorothy said hopelessly. She stood up. "I thought you were clever! I thought you would know what to do!" She made for the door, but at the sill she turned. "You're just a cheap shyster too! I'll handle the dirty little rat myself!"

I got up and went to the hall to let her out, to make sure that the door was properly closed behind her. When I was back in the office I sat down and tossed the notebook into a drawer and remarked, "Now she's got us all tagged. I'm a coward, you're a shyster, and the executor of her father's estate is a rat. That poor kid needs some fresh contacts."

Wolfe merely grunted, but it was a good-humored grunt, for the dinner hour was near, and he never permits himself to get irritated just before a meal.

"So," I said, "unless she does some fancy handling in a hurry she will be gathered in before noon tomorrow, and she was the last we had. All five of them, and also the suspect we were supposed to pin it on. I hope Saul and Orrie are doing better than we are. I have a date for dinner and a show with a friend, but I can break it if there's anything I can be doing--"

"Nothing, thank you."

I glared at him. "Oh, Saul and Orrie are doing it?"

"There's nothing for this evening, for you. I'll be here, attending to matters."

Yes, he would. He would be here, reading books, drinking beer, and having Fritz tell anyone who called that he was engaged. It wasn't the first time he had decided that a case wasn't worth the effort and to hell with it. On such occasions my mission was to keep after him until I had him jarred loose, but this time my position was that if Orrie Cather could spend the after Curtains for Three 129

an in my chair he could damn well do my work. So I ; it lay and went up to my room to redecorate for the ifening out.

It was a very nice evening on all counts. Dinner at Rowan's, while not up to the standard Fritz had , my palate trained to, was always good. So was the aw, and so was the dance band at the Flamingo Club, we went afterward to get better acquainted, I had only known her seven years. What with i and that I didn't get home until after three o'clock, 1, following routine, looked in at the office to jiggle s handle of the safe and glance around. If there was a i for me Wolfe always left it on my desk under erweight, and there one was, on a sheet from his i, in his small thin handwriting that was as easy to as type, ran through it.

ag: Your work on the Keyes case has been | quite satisfactory. Now that it is solved, you may proceed as arranged and go to Mr. Hewitt's 6 place on Long Island in the morning to get "those plants. Theodore will have the cartons ready for you. Don't forget to watch the ventila- \ tion.

NW

I;.',-! read it through again and turned it over to look at s back, to see if there was another installment, but it i blank.

'i I sat at my desk and dialed a number. None of my st friends or enemies was there, but I got a ser nt I knew named Rowley, and asked him, "On the yes case, do you need anything you haven't got?"

130 Rex Stout

"Huh?" He always sounded hoarse. "We need everything. Send it C.O.D."

"A guy told me you had it on ice."

"Aw, go to bed."

He was gone. I sat a moment and then dialed again, the number of the Gazette office. Lon Cohen had gone home, but one of the journalists told me that as far as they knew the Keyes case was still back on a shelf, collecting dust.

I crumpled Wolfe's message and tossed it in the wastebasket, muttered, "The damn fat faker," and went up to bed.

XIII

In the Thursday morning papers there wasn't a single word in the coverage of the Keyes case to indicate that anyone had advanced even an inch in the hot pursuit of the murderer.

And I spent the whole day, from ten to six, driving to Lewis Hewitt's place on Long Island, helping to select and clean and pack ten dozen yearling plants, and driving back again. I did no visible fuming, but you can imagine my state of mind, and on my way home, when a cop stopped me as I was approaching Queens boro Bridge, and actually went so low as to ask me where the fire was, I had to get my tongue between my teeth to keep myself from going witty on him.

While I was lugging the last carton of plants up the stoop I had a surprise. A car I had often seen before, with PD on it, rolled up to the curb and stopped behind the sedan, and Inspector Cramer emerged from it.

"What has Wolfe got now?" he demanded, coming up the steps to me.

Curtains for Three 131

"A dozen zygopetalum," I told him coldly, "a dozen enanthera, a dozen odontoglossum--"

"Let me by," he said rudely.

I did so.

What I should have done, to drive it in that I was ow a delivery boy and not a detective, was to go on ilping Theodore get the orchids upstairs, and I set teeth and started to do that, but it wasn't long efore Wolfe's bellow came from the office. "Archie!"

I went on in. Cramer was in the red leather chair jth an unlighted cigar tilted toward the ceiling by the ip of his teeth. Wolfe, his tightened lips showing that s was enjoying a quiet subdued rage, was frowning at

"I'm doing important work," I said curtly. "It can wait. Get Mr. Skinner on the phone. If he left his office, get him at home." I would have gone to much greater lengths if ler hadn't been there. As it was, all I did was 51 crossed to my desk and sat down and started i dial. "Cut it!" Cramer barked savagely.

I went on dialing. "I said stop it!"

"That will do, Archie," Wolfe told me. I turned from i phone and saw he was still frowning at the inspec but his lips had relaxed. He used them for speech, [don't see, Mr. Cramer, what better you can ask than : choice I offer. As I told you on the phone, give me word that you'll cooperate with me on my terms,

II shall at once tell you about it in full detail, includ of course the justification for it. Or refuse to give your word, that's the alternative, and I shall ask r. Skinner if the District Attorney's office would like cooperate with me. I guarantee only that no harm

132 Rex Stout

will be done, but my expectation is that the case will be closed. Isn't that fair enough?"

Cramer growled like a tiger in a cage having a chair poked at him.

"I don't understand," Wolfe declared, "why the devil I bother with you. Mr. Skinner would jump at it."

drainer's growl became words. "When would it be --tonight?"

"I said you'd get details after I get your promise, but you may have that much. It would be early tomorrow morning, contingent upon delivery of a package I'm expecting--by the way, Archie, you didn't put the car in the garage?"

"No, sir."

"Good. You'll have to go later, probably around midnight, to meet an airplane. It depends on the airplane, Mr. Cramer. If it arrives tomorrow instead of tonight, we'd have to postpone it until Saturday morning."

"Where? Here in your office?"

Wolfe shook his head. "That's one of the details you'll get. Confound it, do I mean what I say?"

"Search me. I never know. You say you'll take my word. Why not take my word that I'll either do it or forget I ever heard it?"

"No. Archie, get Mr. Skinner."

Cramer uttered a word that was for men only. "You and your goddam charades," he said bitterly. "Why do you bother with me? You know damn well I'm not going to let you slip it to the D.A.'s office, because you may really have it. You have before. Okay. On your terms."

Wolfe nodded. The gleam in his eye came and went so fast that it nearly escaped even me.

Curtains for Three 133

"Your notebook, Archie. This is rather elaborate, ad I doubt if we can finish before dinner."

XIV

I'll explain gladly," I told Officer Hefferan, "if you'll end from that horse and get level with me. That's democratic way to do it. Do you want me to get a ' neck, slanting up at you?" I yawned wide without covering it, since there was kthiiig there but nature and a mounted cop. Being up dressed and breakfasted and outdoors working at yen in the morning was not an all-time record for 9t but it was unusual, and I had been up late three (its in a row: Tuesday the congregation of clients, inesday the festivities with Lily Rowan, and sday the drive to La Guardia to meet the air le, which had been on schedule. Hefferan came off his high horse and was even with 8. We were posted on top of the little knoll in Central rk to which he had led me the day I had made his ijuaintance. It promised to be another warm October y. A little breeze was having fun with the leaves on i trees and bushes, and birds were darting and hop ag around, discussing their plans for the morning. "All I'm doing," Hefferan said to make it plain, "is eying orders. I was told to meet you here and listen you."

I nodded. "And you don't care for it. Neither do I, stiff-backed Cossack, but I've got orders too. The ip is like this. As you know, down there behind that est"--I pointed--"is a tool shed. Outside the shed eyes' chestnut horse, saddled and bridled, is being Bid by one of your colleagues. Inside the shed there

134 Rex Stout

are two women named Keyes and Rooney, and four men named Pohl, Talbott, Safford, and Broadyke. Also Inspector Cramer is there with a detachment from his squad. One of the six civilians, chosen by secret ballot, is at this moment changing his or her clothes, putting on bright yellow breeches and a blue jacket, just like the outfit Keyes wore. Between you and me and your horse, the choosing was a put-up job, handled by Inspector Cramer. Dressed like Keyes, the chosen one is going to mount Keyes' horse and ride along that stretch of the bridle path, with shoulders hunched and stirrups too long, catch sight of you, and lift his or her crop to you in greeting. Your part is to be an honest man. Pretend it's not me telling you this, but someone you dearly love like the Police Commissioner. You are asked to remember that what you were interested in seeing was the horse, not the rider, and to put the question to yourself, did you actually recognize Keyes that morning, or just the horse and the getup?"

I appealed to him earnestly. "And for God's sake don't say a word to me. You wouldn't admit anything whatever to me, so keep your trap shut and save it for later, for your superiors. A lot depends on you, which may be regrettable, but it can't be helped now.

"If it won't offend you for me to explain the theory of it, it's this: The murderer, dressed like Keyes but covered with a topcoat, was waiting in the park uptown behind that thicket at half-past six, when Keyes first rode into the park and got onto the bridle path. If he had shot Keyes out of the saddle from a distance, even a short one, the horse would have bolted, so he stepped out and stopped Keyes, and got hold of the bridle before he pulled the trigger. One bullet for one. Then he dragged the body behind the thicket so it couldn't be seen from the bridle path, since another

Curtains for Three 135

ly-morning rider might come along, took off his top Dr maybe a thin raincoat--and stuffed it under jacket, mounted the horse, and went for a ride ough the park. He took his time so as to keep to eyes' customary schedule. Thirty minutes later, ap ng that spot"--I pointed to where the bridle emerged from behind the tree&--"he either saw i up here or waited until he did see you up here, and he rode on along that stretch, giving you the salute by lifting his crop. But the second he got of sight at the other end of the stretch he acted He got off the horse and just left it there, know t would make its way back to its own exit from the i, and he beat it in a hurry, either to a Fifth Ave bus or the subway, depending on where he was ied for. The idea was to turn the alibi on as soon as sible, since he couldn't be sure how soon the horse be seen and the search for Keyes would be But at the worst he had established Keyes as alive at ten minutes past seven, down here on the etch, and the body would be found way uptown." "I believe," Hefferan said stiffly, "I am on record as

I saw Keyes." "Scratch it," I urged him. "Blot it out. Make your I a blank, which shouldn't--" I bit if off, deciding it ild be undiplomatic, and glanced at my wrist. "It's minutes past seven. Where were you that morn g, on your horse or off?" >"On."

, "Then you'd better mount, to have it the same, t's be particular--jump on! There he comes!" I admit the Cossack knew how to get on top of a j. He was erect in the saddle quicker than I would : had a foot in a stirrup, and had his gaze directed end of the stretch on the bridle path where it

136 Rex Stout

came out of the trees. I also admit the chestnut horse looked fine from up there. It was rangy but not gangly, with a proud curve to its neck, and, as Hefferan had said, it had a good set of springs. I strained my eyes to take in the details of the rider's face, but at that distance it couldn't be done. The blue of the jacket, yes, and the yellow of the breeches, and the hunched shoulders, but not the face.

No sound came from Hefferan. As the rider on the bridle path neared the end of the open stretch I strained my eyes again, hoping something would happen, knowing as I did what he would find confronting him when he rounded the sharp bend at the finish of the stretch--namely, four mounted cops abreast.

Something happened all right, fast, and not on my list of expectations. The chestnut was out of sight around the bend not more than half a second, and then here he came back, on the jump, the curve gone out of his neck. But he or his rider had had enough of the bridle path. Ten strides this side of the bend the horse swerved sharp and darted off to the left, off onto the grass in one beautiful leap, and then dead ahead, due east toward Fifth Avenue, showing us his tail. Simultaneously here came the quartet of mounted cops, like a cavalry charge. When they saw what the chestnut had done their horses' legs suddenly went stiff, slid ten feet in the loose dirt, and then sashayed for the bound onto the grass, to follow.

Yells were coming from a small mob that had run out of the forest which hid the tool shed. And Hefferan left me. His horse's ham jostled my shoulder as it sprang into action, and divots of turf flew through the air as it bounded down the slope to join the chase. The sound of gunshots came from the east, and that finished me. I would have given a year's pay, anything up

Curtains for Three 137

a kingdom, for a horse, but, having none, I lit out nyway.

Down the slope to the bridle path I broke records, at on the other side it was upgrade, and also I had to ige trees and bushes and jump railings. I was mak ; no detours to find crossings, but heading on a bee ne for the noises coming from the east, including tiother found of shots. One funny thing, even busy as was trying to cover ground, I was hoping they ouldn't hit that chestnut horse. Finally the border of |e park was in sight, but I could see nothing moving, lough the noises seemed to be louder and closer, ght ahead was the stone wall enclosing the park, unsure which way to turn for the nearest en ice, I made for the wall, climbed it, stood panting, surveyed.

I was at Sixty-fifth and Fifth Avenue. One block up, a park entrance, the avenue was so cluttered ; it was blocked. Cars, mostly taxis, were collecting � both fringes of the intersection, and the pedestrians i hadn't already arrived were on their way, from all tions. A bus had stopped and passengers were out. The tallest things there were the horses. I the impression that there were a hell of a lot of s, but probably it wasn't more than six or seven, ey were all bays but one, the chestnut, and I was 1- to see that it looked healthy as I cantered up the cement toward the throng. The chestnut's saddle i empty.

I was pushing my way through to the center when I in uniform grabbed my arm, and I'll be damned if Seer Hefferan didn't sing out, "Let him come, that's Wolfe's man Goodwin!" I would have been glad > thank him cordially, but didn't have enough breath

138 Rex Stout

yet to speak. So I merely pushed on and, using only my eyes, got my curiosity satisfied.

Victor Talbott, in blue jacket and yellow breeches, apparently as unhurt as the chestnut, was standing there with a city employee hanging onto each arm. His face was dirty and he looked very tired.

XV

"You will be glad to know," I told Wolfe late that afternoon, "that none of these bills we are sending to our clients will have to be addressed care of the county jail. That would be embarrassing."

It was a little after six, and he was down from the plant rooms and had beer in front of him. I was at my typewriter, making out the bills.

"Broadyke," I went on, "claims that he merely bought designs that were offered him, not knowing where they came from, and he can probably make it stick. Dorothy has agreed on a settlement with Pohl and will press no charge. As for Dorothy, it's hers now anyway, as you said, so what the hell. And Safford and Audrey can't be prosecuted just for going to ride in the park, even if they omitted it in their statements just to avoid complications. By the way, if you wonder why they allocated fifteen per cent of our fee to a stable hand, he is not a stable hand. He owns that riding academy, by gum, so Audrey hasn't sold out cheap at all--anything but. They'll probably be married on horseback."

Wolfe grunted. "That won't improve their chances any."

"You're prejudiced about marriage," I reproached him. "I may try it myself someday. Look at Saul,

Curtains for Three 139

down like a tent but absolutely happy. Speak; of Saul, why did you waste money having him and

i phoning and calling on New York tailors?" "It wasn't wasted," Wolfe snapped. He can't stand accused of wasting money. "There was a slim ace that Mr. Talbott had been ass enough to have costume made right here. The better chance, of e, was one of the cities he had recently visited, the best of all was the one farthest away. So I phoned Los Angeles first, and the Southwest ncy put five men on it. Also Saul and Orrie did things. Saul learned, for instance, that Mr. "Mfs room at the hotel was so situated that, by using ; and a side entrance, he could easily have left and led at that time of day without being recogl." Wolfe snorted. "I doubt if Mr. Cramer even iered that. Why should he? He had taken that eman's word that he had seen Mr. Keyes on a 8, alive and well, at ten minutes past seven." 3"Good here," I agreed. "But, assuming that it might s been the murderer, not Keyes, the cop had seen t on a horse, why did you immediately pick Talbott sit?"

*I didn't. The facts did. The masquerade, if there one, could have helped no one but Mr. Talbott, s an alibi for that moment at that spot would have useless for any of the others. Also the greeting nged at a distance with the policeman was an fttial of the plan, and only Mr. Talbott, who often s with Mr. Keyes, could have known there would be popportunity for it."

jpOkay," I conceded. "And you phoned Pohl to find where Talbott had been recently. My God, Pohl helped on it! By the way, the Southwest icy put an airmail stamp on the envelope contain 140 Rex Stout

ing their bill, so I guess they want a check Their part of the charge is reasonable enough, but that tailor wants three hundred bucks for making a blue jacket and a pair of yellow breeches."

