The Doorbell Rang

Chapter 5

It was twenty minutes past noon when I stepped out of the lobby of the Westside Hotel. I felt like walking. For one thing, I was still loose, and it was nice to walk without wondering if I had company. For another thing, I didn’t want to think hard on top, and when I walk the hard thinking, if any, is down where it doesn’t use words. And for a third thing, I wanted to do some sightseeing. It was a nice sunny winter day, not much wind, and I crossed town to Sixth Avenue and turned south.

To show the kind of thinking that comes on top with no effort when I’m walking, as I crossed Washington Square I was thinking that it was a coincidence that Arbor Street was in the Village and Sarah Dacos lived in the Village. That couldn’t be called a hard thought, since a quarter of a million people lived in the Village, more or less, and I have known fancier coincidences, but it’s a fair sample of what my