"Which our clients will pay," Wolfe said placidly. "It isn't exorbitant. It was five o'clock in the afternoon there when they found him, and he had to be persuaded to spend the night at it, duplicating the previous order."

"Okay," I conceded again. "I admit it had to be a real duplicate, label and all, to panic that baby. He had nerve. He gets his six-o'clock call at his hotel, says to wake him again at seven-thirty, beats it to the street without being seen, puts on his act, and gets back to his room in tune to take the seven-thirty call. And don't forget he was committed right from the beginning, at half-past six, when he shot Keyes. From there on he had to make his schedule. Some nerve."

I got up and handed the bills, including copies of the itemized expense account, across to Wolfe for his inspection.

"You know," I remarked, sitting down again, "that was close to the top for a shock to the nervous system, up there this morning. When he got picked to double for Keyes that must have unsettled him a little to begin with^Then he gets ushered into the other room to change, and is handed a box that has on it 'Cleever of Hollywood.' He opens it, and there is an outfit exactly like the one he had had made, and had got well rid of somehow along with the gun, and there again is a label in the jacket, 'Cleever of Hollywood.' I'm surprised he was able to get it on and buttoned up, and walk out to the horse and climb into the saddle. He did have nerve. I suppose he intended just to keep on going, but as he rounded the bend there were the four mounted cops

Curtains for Three 141

flup went his nerves, and I don't blame him. I

I hadn't the faintest idea, when I was phoning

jat list of towns Pohl had given me--hey! Good

ifolfe looked up. "What's the matter?" Jive me back that expense list! I left out the f-five cents for Pohl's sandwiches!"

Disguise for Murder

I felt like doing was go out for a walk, but I quite desperate enough for that, so I merely down to the office, shutting the door from the id me, went and sat at my desk with my feet ied back and closed my eyes, and took some reaths.

made two mistakes. When Bill McNab, gar itor of the Gazette, had suggested to Nero Wolfe le members of the Manhattan Flower Club be to drop in some afternoon to look at the I should have fought it. And when the date � set and the invitations sent, and Wolfe had that Fritz and Saul should do the receiving at it door and I should stay up in the plant rooms jjpm and Theodore, mingling with the guests, if I an ounce of brains I would have put my foot But I hadn't, and as a result I had been Up there hour and a half, grinning around and acting and happy. "No, sir, that's not a brasso, it's a "No, madam, I doubt if you could grow that in a living room--so sorry." "Quite all right,

144 Rex Stout

madam--your sleeve happened to hook it--it'll bloom again next year."

It wouldn't have been so bad if there had been something for the eyes. It was understood that the Manhattan Flower Club was choosy about who it took in, but obviously its standards were totally different from mine. The men were just men, okay as men go, but the women! It was a darned good thing they had picked oh flowers to love, because flowers don't have to love back. I didn't object to their being alive and well, since after all I've got a mother too, and three aunts, and I fully appreciate them, but it would have been a relief to spot just one who could have made my grin start farther down than the front of my teeth.

There had in fact been one--just one. I had got a glimpse of her at the other end of the crowded aisle as I went through the door from the cool room into the moderate room, after showing a couple of guys what a bale of osmundine looked like in the potting room. From ten paces off she looked absolutely promising, and when I had maneuvered close enough to make her an offer to answer questions if she had any, there was simply no doubt about it, and the first quick slanting glance she gave me said plainly that she could tell the difference between a flower and a man, but she just smiled and shook her head and moved on by with her companions, an older female and two males. Later I had made another try and got another brushoff, and still later, too long later, feeling that the damn grin might freeze on me for good if I didn't take a recess, I had gone AWOL by worming my way through to the far end of the warm room and sidling on out.

All the way down the three flights of stairs new guests were coming up, though it was then four o'clock. Nero Wolfe's old brownstone house on West

Curtains for Three 145

ty-fifth Street had seen no such throng as that my memory, which is long and good. One flight I stopped off at my bedroom for a pack of cigaes, and another flight down I detoured to make the door of Wolfe's bedroom was locked. In the i hall downstairs I halted a moment to watch Fritz tier, busy at the door with both departures and ?als, and to see Paul Panzer emerge from the front which was being used as a cloakroom, with one's hat and top-coat. Then, as aforesaid, I en1 the office, shutting the door from the hall behind | went and sat at my desk with my feet up, leaned : and closed my eyes, and took some deep breaths, 'had been there eight or ten minutes, and getting sed and a little less bitter, when the door opened !she came in. Her companions were not along. By tie she had closed the door and turned to me I |got to my feet, with a friendly leer, and had begun, i just sitting here thinking--" look on her face stopped me. There was nothong with it basically, but something had got it 'kilter. She headed for me, got halfway, jerked to sank into one of the yellow chairs, and ted, "Could I have a drink?" Jpstairs her voice had not squeaked at all. I had

otch?" I asked her. "Rye, bourbon, gin--" I just fluttered a hand. I went to the cupboard t a hooker of Old Woody. Her hand was shaking i took the glass, but she didn't spill any, and she down in two swallows, as if it had been milk, i wasn't very ladylike. She shuddered all over and 1 eyes. In a minute she opened them again and fptoarsely, the squeak gone, "Did I need that!" lore?"

146 Rex Stout

She shook her head. Her bright brown eyes were moist, from the whisky, as she gave me a full straight look with her head tilted up. "You're Archie Goodwin," she stated.

I nodded. "And you're the Queen of Egypt?"

"I'm a baboon," she declared. "I don't know how they ever taught me to talk." She looked around for something to put the glass on, and I moved a step and reached for it. "Look at my hand shake," she complained. "I'm all to pieces."

She kept her hand out, looking at it, so I took it in mine and gave it some friendly but gentle pressure. "You do seem a little upset," I conceded. "I doubt if your hand usually feels clammy. When I saw you upstairs --"

She jerked the hand away and blurted, "I want to see Nero Wolfe. I want to see him right away, before I change my mind." She was gazing up at me, with the moist brown eyes. "My God, I'm in a fix now all right! I'm one scared baboon! I've made up my mind, I'm going to get Nero Wolfe to get me out of this somehow --why shouldn't he? He did a job for Dazy Perrit, didn't he? Then I'm through. I'll get a job at Mac/s or marry a truck driver! I want to see Nero Wolfe!"

I told her it couldn't be done until the party was over.

She looked around. "Are people coming in here?"

I told her no.

"May I have another drink, please?"

I told her she should give the first one time to settle, and instead of arguing she arose and got the glass from the corner of Wolfe's desk, went to the cupboard, and helped herself. I sat down and frowned at her. Her line sounded fairly screwy for a member of the Manhattan Flower Club, or even for a daughter of one. She

Curtains for Three 147

ae back to her chair, sat, and met my eyes. Looking straight like that could have been a nice way to i the time if there had been any chance for a meet; of minds, but it was easy to see that what her mind t fighting with was connected with me only acciden-

"I could tell you," she said, hoarse again. "Many people have," I said modestly. "I'm going to." "Good. Shoot."

"I'm afraid I'll change my mind and I don't want �

"Okay. Ready, go." "I'm a crook."

"It doesn't show," I objected. "What do you do, it at canasta?"

"I didn't say I'm a cheat." She cleared her throat the hoarseness. "I said I'm a crook. Remind me icday to tell you the story of my life, how my hus got killed in the war and I broke through the :. Don't I sound interesting?" "You sure do. What's your line, orchid-stealing?" "No. I wouldn't be small and I wouldn't be dirty-- ,'s what I thought, but once you start it's not so . You meet people and you get involved. You can't alone. Two years ago four of us took over a hun grand from a certain rich woman with a rich hus . I can tell you about that one, even names,

she couldn't move anyhow." nodded. "Blackmailers' customers seldom can.

Tm not a blackmailer!" Her eyes were blazing. "Excuse me. Mr. Wolfe often says I jump to conclu

18."

"You did that time." She was still indignant. "A

148 Rex Stout

blackmailer's not a crook, he's a snake! Not that it really matters. What's wrong with being a crook is the other crooks--they make it dirty whether you like it or not. I've been up to my knees in it. It makes a coward of you too--that's the worst. I had a friend once--as close as a crook ever comes to having a friend--and a man killed her, strangled her, and if I had told what I knew about it they could have caught him, but I was afraid to go to the cops, so he's still loose. And she was my friend! That's getting down toward the bottom. Isn't it?"

"Fairly low," I agreed, eyeing her. "Of course I don't know you any too well. I don't know how you react to two stiff drinks. Maybe your hobby is stringing private detectives. If so, why don't you wait for Mr. Wolfe? It would be more fun with two of us."

She simply ignored it. "I realized long ago," she went on as if it were a one-way conversation, "that I had made a mistake. I wasn't what I had thought I was going to be--a romantic reckless outlaw. You can't do it that way, or anyhow I couldn't. I was just a crook and I knew it, and about a year ago I decided to break loose. A good way to do it would have been to talk to someone the way I'm talking to you now, but I didn't have sense enough to see that. And so many people were involved. It was so involved! You know?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I know."

"So I kept putting it off. We got a good one in December and I went to Florida for a vacation, but down there I met a man with a lead and we followed it up here just a week ago. That's what I'm working on now. That's what brought me here today. This man--"

She stopped abruptly.

"Well?" I invited her.

She looked dead serious, not more serious, but a

Curtains for Three 149

erent kind. "I'm not putting anything on him," she Blared. "I don't owe him anything and I don't like a, but this is strictly about me and no one else--only [ to explain why I'm here. I wish to God I'd never ne!"

| There was no question about that coming from her t, unless she had done a lot of rehearsing in front , mirror.

"It got you this talk with me," I reminded her. She was looking straight through me and beyond, f only I hadn't come! If only I hadn't seen him!" She toward me for emphasis. "I'm either too smart jnot smart enough, that's my trouble. I should have Iked away from him, turned away quick, when I real11 knew who he was, before he turned and saw it in reyes. But I was so shocked I couldn't help it! For a pnd I couldn't move. God, I was dumb! I stood there ng at him, thinking I wouldn't have recognized l if he hadn't had a hat on, and then he looked at me saw what was happening. I knew then all right an awful fool I was, and I turned away and Dved off, but it was too late. I know how to manage face with nearly anybody, anywhere, but that was > much for me. It showed so plain that Mrs. Orwin ked me what was the matter with me and I had to to pull myself together--then seeing Nero Wolfe fcve me the idea of telling him, only of course I in't right there with the crowd--and then I saw i going out and as soon as I could break away I came

. to find you." She tried smiling at me, but it didn't work so good. Jow I feel some better," she said hopefully. I nodded. "That's good bourbon. Is it a secret who recognized?" "No. I'm going to tell Nero Wolfe."

150 Rex Stoat

"You decided to tell me." I flipped a hand. "Suit yourself. Whoever you tell, what good will that do?"

"Why--then he can't do anything to me."

"Why not?"

"Because he wouldn't dare. Nero Wolfe will tell him that I've told about him, so that if anything happened to me he would know it was him, and he'd know who he is--I mean Nero Wolfe would know--and so would you."

"We would if we had his name and address." I was studying her. "He must be quite a specimen, to scare you that bad. And speaking of names, what's yours?"

She made a little noise that could have been meant for a kugh. "Do you like Marjorie?"

"So-so."

"I used Evelyn Carter in Paris once. Do you like that?"

"Not bad. What are you using now?"

She hesitated, frowning.

"Good Lord," I protested, "you're not in a vacuum, and I'm a detective. They took the names down at the door."

"Cynthia Brown," she said.

"I like that fine. That's Mrs. Orwin you came with?"

"Yes."

"She's the current customer? The lead you picked up in Florida?"

"Yes. But that's--" She gestured. "That's finished. That's settled now, since I'm telling you and Nero Wolfe. I'm through."

"I know. A job at Macy's or marry a truck driver. There's one thing you haven't told me, though--who was it you recognized?"

She turned her head for a glance at the door and then turned it still farther to look behind her. When

Curtains for Three 151

face came back to me it was out of kilter again, , the teeth pinching the lower lip. "Can anyone hear us?" she asked.

*Nope. That other door goes to the front room-- the cloakroom. Anyhow this room's sound

afed, including the doors." , She glanced at the hall door again, returned to me, |: lowered her voice. 'This has to be done the way I

r"

|"Sure, why not?" ("I wasn't being honest with you." "I wouldn't expect it from a crook. Start over." "I mean--" She used the teeth on the lip again. "I I'm not just scared about myself. I'm scared all t, but I don't just want Nero Wolfe for what I said, nt him to get him for murder, but he has to keep tout of it. I don't want to have anything to do with

cops--not now I don't especially. I'm through. If |won't do it that way--do you think he will?" * 1 was feeling a faint tingle at the base of my spine. I r get that on special occasions, but this was unques bly something special, if Marjorie Evelyn Carter , Brown wasn't taking me for a ride to pay for i drinks.

11 gave her a hard look and didn't let the tingle get (my voice. "He might, for you, if you pay him. What

of evidence have you got? Any?" i "I saw him." fe"Y6u mean today?"

: "I mean I saw him then." She had her hands i tight "I told you--I had a friend. I stopped in apartment that afternoon. I was just leaving-- i was inside, in the bathroom--and as I got near i entrance door I heard a key turning in the lock, the outside. I stopped, and the door came open

152 Rex Stout

and a man came in. When he saw me he just stood and stared. I had never met Doris's bank account and I knew she didn't want me to, and since he had a key I supposed of course it was him, making an unexpected call, so I mumbled something about Doris being in the bathroom and went past him, through the door and on out."

She paused. Her clasped hands loosened and then tightened again.

"I'm burning my bridges," she said, "but I can deny all this if I have to. I went and kept a cocktail date, and then phoned Doris's number to ask if our dinner date was still on, considering the visit of the bank account. There was no answer, so I went back to her apartment and rang the bell, and there was no answer to that either. It was a self-service elevator place, no doorman or hallman, so there was no one to ask anything. Her maid found her body the next morning. The papers said she had been killed the day before. That man killed her. There wasn't a word about him--no one had seen him enter or leave. And I didn't open my mouth! I was a lousy coward!"

"And today all of a sudden there he is, looking at orchids?"

"Yes."

"It's a pretty good script," I acknowledged. "Are you sure--"

"It's no script! I wish to God it was!"

"Okay. Are you sure he knows you recognized him?"

"Yes. He looked straight at me, and his eyes--"

She was stopped by the house phone buzzing. Stepping to my desk, I picked it up and asked it, "Well?"

Nero Wolfe's voice, peevish, came. "Archie!"

"Yes, sir."

Curtains for Three 153

"What the devil are you doing? Come back up

il"

"Pretty soon. I'm talking with a prospective cli

"This is no time for clients! Come at once!" The connection went. He had slammed it down. I ig up and went back to the prospective client. "Mr. ?olfe wants me upstairs. He didn't stop to think in ie that the Manhattan Flower Club has women in it well as men. Do you want to wait here?" "Yes."

"If Mrs. Orwin asks about you?" "I didn't feel well and went home." 'Okay. I shouldn't be long--the invitations said

thirty to five. If you want a drink, help yourself, it name does this murderer use when he goes to & at orchids?"

She looked blank. I got impatient. "Damn it, what's his name? This bird you recoged." "I don't know." "You don't?" "No."

"Describe him."

She thought it over a little, gazing at me, and then liook her head. "I don't think--" she said doubtfully, lie shook her head again, more positive. "Not now. I tit to see what Nero Wolfe says first." She must are seen something in my eyes, or thought she did, suddenly she came up out of her chair and moved to s and put a hand on my arm. "That's all I mean," she aid earnestly. "It's not you--I know you're all right."

fingers tightened on my forearm. "I might as well fell you--you'd never want any part of me anyhow-- Rhis is the first time in years, I don't know how long,

154 Rex Stoat

that I've talked to a man just straight--you know, just human? You know, not figuring on something one way or another. I--" She stopped for a word, and a little color showed in her cheeks. She found the word. "I've enjoyed it very much."

"Good. Me too. Call me Archie. I've got to go, but describe him. Just sketch him."

But she hadn't enjoyed it that much. "Not until Nero Wolfe says he'll do it," she said firmly.

I had to leave it at that, knowing as I did that in three more minutes Wolfe might have a fit. Out in the hall I had the notion of passing the word to Saul and Fritz to give departing guests a good look, but rejected it because (a) they weren't there, both of them presumably being busy in the cloakroom, (b) he might have departed already, and (c) I had by no means swallowed a single word of Cynthia's story, let alone the whole works. So I headed for the stairs and breasted the descending tide of guests leaving.

Up in the plant rooms there were plenty left. When I came into Wolfe's range he darted me a glance of cold fury, and I turned on the grin. Anyway, it was a quarter to five, and if they took the hint on the invitation it wouldn't last much longer.

II

They didn't take the hint on the dot, but it didn't bother me because my mind was occupied. I was now really interested in them--or at least one of them, if he had actually been there and hadn't gone home.

First there was a chore to get done. I found the three Cynthia had been with, a female and two males, over by the odontoglossum bench in the cool room.

Curtains for Three 155

ugh to them, I asked politely, "Mrs.

at me and said, "Yes?" Not quite tall plenty plump enough, with a round full laarrow little eyes that might have been bet- r had been wide open, she struck me as a lead owing. Just the pearls around her neck and stole over her arm would have made a good I doubted if that was the kind of loot specialized in. I Archie Goodwin," I said. "I work here."

have gone on if I had known how, but I [?a lead myself, since I didn't know whether to Brown or Mrs. Brown. Luckily one of the E'horned in.

sister?" he inquired anxiously, was a brother-and-sister act. As far as looks I wasn't a bad brother at all. Older than me b, but not much, he was tall and straight, with a mouth and jaw and keen gray eyes. "My sis i repeated.

I: guess so. You are--" Colonel Brown. Percy Brown." ifeah." I switched back to Mrs. Orwin. "Miss l asked me to tell you that she went home. I gave la little drink and it seemed to help, but she decided ave. She asked me to apologize for her."

i perfectly healthy," the colonel asserted. He ied a little hurt. "There's nothing wrong with

'l^Is she all right?" Mrs. Orwin asked. Tor her," the other male put in, "you should have 3e it three drinks. Three big ones. Or just hand her bottle." His tone was mean and his face was mean, and any 156 Rex Stoat

how that was no way to talk in front of the help in a strange house, meaning me. He was some younger than Colonel Brown, but he already looked enough like Mrs. Orwin, especially the eyes, to make it more than a guess that they were mother and son. That point was settled when she commanded him, "Be quiet, Gene!" She turned to the colonel. "Perhaps you should go and see about her?"

He shook his head, with a fond but manly smile at her. "It's not necessary, Mimi. Really."

"She's all right," I assured them and pushed off, thinking there were a lot of names in this world that could stand a reshuffle. Calling that overweight narrow-eyed pearl-and-mink proprietor Mimi was a paradox.

I moved around among the guests, being gracious. Fully aware that I was not equipped with a Geiger counter that would flash a signal if and when I established a contact with a strangler, the fact remained that I had been known to have hunches, and it would be something for my scrapbook if I picked one as the killer of Doris Hatten and it turned out later to be sunfast.

Cynthia Brown hadn't given me the Hatten, only the Doris, but with the context that was enough. At the time it had happened, some five months ago, early in October, the papers had given it a big play of course. She had been strangled with her own scarf, of white silk with the Declaration of Independence printed on it, in her cozy fifth-floor apartment in the West Seventies, and the scarf had been left around her neck, knotted at the back. The cops had never got within a mile of charging anyone, and Sergeant Purley Stebbins of Homicide had told me that they had never even found

Curtains for Three 157

jfwho was paying the rent, but there was no law st Purley being discreet, kept on the go through the plant rooms, leaving /itches open for a hunch. Some of them were ' preposterous, but with everyone else I made an tunity to exchange some words, fullface and close at took time, and it was no help to my current i chronic campaign for a raise in wages, since it was ||sromen, not the men, that Wolfe wanted off his ,1 stuck at it anyhow. It was true that if Cynthia |en the level, and if she hadn't changed her mind by ne I got Wolfe in to her, we would soon have Bcations, but I had had that tingle at the bottom spine and I was stubborn. I say, it took time, and meanwhile five o'clock and went, and the crowd thinned out. Going on ty the remaining groups seemed to get the I all at once that time was up and made for the to the stairs. I was in the moderate room it happened, and the first thing I knew I was s there, except for a guy at the north bench, study l row of dowianas. He didn't interest me, as I had iy canvassed him and crossed him off as the ; type for a strangler, but as I glanced his way he enly bent forward to pick up a pot with a flower plant, and as he did so I felt my back stiffening. |r stiffening was a reflex, but I knew what had it: the way his fingers closed around the pot, Uy the thumbs. No matter how careful you are er people's property, you don't pick up a five-inch las if you were going to squeeze the life out of it. [made my way around to him. When I got there he ^holding the pot so that the flowers were only a few

from his eyes. -Nice flower," I said brightly.

158 Bex Stout

He nodded. "What color do you caD the sepals?"

"Nankeen yellow."

He leaned to put the pot back, still choking it. I swiveled my head. The only people in sight, beyond the glass partition between us and the cool room, were Nero Wolfe and a small group of guests, among whom were the Orwin trio and Bill McNab, the garden editor of the Gazette. As I turned my head back to my man he straightened up, pivoted on his heel, and marched off without a word. Whatever else he might or might not have been guilty of, he certainly had bad manners.

I followed him, on into the warm room and through, out to the landing, and down the three Sights of stairs. Along the main hall I was courteous enough not to step on his heel, but a lengthened stride would have reached it. The hall was next to empty. A woman, ready for the street in a caracul coat, was standing there, and Saul Panzer was posted near the front door with nothing to do. I followed my man on into the front room, the cloakroom, where Fritz Brenner was helping a guest on with his coat. Of course the racks were practically bare, and with one glance my man saw his property and went to get it. His coat was a brown tweed that had been through a lot more than one winter. I stepped forward to help, but he ignored me without even bothering to shake his head. I was beginning to feel hurt. When he emerged to the hall I was beside him, and as he moved to the front door I spoke.

"Excuse me, but we're checking guests out as well as in. Your name, please?"

"Ridiculous," he said curtly, and reached for the knob, pulled the door open, and crossed the sill. Saul, knowing I must have had a reason for wanting to check him out, was at my elbow, and we stood watching his back as he descended the seven steps of the stoop.

Curtains for Three 159

il?" Saul muttered at me. hook my head and was parting my lips to mutter back, when a sound came from behind us aade us both whirl around--a screech from a a, not loud but full of feeling. As we whirled, t and the guest he had been serving came out of ont room, and all four of us saw the woman in the 1 coat come running out of the office into the hall, pt coming, gasping something, and the guest, a noise like an alarmed male, moved to meet [moved faster, needing about eight jumps to the Indoor and two inside. There I stopped.

course I knew the thing on the floor was but only because I had left her in there in jjpdothes. With the face blue and contorted, the halfway out, and the eyes popping, it could een almost anybody. I knelt and slipped my jijnside her dress front, kept it there ten seconds, felt nothing.

I's voice came from behind. "I'm here." |got up and went to the phone on my desk and 1 dialing, telling Saul, "No one leaves. We'll keep ; got. Have the door open for Doc Vollmer." |-only two whirs the nurse answered, and put on, and I snapped it at him. "Doc, Archie

Come on the run. Strangled woman. Yeah,

�

shed the phone back, reached for the house iand buzzed the plant rooms, and after a wait had i irritated bark in my ear. "Yes?" in the office. You'd better come down. That tive client I mentioned is here on the floor,

i this flummery?" he roared.

160 |ex S5 tout

"No,ar. C-^>nie down and look at her and then me."

The eonneestion went. He had slammed it down, got a sheet of t^hin tissue paper from a drawer, tore i a come, a^ went and placed it carefully ovei Cynthia's mou*>h and nostrils. In ten seconds it hadnl stirred

Voices had *>een sounding from the hall. Now one o| them eifcred fche office. Its owner was the guest who hadbeeainthes' cloakroom with Fritz when the screech^ came. He was a chunky broad-shouldered guy with' sharp donineearing dark eyes and arms like a gorilla's.; His voice was ^oing strong as he started toward me from the door, tout it stopped when he had come far I enough to get sa. good look at the object on the floor. "My God," l*e said huskily. "Yes,Br/' L agreed. "Howdidit happen?" "Dotfkno^r." "Who b it?" "Doirtkno^r."

He nade hi^ eyes come away from it and up until they met minev and I Save m'm an A for control. It really was a sigi�t.

"The man at the door won't let us leave," he stated. "No, �. Yo�a can see why." "I certainly can." His eyes stayed with me, however. "Bat we know nothing about it. My name is Carlisle, Homeir N. Carlisle. I am the executive vice president of the North American Foods Company. My wife was merely acting under impulse; she wanted to see the office of Nero Wolfe, and she opened the door and entered. Shwe's sorry she did, and so am I. We have an appointment, and there's no reason why we should be detained."

Curtains for Three 161

too," I told him. "But one thing, if noth wife discovered the body. We're stuck you are, with a corpse here in our office, ?en't even got a wife who had an impulse.

nothing. So I guess-- Hello, Doc." ry entering and nodding at me on the fly, was i as he set his black case on the floor and ie it. His house was down the street and he jfconly two hundred yards to trot, but he was l- weight. As he opened the case and got out Homer Carlisle stood and watched flips pressed tight, and I did likewise until I sound of Wolfe's elevator. Crossing to the i into the hall, I surveyed the terrain. Toward Saul and Fritz were calming down the i in the caracul coat, now Mrs. Carlisle to me. Polfe and Mrs. Mimi Orwin were emerging from srator. Four guests were coming down the tiGene Orwin, Colonel Percy Brown, Bill McNab, aiddle-aged male with a mop of black hair, ayed by the office door to block the quartet on As Wolfe headed for me, Mrs. Carlisle 1 to him and grabbed his arm. "I only wanted to office! I want to go! I'm not--" s pulled at him and sputtered, I noted a detail. 1 coat was unfastened, and the ends of a silk figured and gaily colored, were flying loose, at least half of the female guests had sported I mention it only to be honest and admit that I of touchy on that subject. ITolfe, who had already been too close to too many eh that day to suit him, tried to jerk away, but she on. She was the big-boned flat-chested athletic I, and it could have been quite a tussle, with him rig twice as much as her and four times as big

162 Rex Stout

around, if Saul hadn't rescued him by coming in between and prying her loose. That didn't stop her tongue, but Wolfe ignored it and came on toward me.

"Has Dr. Vollmer come?"

"Yes, sir."

The executive vice-president emerged from the office, talking. "Mr. Wolfe, my name is Homer N. Carlisle and I insist--"

"Shut up," Wolfe growled. On the sill of the door to the office, he faced the audience. "Flower lovers," he said with bitter scorn. "You told me, Mr. McNab, a distinguished group of sincere and devoted gardeners. PfuilSaul!"

"Yes, sir."

"Are you armed?"

"Yes, sir."

"Put them all in the dining room and keep them there. Let no one touch anything around this door, especially the knob. Archie, come with me."

He wheeled and entered the office. Following, I used my foot to swing the door nearly shut, leaving no crack but not latching it. When I turned Vollmer was standing, facing Wolfe's scowl.

"Well?" Wolfe demanded.

"Dead," Vollmer told him. "With asphyxiation from strangling sometimes you can do something, but it wasn't even worth trying."

"How long ago?"

"I don't know, but not more than an hour or two. Two hours at the outside, probably less."

Wolfe looked at the thing on the floor, with no change in his scowl, and back at Doc. "You say strangling. Finger marks?"

"No. A constricting band of something with pres Curtains for Three 163

j below the hyoid bone. Not a stiff or narrow band;

liing soft like a strip of cloth--say a scarf." (folfe switched to me. "You didn't notify the po

Jo, sir." I glanced at Vollmer and back. "I need a

n

'. suppose so." He spoke to Doc. "If you will leave a moment? The front room?"

tier hesitated, uncomfortable. "As a doctor

I to a violent death I'd catch hell. Of course I could �

ten go to a corner and cover your ears." i did so. He went to the farthest corner, the angle by the partition of the bathroom, pressed his i to his ears, and stood facing us. | addressed Wolfe with a lowered voice. "I was , and she came in. She was either scared good or ; on a very fine act. Apparently it wasn't an act, Ipow think I should have alerted Saul and Fritz, fcdoesn't matter what I now think. Last October a t named Doris Hatten was killed--strangled--in ent. No one got elected. Remember?"

said she was a friend of Doris Batten's and ; her apartment that day and saw the man that s strangling, and that he was here this afternoon, he was aware that she had recognized him, hty she was scared, and she wanted to get you i by telling him that we were wise and he'd bet jf off. No wonder I didn't gulp it down. I realize dislike complications and therefore might scratch this out, but at the end she touched a iby saying that she had enjoyed my company,

to open up to the cops." i do so. Confound it!"

164 Rex Stout

I went to the phone and started dialing WAtkins! 8241. Doc Vollmer came out of his corner and went 1 get his black case from the floor and put it on a chairj Wolfe was pathetic. He moved around behind his de and lowered himself into his own oversized custom-1 made number, the only spot on earth where he wa ever completely comfortable, but there smack in frontf of him was the object on the floor, so after a moment ] made a face, got back onto his feet, grunted like anl outraged boar, went across to the other side of the| room to the shelves, and inspected the backbones of| books.

But even that pitiful diversion got interrupted. As| I finished with my phone call and hung up, sudden; sounds of commotion came from the hall. Dashing a* across, getting fingernails on the edge of the door and pulling it open, and passing through, I saw trouble. A.] group was gathered in the open doorway of the dining I room, which was across the hall. Saul Panzer went bounding past me toward the front. At the front door Colonel Percy Brown was stiff-arming Fritz Brenner with one hand and reaching for the doorknob with the other. Fritz, who is chef and housekeeper, is not supposed to double in acrobatics, but he did fine. Dropping to the floor, he grabbed the colonel's ankles and jerked his feet out from under him. Then I was there, and Saul with his gun out; and there with us was the guest with the mop of black hair.

"You damn fool," I told the colonel as he sat up. "If you'd got outdoors Saul would have winged you."

"Guilt," said the black-haired guest emphatically 'The compression got unbearable and he exploded. I was watching him. I'm a psychiatrist."

"Good for you." I took his elbow and turned him Curtains for Three 165

i in and watch all of 'em. With that wall mirror {Include yourself."

is illegal," stated Colonel Brown, who had to his feet and was short of breath. jMierded them to the rear. Fritz got hold of my jfArchie, I've got to ask Mr. Wolfe about din

I said savagely. "By dinnertime this place more crowded than it was this afternoon. Com Jl^coming, sent by the city. It's a good thing we

Dom ready."

he has to eat; you know that. I should have s in the oven now. If I have to stay here at the attack people as they try to leave, what will

s," I said. I patted him on the shoulder. "Ex

r manners, Fritz, I'm upset. I've just strangled

; woman."

s," he said scornfully, light as well have," I declared.

doorbell rang. I reached for the switch and ton the stoop light and looked through the panel tway glass. It was the first consignment of cops.

Ill

opinion Inspector Cramer made a mistake. a, hell, of course he did. It is true that in a room s a murder has occurred the city scientists--mea sniffers, print-takers, specialists, photogra -may shoot the works, and they do. But except circumstances the job shouldn't take all week, the case of our office a couple of hours should flbeen ample. In fact, it was. By eight o'clock the

164 Rex Stoi

I went to the pli 8241. Doc Vollmer, get his black case; Wolfe was pathetic. 1 and lowered made number, the qi ever completely i of him was the obje<3 made a face, got outraged boar, ' room to the shehf books.

But even that p I finished with m^'j sounds of commol across, getting: pulling it open, andj group was gatheretfl room, which was' bounding past me w Colonel Percy Br with one hand and i other. Fritz, who is ] posed to double in a? to the floor, he i his feet out from Saul with his gun < with the mop of 1

"You damn fooVyi you'd got outdo�H*|

"Guilt," said " "The compresskSN was watching him. J

"Good foryo�u^

m.

164 Rex St�

I went to the ]_ 8241. Doc Vollmeri get his black case i Wolfe was pathetic^ and lowered made number, the^j ever completely < of him was the obj made a face, got outraged boar, room to the she books. 1

But even that'j! I finished with rip! sounds of con across, getting 1 pulling it open, i group was gathe room, which was bounding past me J Colonel Percy with one hand and) other. Fritz, who iti) posed to double in J to the floor, he j his feet out'from � Saul with his gun < with the mop of 1

"You damn feoljj you'd got outdo

"Guilt," said "The compr was watching 1

"Good for yottS

m

164 Rex Stout

I went to the phone and started dialing WAtkins 98241. Doc Vollmer came out of his corner and went to get his black case from the floor and put it on a chair. Wolfe was pathetic. He moved around behind his desk and lowered himself into his own oversized custom made number, the only spot on earth where he was ever completely comfortable, but there smack in front of him was the object on the floor, so after a moment he made a face, got back onto his feet, grunted like an outraged boar, went across to the other side of the room to the shelves, and inspected the backbones of books.

But even that pitiful diversion got interrupted. As I finished with my phone call and hung up, sudden sounds of commotion came from the hall. Dashing across, getting fingernails on the edge of the door and pulling it open,, and passing through, I saw trouble. A group was gathered in the open doorway of the dining room, which was across the hall. Saul Panzer went bounding past me toward the front. At the front door Colonel Percy Brown was stiff-arming Fritz Brenner with one hand and reaching for the doorknob with the other. Fritz, who is chef and housekeeper, is not supposed to double in acrobatics, but he did fine. Dropping to the floor, he grabbed the colonel's ankles and jerked his feet out'from under him. Then I was there, and Saul with his gun out; and there with us was the guest with the mop of black hair.

"You damn fool," I told the colonel as he sat up. "If you'd got outdoors Saul would have winged you,"

"Guilt," said the black-haired guest emphatically. "The compression got unbearable and he exploded. I was watching him. I'm a psychiatrist." "Good for you." I took his elbow and turned him.

Curtains f�r Three 1�5

> back in and watch all of 'em. FA that wall mir*�r � can include yourself."

'This is illegal/' stated Colonel grown, who kisad nbled to his feet and was short d breath, aul herded them to the rear. Fiiz got hold of *ny eve. "Archie, I've got to ask Mr.Wolfe about f3Bnf "

"Nuts," I said savagely. "By dmertime this ptsace 1 be more crowded than it was tte afternoon. O�jm

tty is coming, sent by the city. Ift a good thing- we

Are a cloakroom ready."

f"But he has to eat; you know that. I should feasave

I ducks in the oven now. If I have to stay here alt. the 1 and attack people as they try to leave, what, will

,.-*tr

|"Nuts," I said. I patted him on the shoulder. -=*tExs my manners, Fritz, I'm upset Fve just strai�Bgled

; woman." "Nuts," he said scornfully.

might as well have," I declared, he doorbell rang. I reached for the switeb* and 1 on the stoop light and looked through the ^jjanel '-way glass. It was the first consignment of " cops.

Ill

ny opinion Inspector Cramer made a ra^�stake. �ion, hell, of course he did. It is true that in an room s a murder has occurred the city scientists------mea sniffers, print-takers, specialists, ph�s�togra may shoot the works, and they do. But * except circumstances the job shouldn't take attB week, _ the case of our office a couple of hours, should t been ample. In fact, it was. By eight o'cfcewek the

166 Rex Stout

scientists were through. But Cramer, like a sap, gave the order to seal it up until further notice, in Wolfe's hearing. He knew damn well that Wolfe spent as least three hundred evenings a year in there, in the only chair and under the only light that he really liked, and that was why he did it. It was a mistake. If he hadn't made it, Wolfe might have called his attention to a certain fact as soon as Wolfe saw it himself, and Cramer would have been saved a lot of trouble.

The two of them got the fact at the same time, from me. We were in the dining room-^his was shortly after the scientists had got busy in the office, and the guests, under guard, had been shunted to the front room--and I was relating my conversation with Cynthia Brown. They wanted all of it, or Cramer did rather, and they got it. Whatever else my years as Wolfe's assistant may have done for me or to me, they have practically turned me into a tape recorder, and Wolfe and Cramer didn't get a rewrite of that conversation, they got the real thing, word for word. They also got the rest of my afternoon, complete. When I finished, Cramer had a slew of questions, but Wolfe not a one. Maybe he had already focused on the fact above referred to, but neither Cramer nor I had. The short- hand dick seated at one end of the dining table had the fact too, in his notebook along with the rest of it, but he j wasn't supposed to focus.

.Cramer called a recess on the questions to take steps. He called men in and gave orders. Colonel Brown was to be photographed and fingerprinted and headquarters records were to be checked for him and Cynthia. The file on the murder of Doris Hatten was to | be brought to him at once. The lab reports were to be j rushed. Saul Panzer and Fritz Brenner were to be] brought in.

Curtains for Three 14?

came. Fritz stood like a soldier at attention, nd grave. Saul, only five feet seven, with the ; eyes and one of the biggest noses I have ever in his impressed brown suit, and his necktie -he stood like Saul, not slouching and not ie would stand like that if he were being I the Medal of Honor or if he were in front of a Hf^uad. - " .

s Cramer knew both of them. He picked on ift>u and Fritz were in the hall aU afternoon?" 1 nodded. The hall and the front room, yes." f did you see enter or leave the office?"

Archie go in about four o'clock--I was just fout of the front room with someone's hat and saw Mrs. Carlisle come out just after she In between those two I saw no one either cleave. We were busy most of the time, either or the front room." 1 grunted. "How about you, Fritz?" no one." Fritz spoke louder than usual. "I ren see Archie go in." He took a step forward, , soldier. "I would like to say something." ad." : a great deal of all this disturbance is un. My duties here are of the household and not but I cannot help hearing what reaches , and I am aware of the many times that Mr. i found the answer to problems that were too This happened here in his own house, it should be left entirely to him." i, "Fritz, I didn't know you had it in you!" i disturbance,'' he insisted firmly, goddamned." Cramer was goggling at him. you to say that, huh?"

M& Rex Stout

"Bah." Wolfe was contemptuous. "It can't be helped, Fritz. Have we plenty of ham?"

"Yes,sir."

"Sturgeon?"

"Yes, sir."

"Lateiy probably. For the guests in the front room, but not the police. Are you through with them, Mr Cramer?"

^o.'VCramer went back to �auL "You checked the guestsin?"

"Yes." ' .-' "- .. . ' .. - : '.''. ' "How?r '...;,. ;' ' / ';. ...' ,. "'.

"I had a list of the members of the Manhattan Flower Club. They had to show their membership cards. I checked on the list those who came. If they brought a wife or husband, or any other guest, I took

'^Mil*f$?"~,: '

:^NnNfe� you have a record of everybody?"

^^*5BB*&,.:/.r;-- . . : "How cdnpete is it?" "It^seo^lete and it's accurate."

**About how many names?" "Two hundred and nineteen." "This place wouldn't hold that many." Saul nodded. They came arid went. There wasn't . marexthan a hundred or so at any one time."

That's a help." Cramer was getting more and more disgusted, and I didn't blame him. "Goodwin says he was there at the door with you when that woman screamed and came running out of the office, but that you hadn't seen her enter the office. Why not?"

*We had our backs turned. We were watching a man who had just left go down the steps. Archie had asked him for his name and he had said that was ridiculous. If you want it, his name is Malcolm Vedder."

Curtains for Three 1�9

s ten it i& How do you know?" 1 checked him in along with the rest"

stared. "Are you telling me that you could many names to that many faces after seeing ;onee?"

shoulders went slightly up and down, i more to people than faces. I might go wrong , but not many. I was at that door to do a job lit" ' -..-.. .< ". should know by this time," Wolfe rumbled, r. Panzer is an exceptional man."

spoke to a dick standing by the door. "You name, Levy-*-Malcomi Vedder. 3teflSteb ; it on that list and send a man to bring him

-dick went. Crsmer returned to Saul. Tut ft y. Say I sit you here with that list, and a man or l is brought in, and I point to a name on the list you if that person came this afternoon under Could you tell me positively?" 1 tell you positively whether the person had I or not, especially if he was wearing the same land hadn't been disguised. On fitting him to his t might go wrong in a few cases, but I doubt it." i*'t believe you." Wolfe does," Saul said complacently. "Archie | have developed my faculties." tsure have. All right, that's all for now. Stick

' - . : : '>' -. .. :- .; -;- "

I and Fritz went. Wolfe, in his own chair at the sdining table, where ordinarily, at this hour,

for a quite different purpose than the one at (red a deep sigh and closed his eyes. I, seated t Cramer at the side of the table that put us fac

; door to the hall, was beginning to appreciate

;-Iflfc-: Rex Stout ...'....'

the kind of problem we were up against. The look on drainer's face indicated that he was appreciating it too. The look was crossing my bow, direct at Wolfe.

"Goodwin's story," Gramer growled. "I mean her story. What do you think?"

Wolfe's eyes cane open a little. "What followed seems to support it. I doubt if she would have arranged for that"--he flipped a hand in the direction of the office across the hall--"just to corroborate a tale. I accept it. I credit it."

"Yeah. I don't heed to remind you that I know you well and I know Goodwin well. So I wonder how much chance there is that in a day or so you'll suddenly remember that she had been here before today, or one or more of the others had, and you've got a client, and there was something leading up to this."

*�osto^ IToJfe said dryly. "Even if it were like that, and it isn't, yon would be wasting tame. Since you know us, you know we wouldn't remember until we got *eady:to."''' /,. :. - "-. : .

CJramer glowered. Two scientists came in from across the hall to report. Stebbins came to announce the arrival of an .assistant district attorney. A dick came to relay a phone call from a deputy commissioner. Another dick came hi to say that Homer Carlisle was raising hell in the front room. Meanwhile Wolfe sat with his eyes shut, but I got an idea of his state of mind from the fact that intermittently his forefinger was making little circles on the polished top of the table.

Cramer looked at him* "What da youknow," he asked abruptly, "about the killing of that Doris Hat ten?".- : <: :-. . -- ' '.;. . . ; ,

"Newspaper accounts," Wolfe muttered. "And what Mr. Stebbins has told Mr. Goodwin, casually." "Casual is right." Cramer got out a cigar, conveyed

Cm-tains for Three 171

mouth, and sank his teeth in it. He never Et hose damn houses with self-service elevators than walk-ups for a checking job. No one '.sees anyone coming or going. If you're not inter, I'm talking to hear mysetfi" Nm interested." Wolfe's eyes stayed shut.

1.1 appreciate it. Even so, self-service eleva not, the man who paid the rent for that apart, was lucky. He may have been clever and careful, i he was lucky. Never to have anybody see him i to give a description of him--that took hick."

Miss Hatten paid the rent herself." e," Cramer conceded, "she paid it all right, tot (did she get it from? No visible means of support : wasn't visible, and three good men spent a (trying to start a trail, and one of them is still at was no doubt about its being that kind of a we did get that far. She had only been "living two months, and when we found out how well who paid for it had kept himself covered, as a drum, we decided that maybe he had in sner there just for the purpose. That was why we it all we had. Another reason was that the started hinting that we knew who he was and n was such a big shot we were sitting on the lid." ner shifted his cigar one tooth over to the left. pond of thing used to get me sore, but what the newspapers that's just routine. Big shot or s didn't need us to do any covering for him--he i too good a job himself. Now, if we're to take this Cynthia Brown gave it to Goodwill, it have been the man who paid the rent and it That makes & pie. I would hate to tell you [think of the feet that Goodwin sat there in your I was told right here on these premises and all

47* Bex Stoat

he did was go upstairs and watch te see if anybody squeezed a flowerpot!"

-,.f!K^^^]ri4bM>*^Iv^'dlrib^^ "Not that he wo� �n the premises, that he had been. Also I was taking it with salt. Abo she was saving specifications for Mr. Wotfe. Atee--"

"Also I know you. How many of those two hundred and nineteen people were men?" �T sroiaM say a little over half." Then how do you like it?" . ' ^hateA" / :- ...:.;. -.. . ' ., .-.-. Wolfe grunted, "Judging from your attitude, Mr. Cramer, something that has occurred to me has not weoafedtoy�t" -'- --:. ;-;.:,. - '.� �iiatura%t%Ki're a genius. What is ft?"

Something that Mr. Goodwin told us. I want to con^teita^tte."

**We could consider it together." ^?5Latef.-v.'I^OBe:--peo|ile-,i� tiie front room are my gue^s. Can't you dispose of them?"

"One of your guests," Cramer rasped, "was a beaut, all right." He spoke to the dick by the door. "Bring in that woman--what's her name? Carlisle."

..'"....... '.*'... ".- : 'Iv". .. -". -- .

Mrs. Homer N. Carlisle came in with all her belongings: her caracul coat, her gaily colored scarf, and her husband. Perhaps I should say that her husband brought her. As soon as he was through the door he strode across to the dining table and delivered a harangue. I don't suppose Cramer had heard that speech, with variations, more titan a thousand (rases. This time it was pretty offensive. Solid and broad-shouldered,

Curtains for Three 173

Carlisle looked the part His sharp dark eyes and his long gorilla-like arms were good for . At the first opening Gramer, controlling him1 he was sorry ami asked them to sit down. Carlisle did. Mr. Carlisle didn't. We're nearly two hoars late now," he stated. "I * you have your duty to perform, but citizens have rights left, thank God. Our presence here is adventitious." I would have been impressed by ventitious if he hadn't had so much time to think "I warn you that if my name is published in with this miserable affair, a murder in the sxrf a private detective, I'll make trouble. I'm in a t to. Why should it be? Why should we be de' What if we had left five of ten minutes earlier, idid?" _"v.; ;" ; ; ; .-':'' ; , . " t's not quite logical^" Cramer objected, hynotr l : i matter when you left it would''have been the s if your wife had acted the same. She discovered

"$", : . ;; -";.: .

ly accident!"

ay I say something, Homer?" the wife put in. ; depends on what you say." )h�" Cramer said significantly. v : �

; do you mean, oh?" Carlisle demanded, mean that I sent for your wife, not you, but you ^with her, and that tells me why^Jfow wanted to \Mi that she wasn't indiscreet."

at the hell has she got to be indiscreet about?" don't know. Apparently you do. If she hasn't, it you sit down and relax while I ask her a few

ons?"- ...,. ; .;- , ;-.,-.. .'

, sir," Wolfe advised him. "You came in

174 ftex Stoat

here angry, and you blundered. An angry man is a

It was a struggle for the executive vice-president, but he made it. He damped his Jaws and sat. Cramer went to the wife. :

"You wanted to say something, Mrs. Carlisle?"

"Only that I'm sorry." Her bony hands, the fingers twined, were on the table before her. "For the trouble I've caused."

"I wouldn't say you caused it exactly--except for yourself and your husband." Cramer was mild. The woman was dead, whether you went in there or not. Jfeut, if only as a matter of form, it was essential for me to see you, since you discovered the body. That's all there is to it as tax as I know. There's no question of your being involved mere than that."

"Howthe hell couldthere be?" Carlisle blurted.

Cramer ^rK�ed him. "Goodwin here saw .you standing in the hall not more than two minutes, probably less, prior to the moment you screamed and ran out of the office. How long had you then been downstairs?"

"We had just come down. I was waiting for my husband to get his things."

"Had you been downstairs before that?"

"No--only when we came in."

"What time did you arrive?"

*A>-&mm&three, I think-''

TVen^r past three," the husband put in.

"Were yon and your husband together all the time? CoBtinuousty?^

; *Wcourse. Welt--yon know how it i�-^he would want to look longer at something, and I would move on aHttte-�

"Certainly we were," Carlisle said irritably. "You can see why I made that remark about it depending on

Curtains for Three ITS

, she said. She has a habit of being vague. This is ito be vague." am not actually vague," she protested with no ; not to her husband but to Cramer. "It's just that is relative. There would be no presence if t were no absence. There would be no innocence if were no sin. Nothing can be cut off sharp from ; else. Who would have thought my wish to see Wolfe's office would link me with a horrible

God!" Carlisle exploded. "Hear that? Link. hy did you want to see Wolfe's office?" Cramer

hy, to see the globe." awked at her. I had supposed that naturally she say it was curiosity about the office of a great oils detective. Apparently Cramer reacted the las me. "The globe?" he demanded. STes, I had read about it and I wanted to see how it , I thought a globe that size, three feet in diame

: be fantastic in an ordinary room--Oh!" ^iwhat?" ; didn't see it!"

ler nodded. "You saw something else instead, way, I forgot to ask, did you know her? Had ever seen her before?"

i mean--her?" STes. Her name was Cynthia Brown."^ .

had never known her or seen her or heard of 1 the husband declared. ,-. .

. you, Mrs. Carlisle?"

*o." ---.-'- . ----- . course she came as the guest of a Mrs. Orwin;

Ift Rex Stoat .

she wasn't a member of this flower club. Are you a member?"

"Myhusband is."

"We both are," Carlisle stated. *Vague again. It's a joint membership. In my greenhouse at my country home I have over four thousand plants, including several hundred orchids." He looked at his wrist watch. "Isn't this about enough?" ;

"Plenty," Cramer conceded, "Thank you, both of you. We won't bother you again unless we have to. Levy, pass them put,"

Mrs. Carlisle got to her feet and moved off, but halfway to the door she turned. "I don?t suppose-- would it be possible for me to look at the globe now? Justapeek?"

"For God's sake!" Her husband took her by the arjm, "Come on. Come on!" ,

When the door had closed behind them Cramer glared at me and then at Wolfe. "This is sure a sweet one," he said grimly. "Say it's within the range of possibility that Carlisle is it, and the way it stands right now, why not? So we look into him. We check back on him for six months, and try doing it without getting roars out of him--a man like that, in his position. However, it can be done--by three or four men in two or threes we^ksl Multiply that by what? How many men .werehere?*'" u<:' . "'-'"*' ' " :

"Around a hundred and twenty," I told him. "Ten dozen. But you'll find that at least half of them are disqualified one way or another. As I told you, I took a sttrtfey^&iy sMly,''

"All right, multiply ft by s&ty. Do you care for it?"

"No."

"Neither do I." Cramer took the cigar from his mouth, removed a nearly severed piece with his fin Curtains for Three 177

and put it in an ashtray, and replaced the cigar a fresh tooth-hold. "Of course," he said sarcasti* , "when she sat in there telling you about him the ;idn was different. You wanted her to enjoy being t you. You couldn't reach for the phone and tell us a self-confessed crook who could put a quick on a murderer and let us come and take over-- a! You had to save it for a fee for Wolfe! You had and admire her legs!" Dn't be vulgar," I said severely, ifou had to go upstairs and make a survey! You

Well?"

aeutenant Rowcliff had opened the door and en. There were some city employees I liked, some I some I had no feeling about, some I could done without easy--and one whose ears-1 was to twist someday. That was Rowcliff. fle was ong, handsome, and a pain in the neck, e're all through in there, sir," he said impor"We've covered everything. Nothing is being away, and it is all in order. We were especially with the contents of the drawers of Wolfe's J and also we--" ly desk!" Wolfe roared.

ffes, your desk," Rowcliff said precisely, smirking, i blood was rushing into Wolfe's face, he was killed there," Cramer said gruffly. "She ;led with something, and murderers have jpmown to hide things. Did you get anything at

l^don't think so," Rowcliff admitted. "Of course ats have to be sorted, and there'll be lab re< How do we leave it?"

it up and we'll see tomorrow. You stay here

178 Bex Stout

and keep a photographer. The others can go. Tell Steb bins to send that woman in--Mrs. Irwin."

"Orwm;gir."

^raae^lwr."

^^rfr." Eowcliff turned to go.

"Wait a minute " I objected, "Seal what up? The 'office?" /.-. V :. - . '-:' ,v.;:

<*Ce3rtaiftiy/' KowcKff sneered.

I said firmly, to Cramer, not to ban, "You don't mean it. We work there. We live there. All our stuff is

there." - ,.- .', ... . '.. .-..-. - '

"Go ahead, Lieutenant," Cramer told Roweliff, and he wheeled and went.

I set my jaw. I was full of both feelings and words, but I knew they had to be held in. This was not for me. This was far and away the worst Cramer had ever pulled. It was up to Wolfe. I looked at him. The blood had gone back down again; he was white With fury, and his mouth was pressed to so tight a line that there we^nolips.

"It's routine," Cramer said aggressively. Wolfe said icily, "That's a lie. It is not routine." "It's my routine--in a ease like this. Your office is not just an office. Ifs the place where more fancy tricks have been played than any other spot in New York. When a woman is murdered there, soon after a talk with Goodwin far which we have no word but his, I say sealing"it is routine."

womb's head came forward an inch, his chin out. ?Nb; Mr. Cramer. Ffl te^ you what it is. It is the malefic spite of a sullen little soul and a crabbed and envious mind. It is the childish rancor of a primacy too often1 challenged and offended. It is the feeble wrig

The door came open to let Mrs. Orwin in.

Curtains for Three 179

Mrs. Carlisle the husband had come along. With .Orwin it was the son. His expression and manner * so different I would hardly have known him. Up his tone had been mean and his face had been Now his narrow little eyes were doing their st to look frank and cordial and one of the , He leaned across the table at Cramer, extending

Cramer? I've been hearing about you s! I'm Eugene Orwin." He glanced to his right, already had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Wolfe Mr. Goodwill--earlier today, before this terrible ; happened. It is terrible." ifes," Cramer agreed. "Sit down." will in a moment. I do better with words standI would like to make a statement on behalf of tier and myself, and I hope you'll permit it. I'm of the bar. My mother is not feeling well At st of your men she went in with me to idene body of Miss Brown, and it was a bad shock, e've been detained now more than two hours." i mother's appearance corroborated him. Sitting i her head propped on a hand and her eyes closed, ily she didn't care as much about the impression made on the inspector as her son did. It was whether she was paying any attention to her son was saying.

|A statement would be welcome," Cramer told him, es relevant."

thought so," Gene said approvingly. "So many I have an entirely wrong idea of police methods! i you know that Miss Brown came here today mother's guest, and therefore it might be sup 180 Rex Stoat

posed that my mother knows her well But actually she doesn't. That's what I want to make clear."

"Go ahead."

Gene glanced at the shorthand dick. "If it's taken down J3^c(ifld like to go over it when convenient."

"You Sway."

"Then here are the facts. In January my mother was in Florida. You meet all kinds hi Florida. My mother met a man who called himself Colonel Percy Brown^-a British colonel in the Reserve, he said. Later On he introduced his sister Cynthia to her. My mother saw a great deal of them. My father is dead, and the estate, a rather large one, is in her control. She lent Brown some money--not much; that was just an opener. A week ago--"

Mrs. Orwin's head jerked up. "It was only five thousand dollars, and I didn't promise him anything," she said wearily, and propped her head on her hand

"AHbright, Mother." Gene patted her shoulder, "A week ago she returned to New York, and they;came albn|f;The first time I met them I thought they were impostors. He didn't Sound like an Englishman, and certainly she didn't. They weren't very free with family details, but from them and Mother, chiefly Mother, I got enough to inquire about and sent a cable to London. I got a reply Saturday and another one this morning, and there was more than enough to confirm my suspicion, but not nearly enough to put it up to my mother. When she likes people she can be very stubborn about them--not a bad trait, not at all; I don't want to be misunderstood and I don't want her to be. I was thinking it over, what step to take next. Meanwhile, I thought it best not to let them be alone with her if I could help hv-as yon see, I'm being utterly

Curtains for Three 181

That's why I came here with them today--my is a member of that flower club; I'm no gar

myself." lis tone implied a low opinion of male gardeners,

was none too bright if his idea was to get solid ; Wolfe as well as Cramer. le turned a palm up. "That's what brought me My mother came to see the orchids, and she in! Brown and his sister to come simply because she

i-hearted. But actually she doesn't know them,

*'knows nothing about them, because what they ' told her is one thing and what they really are i� else. Then this happened, and in the past

*, after she recovered a little from the shock of ; taken in there to identify the corpse, I have ex

to her what the situation is." s put his hands on the table and leaned on them, at Cramer. "I'm going to be quite frank, In or. Under the circumstances, I can't see that it serve any useful purpose to let it be published thai woman came here with nay mother. What would it do? How would it further the cause of e? I want to make it perfectly dear that we have to evade our responsibility as citizens. Bat would it help to get my mother's name in the aes?" He straightened, backed up a step, and looked af

ately at Mother, frames in headlines aren't what I'm after" ner told him, "but I don't run the newspapers. If re already got it I can't stop them. I'd like to say I your frankness. So you only met Miss i a week ago. How many times had you seen her

rr . ' ' - ' 'Three times, Gene said. Cramer had plenty of ques

182 Bex Stout

tions for both mother and son. It was in the middle of them that Wolfe passed me a slip of paper on which he had scribbled:

Tell Fritz to bring sandwiches and coffee for you and me. Also for those left in the front room. No one else. Of course Saul and Theodore.

I left the room, found Fritz in the kitchen, delivered the message, and returned.

Gene stayed cooperative to the end, and Mrs. Orwin tried, though it was an effort They said they had been together all the time, which I happened to know wasn't so, having seen them separated at least twice during the afternoon--and Cramerdid too, since I had told him. They said a lot of other things, among them that they hadn't left the plant rooms between their arrival arid their departure with Wolfe; that they had stayed until most of the others were gone because Mrs. Orwin wanted to persuade Wolfe to sell her some plants; that Colonel Brown had wandered off by himself once or twice; that they had been only mildly concerned about Cynthia's absence because of assurances from Colonel Brown and me; and so on and so forth. Before they left, Gehe made another try fora commitment to keep his mother's name out of it, and Cramer appreciated his frankness so much that he promised to do his best I couldn't blame Cramer; people like them might be in a position to call almost anybody, even the commissioner or the mayor, by his first name.

Fritz had brought trays for Wolfe and me, and we were making headway with them. In the silence that followed the departure of the Orwins, Wolfe could plainly be heard chewing a mouthful of mixed salad.

Curtains for Three 183

sat frowning at us. He spoke not to Wolfe

|io me. "Is that imported ham?" shook my head and swallowed before I answered. |j Georgia. Pigs fed on peanuts and acorns. Cured to J Wolfe's specifications. It smells good but it tastes I'better. Ill copy the recipe for you--no, damn it, I , because the typewriter's in the office. Sorry." I lie sandwich down and picked up another. "I-like st'a bit of ham, then sturgeon, then [then sturgeon ..."

could see him controlling himself. He turned his "Levy! Get that Colonel Brown in."

sir. That man you wanted--Vedder--he's

en IH take him first."

.. .. . ,vi: .'"' -.-, ; .':

i the plant rooms Malcolm Vedder had caught my |by the way he picked up a flowerpot and held it. As ok a chair across the dining table from Cramer e, I still thought he was worth another good look, fatter his answer to Cramer's third question I reI and concentrated on my sandwiches. He was an ' and had had parts in three Broadway plays. Of ; that explained it. No actor would pick tip a flow; just normally, like you or me. He would have to it some way, and Vedder had happened to a way that looked to me like fingers closing 1 a throat.

low he was dramatizing this by being wrought up [indignant about the cops dragging him into an in of a sensational murder. He kept running long fingers of both his elegant hands through Ms

1$4 EeXfStont

hair in a way that looked familiar, and I remembered I had seen him the year before as the artist guy in The Primtiveji,

"Typicall" he told Cramer, his eyes flashing and his voicethroal^with feeling. "Typical of police elumsiness! Pulling me into this! The newspapermen out fix>nt recognized me, of course, and the damned photographers! My God!"

"Yeah," Cramer said sympathetically, "It'll be tough for an actor, having your picture in the paper. We need help, us clumsy police, and you were among these present. You're a member of this flower club?"

,N0, Redder said, he wasn't. He had come with a friend, a Mrs. Beauchamp, and when she had left to keep ati appointment he had remained to look at more orchids. If only he had departed with her he would have avoided this dreadful publicity. They had arrived about three-thirty, and he had remained in the plant rooms continuously until leaving with me at his heels. He had seen no one that he had ever known or seen before, except Mrs. Beauchamp. He knew nothing of any Cynthia Brown or Colonel Percy Brown. Cramer went through all the regulation questions and got all the expected negatives, until he suddenly asked, "Did you know Doris Batten?" \Ve4derfrowned. "Who?"

"Soris Batten. She was also--"

"Ah!* Vedder cried. "She was also strangled! I remember!"

"Right."

Vedder made fists of his hands, rested them on the table, and leaned forward. His eyes had flashed again and then gone dead. "You know," he said tensely, "that's the, worst of all, strangling--especially a woman." His fists opened, the fingers spread apart,

Curtains for Three 185

t he gazed at them. "Imagine strangling a beautiful

IP .. ' - V . ,-.' ' "Did you know Doris Hatten?" ^Othello," Vedder said in a deep resonant tone. His lifted to Cramer, and his voice lifted too. "No, I nt know her, I only read about her." He shuddered t over and then, abruptly, he was out of his chair and ; his feet. 'Damn it all," he protested shrilly, "I only

here to look at orchids! God!" He ran his fingers through his hair, turned, and for the door. Levy looked at Gramer with his raised, and Cramer shook his head impatiently. I muttered at Woife, "He hammed it, maybe?" Wotfe wasn't interested.

The next one in was Bill McNab, garden editor of Gazette. I knew him a little, but not well, most of newspaper friends not being on garden desks. He oked unhappier than any of the others, even Mrs. as he walked across to the table, to the end Wolfesat.

"I can't teB you how much I regret this, Mr. Wolfe " f said miserably; fDont try," Wotfe growled. t "I wfeh I could, I certainly do. What a really, really rible thing! I wouldn't have dreamed such a tiling I happen--the Manhattan flower Club! Of course, i wasn't a member, but that only makes it worse in a jr/1 McNab turned to Cramer. "I'm responsible for

i? ' ' '." - ' .- :

^^ouaref^

v*"Yes. It was my idea. I persuaded Mr. Wolfe to ' it. He let me word the invitations. And I was atulating myself on the great success! The club only a hundred and eighty-nine members, and were over two hundred people here. Then this!

1M Rex Stout

What can I do?" He turned. "I want you to know this, Mr. Wolfe. I got a message from my paper; they wanted me to do a story on it for the news columns, and I refused point-blank. Even if I get fired--I don't think I will."

"Sit down a minute," Cramer invited him.

McNab varied the monotony on one detail, at least. He admitted that he had left the plant rooms three times during the afternoon, once to accompany a departing guest down to the ground floor, and twice to go down alone to check on who had come and who hadn't. Aside from that, he was more of the same. He had never heard of Cynthia Brown. By now it was beginning to seem not only futile but silly to spend time on seven or eight of them merely because they happened to be the last to go and so were at hand. Also it was something new to me from a technical standpoint. I had never seen one stack up like that. Any precinct dick knows that every question you ask of everybody is aimed at one of the three targets: motive, means, and opportunity. In tins ease there were no questions to ask because those were already answered. Motive: the guy had followed her downstairs, knowing she had recognized him, had seen her enter Wolfe's office and thought she was doing exactly what she was doing, ^getting set to tell Wolfe, and had decided to prevent that tiie quickest and best way he knew. Means: any piece of cloth; even his handkerchief would do. Opportunity: he was there--all of them on Saul's fist were.

So if you wanted to learn who strangled Cynthia Brown, first you had to find out who had strangled Doris Hatten, and the cops had already been working on that for five months.

As soon as Bill McNab had been sent cm his way, Colonel Percy Brown was brought in.

Cnrtains for Tkree 187

frown was not exactly at ease, but lie had himself in hand. You would never have picked him for a , and neither would I. His mouth and jaw

think," Brown said in a cool even tone, "it will rtime if I state my position. I will answer fully and aD questions that relate to what I saw or heard since I arrived here this afternoon. Tb that ex Ill help you all I can. Answers to any other ques ? will have to wait until I consult my attorneyi* nodded, "I expected that. The trouble is sore I don't give a damn what you saw or 1 this afternoon. We'll come back to that. I want to I to you. As you see, I'm not even want know why you tried to break away before we *�/* - =. :... ;., ; -;': . "' . -/'' -''"

iinerely wanted to phone-^ forget it" Cramer put the remains of his second not more than a scraggfy inch, in the ashtray, received, I think it's like this. The who called herself Cynthia Brown, murdered ay, was not your sister. You met her in Florida eight weeks ago. She went in with yon on an of which Mrs. Orwin was the subject, and her to Mrs. Orwin as your sister. You to New York with Mrs. Orwin a week ago, i operation well under way. As far as I'm Con1, that is only background. Otherwise I'm not in in it. My work is homicide, and that's what

; onnow." was listening politely.

188 Re* Stout

SFor use," Cramer^went or, "the point is that for quite a period you have been closely connected with this Miss Brown, associating with her in a confidential operation. You must have had many intimate conversations with her. You were having her with you as your sister, and she wasn't, and she's been murdered. We could give you merry hell on that score alone."

Brown had no use for his tongue. His face said no comment. ;: . - .'-..-.:..-;-. ' '"--.. ;

"full never be too late togive^you hell," Gramer assured him, "but I wanted to give you a chance first. For tw� months you've been on intimate terms with Gynthia Brown. She certainly must have mentioned an experience she had last October. A friend of hers named Doris Hatten was murdered--strangled. Gynthia Brown had information about the murderer which she kept to herself; if she had come out with it she'd be alive now. She must have mentioned that to you; you can't tell me she didn't. She must have told you all about it. Now you can tell me. If you do we can nail him for what he did here today, and it might even make things a little smoother for you. Well?"

Brown had pursed his lips. They straightened out again, and his hand came up for a finger to scratch his cheek.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?"

"I'm sorry I can't help."

"Do you expect me to believe that during all those weeks she never mentioned the murder of her friend Dorffi Hatten?"

"I'm sorry I can't help."

Gramer got out another cigar and rolled it between his palms, which was wasted energy since he didn't intend to draw smoke through it. Having seen him do

Curtains for Three 189

fare, I knew what it meant. He still thought he lit get something from this customer and was tak ; time out to control himself . IfFm sorry too," he said, laying not to make it a "But she must have told you something of her dus career, didn't she?" _ 'm sorry." Brown's tone was firm and final. -,, pOkay. We'll move on to this afternoon. On that you I you'd answer fully and freely. Do you remember a at when something about Cynthia Brown's ap movement she made or the expres* t on her face--caused Mrs. Orwin to ask her what jpthe matter with her?"

crease was showing on Brown's forehead. "I , believe I do," he stated.

asking you"-to try. Try hard." ^ Hence. Brown pursed his Mps and the crease in his deepened. Family he said, "I may not have right there at the moment. In those aisles--in a " lake that--we weren't rubbing elbows continu '. - ' .-.'.

STou do remember when she excused herself be BPBhe wasn't feeling well?"

s, of course."

STell,- this moment I'm asking about came shortly that. She exchanged looks with some man f, and it was her reaction to that that made Mrs. ask her what was the matter. What I'm interim is that exchange of looks. If you saw it and can it, and can describe the man she exchanged IWith, I wouldn't give a damn if you stripped Mrs. i dean and ten more like her." hdidn't see it." didn't."

Ijfc" - ' . :' ' ' ' '

188 Rex Stoat

"For me," Cramer went on, "the point is that for quite a period you have been closely connected with this Miss Brown, associating with her in a confidential operation. You must have had many intimate conversations with her. You were having her with you as your sister, and she wasn't, and she's been murdered. We could give you merry hell on that score alone."

Brown had no use for his tongue. His face said no comment.

"It'll never be too late to give you hell," Cramer assured him, "but I wanted to give you a chance first. For two months you've been on intimate terms with Cynthia Brown. She certainly must have mentioned an experience she had last October. A friend of hers named Doris Hatten was murdered--strangled. Cynthia Brown had information about the murderer which she kept to herself; if she had come out with it she'd be alive now. She must have mentioned that to you; you can't tell me she didn't. She must have told you all about it. Now you can tell me. If you do we can nail him for what he did here today, and it might even make things a little smoother for you. Well?"

Brown had pursed his lips. They straightened out again, and his hand came up for a finger to scratch his cheek.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?"

"I'm sorry I can't help."

"Do you expect me to believe that during all those weeks she never mentioned the murder of her friend Doris Hatten?"

"I'm sorry I can't help."

Cramer got out another cigar and rolled it between his palms, which was wasted energy since he didn't intend to draw smoke through it. Having seen him do

Curtains for Three 189

Is before, I knew what it meant. He still thought he lit get something from this customer and was tak

: out to control himself. "I'm sorry too," he said, trying not to make it a 1. "But she must have told you something of her evious career, didn't she?" "I'm sorry." Brown's tone was firm and final. "Okay. We'll move on to this afternoon. On that you I you'd answer fully and freely. Do you remember a ent when something about Cynthia Brown's ap-nce--some movement she made or the expres-on her face--caused Mrs. Orwin to ask her what i the matter with her?"

crease was showing on Brown's forehead. "I a't believe I do," he stated.

I'm asking you to try. Try hard." s Silence. Brown pursed his lips and the crease in his deepened. Finally he said, "I may not have right there at the moment. In those aisles--in a Kke that--we weren't rubbing elbows continuity."

roll do remember when she excused herself be she wasn't feeling well?" | "Yes, of course."

;"Well, this moment I'm asking about came shortly that. She exchanged looks with some man by, and it was her reaction to that that made Mrs. ask her what was the matter. What I'm inter l in is that exchange of looks. If you saw it and can aember it, and can describe the man she exchanged i with, I wouldn't give a damn if you stripped Mrs.

clean and ten more like her." "I didn't see it." "You didn't." "No."

190 Rex Stoat

"You didn't say you're sorry."

"I am, of course, if it would help--"

"To hell with you!" Cramer banged his fist on the table so hard the trays danced. "Levy! Take him out and tell Stebbins to send him down and lock him up. Material witness. Put more men on him. He's got a record somewhere. Find it!"

"I wish to phone my attorney," Brown said quietly but emphatically.

"There's a phone down where you're going," Levy told him. "If it's not out of order. This way, Colonel."

As the door closed behind them Cramer glared at me as if daring me to say that I was sorry too. Letting my face show how bored I was, I remarked casually, "If I could get in the office I'd show you a swell book on disguises; I forget the name of it. The world record is sixteen years--a guy in Italy fooled a brother and two cousins who had known him well. So maybe you ought to--"

Cramer turned from me rudely and said, "Gather up, Murphy. We're leaving." He shoved his chair back, stood up, and shook his ankles to get his pants legs down. Levy came back in, and Cramer addressed him. "We're leaving. Everybody out. To my office. Tell Stebbins one man out front will be enough--no, 111 tell him--"

"There's one more, sir."

"One more what?"

"In the front room. A man."

"Who?"

"His name is Nicholson Morley. He's a psychiatrist."

"Let him go. This is a goddam joke."

"Yes, sir."

Levy went. The shorthand dick had collected note Curtains for Three 191

and other papers and was putting them into a briefcase. Cramer looked at Wolfe. Wolfe back at him.

"A while ago," Cramer rasped, "you said something occurred to you." I^Did I?" Wolfe inquired coldly. |Their eyes went on clashing until Cramer broke the tion by turning to go. I restrained an impulse to |ck their heads together. They were both being sh. If Wolfe really had something, anything at all, new damn well Cramer would gladly trade the on the office doors for it sight unseen. And ner knew damn well he could make the deal him* with nothing to lose. But they were both too sore ^stubborn to show any horse sense.

amer had circled the end of the table on his way I when Levy re-entered to report, "That man Morllnsists on seeing you. He says it's vital." ICramer halted, glowering. "What is he, a screw

r"

pi don't know, sir. He may be." gf Oh, bring him in." Cramer came back around the to his chair.

VII

was my first really good look at the middle-aged with the mop of black hair. His quick-darting i were fully as black as his hair, and the appearance chin and jowls made it evident that his beard have been likewise if he gave it half a chance. ; down and was telling Cramer who and what he

192 Rex Stout

Cramer nodded impatiently. "I know. You have something to say, Dr. Morley?"

"I have. Something vital."

"Let's hear it."

Morley got better settled in his chair. "First, I assume that no arrest has been made. Is that correct?"

"Yes--if you mean an arrest with a charge of murder." "Have you a definite object of suspicion, with or without evidence in support?"

"If you mean am I ready to name the murderer, no. Are you?"

"I think I may be."

Cramer's chin went up. "Well? I'm in charge here."

Dr. Morley smiled. "Not quite so fast. The suggestion I have to offer is sound only with certain assumptions." He placed the tip of his right forefinger on the tip of his left little finger. "One: that you have no idea who committed this murder, and apparently you haven't." He moved over a finger. "Two: that this was not a commonplace crime with a commonplace discoverable motive." To the middle finger. "Three: that nothing is known to discredit the hypothesis that this girl--I understand from Mrs. Orwin that her name was Cynthia Brown--that she was strangled by the man who strangled Doris Hatten on October seventh last year. May I make those assumptions?"

"You can try. Why do you want to?"

Morley shook his head. "Not that I want to. That if I am permitted to, I have a suggestion. I wish to make it clear that I have great respect for the competence of the police, within proper limits. If the man who murdered Doris Hatten had been vulnerable to police techniques and resources, he would almost certainly have been caught. But he wasn't. You failed utterly. Why?"

Curtains for Three 193

|"You're telling me."

|;"Because he was out of bounds for you. Because exploration of motive is restricted by your onceptions." Morley's black eyes gleamed. "You're Syman, so I won't use technical terms. The most Irerful motives on earth are motives of the personal |vwhich cannot be exposed by any purely objective stigation. If the personality is twisted, distorted, is with a psychotic, then the motives are twisted | As a psychiatrist I was deeply interested in the shed reports of the murder of Doris Hatten--es ally the detail that she was strangled with her own f. When your efforts to find the culprit--thorough, Poubt, and even brilliant--ended in complete fail I would have been glad to come forward with a sstion, but I was as helpless as you." et down to it," Cramer muttered. fes." Morley put his elbows on the table and all his fingertips. "Now today. On the basis of |assumptions I began with, it is a tenable theory, fry to be tested, that this was the same man. If so made a mistake. Apparently no one got in here without having his name checked; the man at the was most efficient. So it is no longer a question of ig him among thousands or millions; it's a mere or so, and I am willing to contribute my ser I don't think there are more than three or four t in New York qualified for such a job, and I am one item. You can verify that." tie black eyes flashed. "I admit that for a psychia- \ this is a rare opportunity. Nothing could be more atic than a psychosis exploding into murder. I i't pretend that my suggestion is entirely unselfish, ju have to do is to have them brought to my office ae at a time, of course. With some of them ten min 194 Rex Stout

utes will be enough, but with others it may take hours. When I have--"

"Wait a minute," Cramer put in. "Are you suggesting that we deliver everyone that was here today to your office for you to work on?"

"No, not everyone, only the men. When I have finished I may have nothing that can be used as evidence, but there's an excellent chance that I can tell you who the strangler is, and when you once know that--"

"Excuse me," Cramer said. He was on his feet. "Sorry to cut you off, Doctor, but I must get downtown." He was on his way. "I'm afraid your suggestion wouldn't work. I'll let you know--"

He went, and Levy and Murphy with him.

Dr. Morley pivoted his head to watch them go, kept it that way a moment, and then came back to us. He looked disappointed but not beaten. The black eyes, after resting on me briefly, darted to Wolfe.

"You," he said, "are intelligent and literate. I should have had you more in mind. May I count on you to explain to that policeman why my suggestion is the only hope for him?"

"No," Wolfe said curtly.

"He's had a hard day," I told Morley. "So have I. Would you mind closing the door after you?"

He looked as if he had a notion to start on me as a last resort, so I got up and circled around to the door, which had been left open, and remarked to him, 'This way, please."

He arose and walked out without a word. I shut the door, had a good stretch and yawn, crossed to open a window and stick my head out for a breath of air, closed the window, and looked at my wrist watch.

"Twenty minutes to ten," I announced.

Wolfe muttered, "Go look at the office door."

Curtains for Three 195

"I just did, as I let Morley out. It's sealed. Malefic e."

"See if they're gone and bolt the door. Send Saul ae and tell him to come at nine in the morning. Tell I want beer."

obeyed. The hall and front room were uninhab , Saul, whom I found in the kitchen with Fritz, said made a complete tour upstairs and everything in order. I stayed for a little chat with him while took a tray to the dining room. When I left him went back Wolfe, removing the cap from a bottle er with the opener Fritz had brought on the tray, naking a face, which I understood. The opener he ays used, a gold item that a satisfied client had him years ago, was in the drawer of his desk in ffice. I sat and watched him pour beer.

isn't a bad room to sit in," I said brightly, i! I want to ask you something." Shoot."

I want your opinion of this. Assume that we ac without reservation the story Miss Brown told By the way, do you?" In view of what happened, yes." lien assume it. Assume also that the man she had i, knowing she had recognized him, followed ^downstairs and saw her enter the office; that he I that she intended to consult me; that he post1 joining her in the office either because he knew in there with her or for some other reason; She saw you come out and go upstairs; that he took tunity to enter the office unobserved, got her I, killed her, got out unobserved, and returned s. All of those assumptions seem to be required, we discard all that and dig elsewhere." take it that way."

196 Rex Stout

"Very well. Then we have significant indications of his character. Consider it. He has killed her and is back upstairs, knowing that she was in the office talking with you for some time. He would like to know what she said to you. Specifically, he would like to know whether she told you about him, and if so how much. Had she or had she not named or described him in his current guise? With that question unanswered, would a man of his character as indicated leave the house? Or would he prefer the challenge and risk of remaining until the body had been discovered, to see what you would do? And I too, of course, after you had talked with me, and the police?"

"Yeah." I chewed my lip. There was a long silence. "So that's how your mind's working. I could offer a guess."

"I prefer a calculation to a guess. For that a basis is needed, and we have it. We know the situation as we have assumed it, and we know something of his character."

"Okay," I conceded, "a calculation. I'll be damned. The answer I get, he would stick around until the body was found, and if he did, then he is one of the bunch Cramer has been talking with. So that's what occurred to you, huh?"

"No. By no means. That's a different matter. This is merely a tentative calculation for a starting point. If it is sound, I know who the murderer is."

I gave him a look. Sometimes I can tell how much he is putting on and sometimes I can't. I decided to buy it. With the office sealed up by the crabbed and envious mind of Inspector Cramer, he was certainly in no condition to entertain himself by trying to string me.

"That's interesting," I said admiringly. "If you

Curtains for Three 197

at me to get him on the phone I'll have to use the I in the kitchen."

|"I want to test the calculation." |"So do I."

|^But there's a difficulty. The test I have in mind, only one I can contrive to my satisfaction--only can make it. And in doing so you would have to

i yourself to great personal risk." ''or God's sake." I gawked at him. "This is a i-new one. The errands you've sent me on! Since i have you flinched or faltered in the face of dan >me?"

lis danger is extreme."

> is the fix you're in. The office is sealed, and hi it : the book you're reading and the television set. i hear the test. Describe it. All I ask is ninety-nine aces in a hundred."

/ery well." He turned a hand over. 'The decision |be yours. The typewriter in the office is inaeeessi ;!Is that old one in your room in working order?" 6Pair."

3ring it down here, and some sheets of blank pa ny kind. I'll need a blank envelope." have some."

Jring one. Also the telephone book, Manhattan, i my room."

'went to the hall and up two flights of stairs. Hav|eollected the first three items in my room, I de ijed a flight, found that the door of Wolfe's room locked, and had to put the typewriter on the ito get out my keys. With a full cargo I returned to ng room, unloaded, and was placing the type in position on the table when Wolfe spoke, fo, bring it here. I'll use it myself."

198 Rex Stout

I lifted my brows at him. "A page will take you an hour."

"It won't be a page. Put a sheet of paper in it."

I did so, got the paper squared, lifted the machine, and put it in front of him. He sat and frowned at it for a long minute and then started pecking. I turned my back on him to make it easier to withhold remarks about his two-finger technique, and passed the time by trying to figure his rate. That was hopeless, because at one moment he would be going at about twelve words a minute and then would come a sudden burst of speed, stepping it up to twenty or more. All at once there was the sound of the ratchet turning as he pulled the paper out, and I supposed he had ruined it and was going to start over, but when I turned to look his hand was extended to me with the sheet in it.

"I think that will do," he said.

I took it and read what he had typed:

She told me enough this afternoon so that I know who to send this to, and more. I have kept it to myself because I haven't decided what is the right thing to do. I would like to have a talk with you first, and if you will phone me tomorrow, Tuesday, between nine o'clock and noon, we can make an appointment; please don't put it off or I will have to decide myself.

I read it over three times. I looked at Wolfe. He had put an envelope in the typewriter and was consulting the phone book.

"It's all right," I said, "except that I don't care for the semicolon after 'appointment.' I would have put a period and started a new sentence."

He began pecking, addressing the envelope. I

Curtains for Three 199

tfted until he had finished and rolled the envelope

"Just like this?" I asked. "No name or initials tied?" "No."

; "I admit it's nifty," I admitted. "Hell, we could fori the calculation and send this to every guy on that wait to see who phoned. He has just about got done--and also make a date." "I prefer to send it only to one person--the one ated by your report of that conversation. That will

i calculation." "And save postage." I glanced at the paper. "The erne danger, I suppose, is that I'll get strangled, course in an emergency like this he might try aething else. He might even arrange for help. If you me to mail this I'll need that envelope." don't want to minimize the risk of this, Archie." |"Neither do I. I'll have to borrow a gun from Saul; are in the office. May I have that envelope? I'll : to go to Times Square to mail it." |f"Yes. Before you do so, copy that note; we should a copy. Keep Saul here in the morning. If and the phone call comes you will have to use your i. to arrange the appointment as advantageously as

able. Discussion of plans will have to wait upon �

|*Right. The envelope, please?" >He handed it to me.

VIII

I far as Wolfe was concerned, the office being sealed (no difference in the morning up to eleven o'clock,

200 Rex Stout

since his schedule had him in the plant rooms from nine to eleven. With me it did. From breakfast on was the best time for my office chores, including the morning mail.

That Tuesday morning, however, it didn't matter much, since I was kept busy from eight o'clock on by the phone and the doorbell. After nine Saul was there to help, but not with the phone because the orders were that I was to answer all calls. They were mostly from newspapers, but there were a couple from Homicide --once Rowcliff and once Purley Stebbins--and a few scattered ones, including one with comic relief from the president of the Manhattan Flower Club. I took them on the extension in the kitchen. Every time I lifted the thing and told the transmitter, "Nero Wolfe's office, Archie Goodwin speaking," my pulse went up a notch and then had to level off again. I had one argument, with a bozo in the District Attorney's office who had the strange idea that he could order me to report for an interview at eleven-thirty sharp, which ended by my agreeing to call later to fix an hour.

A little before eleven I was in the kitchen with Saul, who at Wolfe's direction had been briefed to date, trying to come to terms on a bet. I was offering him even money that the call would come by noon and he was holding out for five to three, having originally asked for two to one. I was suggesting sarcastically that we change sides when the phone rang and I got it and said distinctly, "Nero Wolfe's office, Archie Good win speaking."

"Mr. Goodwin?"

"Right."

"You sent me a note."

My hand wanted to grip the phone the way Vedder had gripped the flowerpot, but I wouldn't let it.

Curtains for Three 201

"Did I? What about?"

"You suggested that we make an appointment. Are cm in a position to discuss it?" "Sure. I'm alone and no extensions are on. But I n't recognize your voice. Who is this?" That was just putting a nickel's worth of breath on ong shot. Saul, at a signal from me, had raced up to I extension in Wolfe's room, and this bird might pos be completely loony. But no. ' have two voices. This is the other one. Have you ie a decision yet?"

"No. I was waiting to hear from you." ^That's wise, I think. I'm willing to discuss the mat Are you free for this evening?" |fl can wiggle free." |"With a car to drive?" |*Yeah, I have a car."

ive to a lunchroom at the northeast corner of r-first Street and Eleventh Avenue. Get there at o'clock. Park your ear on Fifty-first Street, but the corner. Got that?" Kes."

will be alone, of course. Go in the lunchroom ier something to eat. I won't be there, but you et a message. You'll be there at eight o'clock?" Kes. I still don't recognize your voice. I don't think i the person I sent the note to." am. It's good, isn't it?" connection went.

ag up, told Fritz he could answer calls now, and it to the stairs and up a flight. Saul was I on the landing.

voice was that?" I demanded, me. You heard all I did." His eyes had a in them, and I suppose mine did too.

202 Rex Stout

"Whoever it was," I said, "I've got a date. Let's go up and tell the genius. I've got to admit he saved a lot of postage."

We mounted the other two flights and found Wolfe in the cool room, inspecting a bench of dendrobiums for damage from the invasion of the day before. When I told him about the call he merely nodded, not even taking the trouble to smirk, as if picking a murderer first crack out of ten dozen men was the sort of thing he did between yawns.

"That call," he said, 'Validates our assumptions and verifies our calculation, but that's all. If it had done more than that it wouldn't have been made. Has anyone come to take those seals off?"

I told him no. "I asked Stebbins about it and he said he'd ask Cramer."

"Don't ask again," he snapped. "We'll go down to my room."

If the strangler had been in Wolfe's house the rest of that day he would have felt honored--or anyway he should. Even during Wolfe's afternoon hours in the plant rooms, from four to six, his mind was on my appointment, as was proved by the crop of new slants and ideas that poured out of him when he came down to the kitchen. Except for a trip to Leonard Street to answer an hour's worth of questions by an assistant district attorney, my day was devoted to it too. My most useful errand, though at the time it struck me as a waste of time and money, was one made to Doc Voll mer for a prescription and then to a drugstore under instructions from Wolfe.

When I got back from the D.A.'s office Saul and I got in the sedan and went for a reconnaissance. We didn't stop at Fifty-first Street and Eleventh Avenue, but drove past it four times. The main idea was to find

Curtains for Three

| place for Saul. He and Wolfe both insisted that he to be there with his eyes and ears open, and I I that he had to be covered enough not to scare ' my date, who could spot his big nose a mile off. We Uy settled for a filling station across the street from lunchroom. Saul was to have a taxi drive in there |eight o'clock, and stay in the passenger's seat while i driver tried to get his carburetor adjusted. There so many contingencies to be agreed on that if it been anyone but Saul I wouldn't have expected i to remember more than half. For instance, in case 6ft the lunchroom and got in my car and drove off was not to follow unless I cranked my window

Trying to provide for contingencies was okay in a IT, but at seven o'clock, as the three of us sat in the tig room, finishing the roast duck, I had the feeling , we might as well have spent the day playing pool. Uy it was strictly up to me, since I had to let the er guy make the rules until and unless it got to I felt I could take over and win. And with the er guy making the rules no one gets very far, not ; Nero Wolfe, arranging for contingencies ahead of b; you meet them as they come, and if you meet one ag it's too bad. ^Saul left before I did, to find a taxi driver that he the looks of. When I went to the hall for my hat raincoat, Wolfe came along, and I was really" tied, since he wasn't through yet with his after coffee.

|"I still don't like the idea," he insisted, "of your ag that thing in your pocket. I think you should > it inside your sock."

:*I don't."^ I was putting the raincoat on. "If I get Iced, a sock is as easy to feel as a pocket."

204 Rex Stoat

"You're sure that gun is loaded?"

"For God's sake. I never saw you so anxious. Next you'll be telling me to put on my rubbers."

He even opened the door for me.

It wasn't actually raining, merely trying to make up its mind whether to or not, but after a couple of blocks I reached to switch on the windshield wiper. As I turned uptown on Tenth Avenue the dash clock said 7:47; as I turned left on Fifty-first Street it had only got to 7:51. At that time of day in that district there was plenty of space, and I rolled to the curb and stopped about twenty yards short of the corner, stopped the engine and turned off the lights, and cranked my window down for a good view of the filling station across the street. There was Ho taxi there. I glanced at my wrist watch and relaxed. At 7:59 a taxi pulled in and stopped by the pumps, and the driver got out and lifted the hood and started peering. I put my window up, locked three doors, pulled the key out, got myself out, locked the door, walked to the lunchroom, and entered.

There was one hash slinger behind the counter and five customers scattered along on the stools. I picked a stool that left me elbow room, sat, and ordered ice cream and coffee. That made me slightly conspicuous in those surroundings, but I refused to insult Fritz's roast duck, which I could still taste. The counterman served me and I took my time. At 8:12 the ice cream was gone and my cup empty, and I ordered a refill. I had about got to the end of that too when a male entered, looked along the line, came straight to me, and asked me what my name was. I told him, and he handed me a folded piece of paper and turned to go.

He was barely old enough for high school, and I made no effort to hold him, thinking that the bird I had;

Curtains for Three 205

with was not likely to be an absolute sap. Un the paper, I saw neatly printed in pencil:

|Go to your car and get a note under the wind| shield wiper. Sit in the car to read it.

I

|l paid what I owed, walked to my car .and got the

: as I was told, unlocked the car and got in, turned

tie light, and read in the same print:

he no signal of any kind. Follow instructions ely. Turn right on llth Ave. and go slowly 156th St. Turn right on 56th and go to 9th Ave. i right on 9th Ave. Right again on 45th. Left llth Ave. Left on 38th. Right on 7th Ave. arht on 27th St. Park on 27th between 9th and Aves. Go to No. 814 and tap five times on \ door. Give the man who opens the door this [>te and the other one. He will tell you where to

|didn't like it much, but I had to admit it was a arrangement for seeing to it that I went to the nee unattached or there wouldn't be any con It had now decided to rain. Starting the en; could see dimly through the misty window that |�axi driver was still monkeying with his carbutoit of course I had to resist the impulse to crank low down to wave so long. Keeping the in as in my left hand, I rolled to the corner, for the light to change, and turned right on Avenue. Since I had not been forbidden to eyes open I did so, and as I stopped at Fifty jfpr the red light I saw a black or dark blue 1 away from the curb behind me and creep in

206 Bex Stoat

my direction. I took it for granted that that was my chaperon, but even so I followed directions and kept to a crawl Until I reached Fifty-sixth and turned right.

In spite of all the twistings and turnings and the lights we had to stop at, I didn't get the license number of the black sedan for certain until the halt at Thirty eighth Street and Seventh Avenue. Not that that raised my pulse any, license plates not being welded on, but what the hell, I was a detective, wasn't I? It was at that same corner, seeing a flatfoot on the sidewalk, that I had half a notion to jump out, summon him, and tackle the driver of the sedan. If it was the strangler, I had the two printed notes in my possession, and I could at least have made it stick enough for an escorted trip to the Fourteenth Precinct Station for ^ chat. I voted it down, and was soon glad of it.

The guy in the sedan was not the strangler, as I soon learned. On Twenty-seventh Street there was space smack in front of Number 814 and I saw no reason why I shouldn't use it. The sedan went to the curb right behind me. After locking my car I stood on the sidewalk a moment, but my chaperon just sat tight, so I kept to the instructions, mounted the steps to the stoop of the run-down old brownstohe, entered the vestibule, and knocked five times on the door. Through the glass panel the dimly h't hall looked empty. As I peered in, thinking I would either have to knock a lot louder or ignore instructions and ring the bell, I heard footsteps behind and turned. It was my chaperon.

"Well, we got here," I said cheerfully.

"You damn near lost me at one light," he said accusingly. "Give me them notes."

I handed them to him--all the evidence I had. As he unfolded them for a look I took him in. He was around my age and height, skinny but with muscles,

Curtains for Three 207

outstanding ears and a purple mole on his right If it was him I had a date with I sure had been 'They look like it," he said, and stuffed the in a pocket. From another pocket he produced a

unlocked the door, and pushed it open. "Follow

>

|l did so, to the stairs and up. As we ascended two s, with him in front, it would have been a cinch for i reach and take a gun off his hip if there had been I there, but there wasn't. He may have preferred a Jder holster like me. The stair steps were bare i wood, the walls had needed plaster since at least Harbor, and the smell was a mixture I wouldn't , to analyze. On the second landing he went down I to a door at the rear, opened it, and signaled Dugh with a jerk of his head, re was another man there, but still it wasn't my lyway I hoped not. It would be an overstate i say the room was furnished, but I admit there fa table, a bed, and three chairs, one of them uphol The man, who was lying on the bed, pushed ' up as we entered, and as he swung around to i feet barely reached the floor. He had shoulders | a torso like a heavyweight wrestler, and legs like aderweight jockey. His puffed eyes blinked in the . from the unshaded bulb as if he had been asleep. at him?" he demanded and yawned, ny said it was. The wrestler-jockey, W-J for , got up and went to the table, picked up a ball of cord, approached me and spoke. "Take off your coat and sit there." He pointed to one of the lit chairs.

lold it," Skinny commanded him. "I haven't ex yet." He faced me. "The idea is simple. This ; that's coming to see you don't want any trouble.

208 Rex Stout

He just wants to talk. So we tie you in that chair and leave you, and he comes and you have a talk, and after he leaves we come back and cut you loose and out you go. Is that plain enough?"

I grinned at him. "It sure is, brother. It's too damn plain. What if I won't sit down? What if I wiggle when you start to tie me?"

"Then he don't come and you don't have a talk."

"What if I walk out now?"

"Go ahead. We get paid anyhow. If you want to see this guy, there's only one way: we tie you in the chair."

"We get more if we tie him," W-J objected. "Let me persuade him."

"Lay off," Skinny commanded him.

"I don't want any trouble either," I stated. "How about this? I sit in the chair and you fix the cord to look right but so I'm free to move in case of fire. There's a hundred bucks in the wallet in my breast pocket. Before you leave you help yourselves."

"A lousy C?" W-J sneered. "For Chrissake shut up and sit down."

"He has his choice," Skinny said reprovingly.

I did indeed. It was a swell illustration of how much good it does to try to consider contingencies in advance. In all our discussions that day none of us had put the question, what to do if a pair of smooks offered me my pick of being tied in a chair or going home to bed. As far as I could see, standing there looking them over, that was all there was to it, and it was too early to go home to bed.

Thinking it would help to know whether they really | were smooks or merely a couple of rummies on thej payroll of some fly-specked agency, I decided to tryj something. Not letting my eyes know what my was about to do, I suddenly reached inside my coat

Curtains for Three 209

holster, and then they had something more inter ag than my face to look at: Saul's clean shiny auto

|The wrestler-jockey put his hands up high and

Skinny looked irritated. |"For why?" he demanded.

;"I thought we might all go for a walk down to my .Then to the Fourteenth Precinct, which is the closn

IfWhat do we do then?" lere he had me.

ifou either want to see this guy or you don't," ay explained patiently. "Seeing how you got that @out, I guess he must know you. I don't blame him tig your hands arranged for." He turned his up. "Make up your mind." put the gun back in the holster, took off my hat |raincoat and hung them on a hook on the Vail, one of the straight chairs so the light wouldn't n my eyes, and sat.

)kay," I told them, "but by God don't overdo it. I my way around and I can find you if I care

don't think I can't."

liey unrolled the cord, cutting pieces off, and went rk. W-J tied my left wrist to the rear left leg of while Skinny did the right. They were both *h, but to my surprise Skinny was rougher. I it was too tight, and he gave a stingy thirty of an inch. They wanted to do my ankles the ray, to the bottoms of the front legs of the chair, $ claimed I would get cramps sitting like that, and already fastened to the chair, and it would be i good to tie my ankles together. They discussed I had my way. Skinny made a final inspection of lots and then went over me. He took the gun

210 Rex Stout

from my shoulder holster and tossed it on the bed, made sure I didn't have another one, and left the room.

W-J picked up the gun and scowled at it. "These goddam things," he muttered. "They make more trouble." He went to the table and put the gun down on it, tenderly, as if it were something that might break. Then he crossed to the bed and stretched out on it.

"How long do we have to wait?" I asked.

"Not long. I wasn't to bed last night." He closed his eyes.

He got no nap. His barrel chest couldn't have gone up and down more than a dozen times before the door opened and Skinny came in. With him was a man in a gray pin-stripe suit and a dark gray Homburg, with a gray topcoat over his arm. He had gloves on. W-J got off the bed and onto his toothpick legs. Skinny stood by the open door. The man put his hat and coat on the bed, came and took a look at my fastenings, and told Skinny, "All right, I'll come for you." The two rummies departed, shutting the door. The man stood facing me, looking down at me, and I looked back.

He smiled. "Would you have known me?"

"Not from Adam," I said, both to humor him and because it was true.

IX

I wouldn't want to exaggerate how brave I am. It wasn't that I was too damn fearless to be impressed by the fact that I was thoroughly tied up and the strangler was standing there smiling at me: I was simply astounded. It was an amazing disguise. The two main changes were the eyebrows and eyelashes; these eyes had bushy brows and long thick lashes, whereas yes Curtains for Three 211

Jterday's guest hadn't had much of either one. The real fchange was from the inside. I had seen no smile on the mace of yesterday's guest, but if I had it wouldn't have P>een like this one. The hair made a difference too, of aurse, parted on the side and slicked down. He pulled the other straight chair around and sat. I the way he moved. That in itself could have a dead giveaway, but the movements fitted the etup to a T. Finding the light straight in his eyes, he

the chair a little.

"So she told you about me?" he said, making it a nestion.

It was the voice he had used on the phone. It was tually different, pitched lower for one thing, but with , as with the face and movements, the big change was i�m the inside. The voice was stretched tight, and the of his gloved hands were pressed against his

with the fingers straight out. I said, "Yes," and added conversationally, "When saw her go in the office why didn't you follow her ' Why did you wait?" "That isn't--" he said, and stopped. I waited politely. He spoke. "I had seen you leave, upstairs, and I

you were in there." "Why didn't she scream or fight?" | "I talked to her. I talked a little first." His head s a quick jerk, as if a fly were bothering him and his i were too occupied to attend to it. "What did she | you?"

"About that day at Doris Hatten's apartment--you in and her going out. And of course her recogttg you there yesterday." She is dead. There is no evidence. You can't prove

212 Rex Stout

I grinned. "Then you're wasting a lot of time and energy and the best disguise I ever saw. Why didn't you just toss my note in the wastebasket? Let me answer. You didn't dare. In getting evidence, knowing exactly what and who to look for makes all the difference. And you knew I knew."

"And you haven't told the police?"

"No."

"Nor Nero Wolfe?"

"No."

"Why not?"

I shrugged--not much of a shrug, on account of my status quo. "I may not put it very well," I said, "because this is the first time I have ever talked with my hands and feet tied and I And it cramps my style. But it strikes me as the kind of coincidence that doesn't happen very often. I'm fed up with the detective business and I'd like to quit. I have something that's worth a good deal to you--say fifty thousand dollars. It can be arranged so that you get what you pay for. I'll go the limit on that, but it has to be closed damn quick. If you don't buy I'm going to have a tough time explaining why I didn't remember sooner what she told me. Twenty-four hours from now is the absolute limit."

"It couldn't be arranged so 1 would get what I paid for."

"Sure it could. If you don't want me on your neck the rest of your life, believe me, I don't want you on mine either."

"I suppose you don't." He smiled, or at least he apparently thought he was smiling. "I suppose I'll have to pay."

There Was a sudden noise in his throat as if he had started to choke. He stood up. "You're working your hand loose," he said huskily and moved toward me.

Curtains for Three 213

It might have been guessed from his voice, thick

husky from the blood rushing to his head, but it i plain as day in his eyes, suddenly fixed and glassy

a blind man's eyes. Evidently he had come there intending to kill me and had now worked himself

o it. I felt a crazy impulse to laugh. Kill me with at?

"Hold it!" I snapped at him. He halted, muttered, "You're getting your hand

a," and moved again, passing me to get behind. With what purchase I could get on the floor with

bound feet, I jerked my body and the chair viofttly aside and around and had him in front of me

good," I told him. "They only went down one fit. I heard 'em. It's no good anyway. I've got an note for you--from Nero Wolfe--here in my , pocket. Help yourself, but stay in front of me." i eyes stayed glassy on me. "Don't you want to know what it says?" I de aded. "Get it!"

was only two steps from me, but it took him 1 small slow ones. His gloved hand went inside my to the breast pocket, and came out with a folded * of yellow paper--a sheet from one of Wolfe's memo From the way his eyes looked, I doubted if he be able to read, but apparently he was. I tied his face as he took it in, in Wolfe's straight rise handwriting:

pf Mr. Goodwin is not home by midnight the |information given him by Cynthia Brown will be

ommunicated to the police and I shall see that

bey act immediately.

Nero Wolfe

214 Rex Stout

He looked at me, and slowly his eyes changed. No longer glassy, they began to let light in. Before he had just been going to kill me. Now he hated me.

I got voluble. "So it's no good, see? He did it this way because if you had known I had told him you would have sat tight. He figured that you would think you could handle me, and I admit you tried your best. He wants fifty thousand dollars by tomorrow at six o'clock, no later. You say it can't be arranged so you'll get what you pay for, but we say it can and it's up to you. You say we have no evidence, but we can get it-- don't you think we can't. As for me, I wouldn't advise you even to pull my hair. It would make him sore at you, and he's not sore now, he just wants fifty thousand bucks."

He had started to tremble and knew it, and was trying to stop.

"Maybe," I conceded, "you can't get that much that quick. In that case he'll take your IOU. You can write it on the back of that note he sent you. My pen's here in my vest pocket. He'll be reasonable about it."

"I'm not such a fool," he said harshly. He had stopped trembling.

"Who said you were?" I was sharp and urgent and thought I had loosened him. "Use your head, that's all. We've either got you cornered or we haven't. If we haven't, what are you doing here? If we have, a little thing like your name signed to an IOU won't make it any worse. He won't press you too hard. Here, get my pen, right here."

I still think I had loosened him. It was in his eyes and the way he stood, sagging a little. If my hands had been free, so I could have got the pen myself and uncapped it and put it between his fingers, I would have had him. I had him to the point of writing and signing,

Curtains for Three 215

but not to the point of taking my pen out of my pocket. But of course if my hands had been free I wouldn't have been bothering about an IOU and a pen.

So he slipped from under. He shook his head, and his shoulders stiffened. The hate that filled his eyes was in his voice too. "You said twenty-four hours. That ^ gives me tomorrow. I'll have to decide. Tell Nero Wolfe 1111 decide."

He crossed to the door and pulled it open. He went t, closing the door, and I heard his steps descending tie stairs; but he hadn't taken his hat and coat, and I rly cracked my temples trying to use my brain. I in't got far when there were steps on the stairs i, coming up, and in they came, all three of them. iT-J was blinking again; apparently there was a bed Inhere they had been waiting. My host ignored him and oke to Skinny. "What time does your watch say?" -Skinny glanced at his wrist. "Nine-thirty-two." "At half-past ten, not before that, untie his left ad. If he has a knife where he can get at it with his ; hand, take it and--no, keep it. Leave him like that I go. It will take him five minutes or more to get his er hand and his feet free. Have you any objection to t?"

; "Hell no. He's got nothing on us." | "Will you do it that way?" | "Right. Ten-thirty on the nose." | The strangler took a roll of bills from his pocket, ag a little difficulty on account of his gloves, peeled twenties, went to the table with them, and i them a good rub on both sides with his handker

�

fee held the bills out to Skinny. "I've paid the

216 Rex Stout

agreed amount, as you know. This extra is so you won't get impatient and leave before half-past ten."

"Don't take it!" I called sharply.

Skinny, the bills in his hand, turned. "What's the matter, they got germs?"

"No, but they're peanuts, you sap! He's worth ten grand to you! As is! Ten grand!"

"Nonsense," the strangler said scornfully and started for the bed to get his hat and coat.

"Gimme my twenty," W-J demanded.

Skinny stood with his head cocked, regarding me. He looked faintly interested but skeptical, and I saw it would take more than words. As the strangler picked up his hat and coat and turned, I jerked my body violently to the left and over I went, chair and all. I have no idea how I got across the floor to the door. I couldn't simply roll on-account of the chair, I couldn't crawl without hands, and I didn't even try to jump. But I made it, and not slow, and was there, down on my right side, the chair against the door and me against the chair, before any of them snapped out of it enough to reach me.

"You think," I yapped at Skinny, "it's just a job? Let him go and you'll find out! Do you want his name? Mrs. Carlisle--Mrs. Homer N. Carlisle. Do you want her address?"

The strangler, on his way to me, stopped and froze. He--or I should say she--stood stiff as a bar of steel, the long-lashed eyes aimed at me.

"Missus?" Skinny demanded incredulously. "Did you say Missus?"

"Yes. She's a woman. I'm tied up, but you've got her. I'm helpless, so you can have her. You might give me a cut of the ten grand." The strangler made a movement. "Watch her!"

Curtains for Three 217

W-J, who had started for me and stopped, turned to face her. I had banged my head and it hurt. Skinny stepped to her, jerked both sides of her double breasted coat open, released them, and backed up a step. "It could be a woman," he said judiciously.

"Hell, we can find that out easy enough." WJ moved. "Dumb as I am, I can tell that."

"Go ahead," I urged. "That will check her and me both. Go ahead!"

She made a noise in her throat. W-J got to her and put out a hand. She shrank away and screamed, "Don't touch me!"

"I'll be goddamned," W-J said wonderingly.

"What's this gag," Skinny demanded, "about ten grand?"

"It's a long story," I told him, "but it's there if you want it. If you'll cut me in for a third it's a cinch. If she gets out of here and gets safe home we can't touch her. All we have to do is connect her as she is--here now, disguised--with Mrs. Homer N. Carlisle, which is what she'll be when she gets home. If we do that we've got her shirt. As she is here now, she's red hot. As she is at home, you couldn't even get in."

I had to play it that way. I just didn't dare say call a cop, because if he felt about cops the way some rummies do he might have dragged me away from the door and let her go.

"So what?" Skinny asked. "I didn't bring my camera."

"I've got something better. Get me loose and I'll show you."

Skinny didn't like that. He eyed me a moment and turned for a look at the others. Mrs. Carlisle was backed against the bed, and W-J stood studying her

218 Eex Stout

with his fists on his hips. Skinny returned to me. "I'll do it. Maybe. What is it?"

"Damn it," I snapped, "at least put me right side up. These cords are eating my wrists."

He came and got the back of the chair with one hand and my arm with the other, and I clamped my feet to the floor to give us leverage. He was stronger than he looked. Upright on the chair again, I was still blocking the door.

"Get a bottle," I told him, "out of my right-hand coat pocket--no, here, the coat I've got on. I hope to God it didn't break."

He fished it out. It was intact. He held it to the light to read the label.

"What is it?"

"Silver nitrate. It makes a black indelible mark on most things, including skin. Pull up her pants leg and mark her with it."

"Then what?"

"Let her go. We'll have her. With the three of us able to explain how and when she got marked, she's sunk."

"How come you've got this stuff?"

"I was hoping for a chance to mark her myself."

"How much will it hurt her?"

"None at all. Put some on me--anywhere you like, as long as it don't show."

"You'd better give me the story--why she'll be sunk. I don't care how long it is."

"Not till she's marked." I was firm. "I will as soon as you mark her."

He studied the label again. I watched his face, hoping he wouldn't ask if the mark would be permanent because I didn't know what answer would suit him, and I had to sell him.

Curtains for Three 219

"A woman," he muttered. "By God, a woman!"

"Yeah," I said sympathetically. "She sure made a monkey of you."

He swiveled his head and called, "Hey!"

W-J turned. Skinny commanded him, "Pin her up! Don't hurt her."

W-J reached for her. But, as he did so, all of a sudden she was neither man nor woman, but a cyclone. Her first leap, away from his reaching hand, was sidewise, and by the time he had realized he didn't have her she had got to the table and grabbed" the gun. He made for her and she pulled the trigger and down he went, tumbling right at her feet. By that time Skinny was almost to her and she whirled and blazed away again. He kept going, and from the force of the blow on my left shoulder I might have calculated, if I had been in a mood for calculating, that the bullet had not gone through Skinny before it hit me. She pulled the trigger a third time, but by then Skinny had her wrist and was breaking her arm.

"She got me!" W-J was yelling indignantly. "She got me in the leg!"

Skinny had her down on her knees.

"Come and cut me loose," I called to him, "and give me that gun, and go find a phone."

Except for my wrists and ankles and shoulder and head, I felt fine all over.

X

"I hope you're satisfied," Inspector Cramer said sourly. "You and Goodwin have got your pictures in the paper again. You got no fee, but a lot of free publicity. I got my nose wiped."

220 Rex Stout

Wolfe grunted comfortably.

It was seven o'clock the next evening, and the three of us were in the office, me at the desk with my arm in a sling, Cramer in the red leather chair, and Wolfe on his throne back of his desk, with a glass of beer in his hand and a second unopened bottle on the tray in front of him. The seals had been removed by Sergeant Stebbins a little before noon, in between other chores. The whole squad had been busy with chores: visiting W-J at the hospital, conversing with Mr. and Mrs. Carlisle at the D.A.'s office, starting to round up circumstantial evidence to show that Mr. Carlisle had furnished the necessary for Doris Hat ten's rent and Mrs. Carlisle knew it, pestering Skinny, and other items. I had been glad to testify that Skinny, whose name was Herbert Marvel and who ran a little agency in a mid-town one-room office, was one hundred proof and that, as soon as I had convinced him that his well-dressed male client was a female public enemy* he had been simply splendid. Of course, when Skinny had returned to the room after going to phone, he and I had had a full three minutes for a meeting of minds before the cops came. I had used twenty seconds of the three minutes satisfying my curiosity. In Mrs. Carlisle's right-hand coat pocket was a slip noose made of strong cord. So that was her idea when she had moved to get behind me. Someday, when the trial is over and Cramer has cooled off, I'll try getting it for a souvenir.

Cramer had refused the beer Wolfe had courteously offered. "What I chiefly came for," he went on, "was to let you know that I realize there's nothing I can do. I know damn well Cynthia Brown described her to Goodwin, and probably gave him her name too, and Goodwin told you. And you wanted to hog it. I

Curtains for Three 221

suppose you thought you could pry a fee out of somebody. Both of you suppressed evidence."

He gestured. "Okay, I can't prove it. But I know it, and I want you to know I know it. And I'm not going to forget it."

Wolfe drank, wiped his lips, and put the glass down. J

"Oh, yes, you can. But you haven't and you won't!" \ "I would gladly try. How?" 'i; Cramer leaned forward. "Like this. If she hadn't been described to Good win, how did you pick her for him to send that blackmail note to?"

Wolfe shrugged. "It was a calculation, as I told you. f I concluded that the murderer was among those who Iremained until the body had been discovered. It was | worth testing. If there had been no phone call in re Isponse to Mr. Goodwin's note the calculation would thave been discredited, and I would--" "Yeah, but why her?" "There were only two women who remained. Obvi- \ ously it couldn't have been Mrs. Orwin; with her phy : sique she would be hard put to pass as a man. Besides, f she is a widow, and it was a sound presumption that oris Hatten had been killed by a jealous wife, who--" "But why a woman? Why not a man?" "Oh, that." Wolfe picked up the glass and drained it ith more deliberation than usual, wiped his lips with care, and put the glass down. He was having a swell time. "I told you in my dining room"--he pointed finger--"that something had occurred to me and I panted to consider it. Later I would have been glad to you about it if you had not acted so irresponsibly I spitefully in sealing up this office. That made me

Rex Stoat

doubt if you were capable of proceeding properly on any suggestion from me, so I decided to proceed myself. What had occurred to me was simply this: that Miss Brown had told Mr. Goodwin that she wouldn't have recognized *him' if he hadn't had a hat on. She used the masculine pronoun, naturally, throughout that conversation, because it had been a man who had called at Doris Batten's apartment that October day, and he was fixed in her mind as a man. But it was in my plant rooms that she had seen him that afternoon, and no man wore his hat up there. The men left their hats downstairs. Besides, I was there and saw them. But nearly all the women had hats on." Wolfe upturned a palm. "So it was a woman."

Cramer eyed him. "I don't believe it," he said flatly.

"You have a record of Mr. Goodwin's report of that conversation. Consult it."

"I still wouldn't believe it."

"There were other little items." Wolfe wiggled a finger. "For example: the strangler of Doris Hatten had a key to the door. But surely the provider, who had so carefully avoided revealment, would not have marched in at an unexpected hour to risk encountering strangers. And who so likely to have found an opportunity, or contrived one, to secure a duplicate key as the provider's jealous wife?"

"Talk all day. I still don't believe it."

Well, I thought to myself, observing Wolfe's smirk and for once completely approving of it, Cramer the office-sealer has his choice of believing it or not and what the hell.

As for me, I had no choice.

The World of Rex Stout

low, for the first time ever, enjoy a peek into the life Nero Wolfe's creator, Rex Stout, courtesy of the out Estate. Pulled from Rex Stout's own archives, are rarely seen, some never-before-published norabilia. Each title in "The Rex Stout Library" I offer an exclusive look into the life of the man who ave Nero Wolfe life.

Curtains for Three

illustration dramatized Stout's story The Gun Wings, which originally appeared in the Decem 1949 issue of The American Magazine.

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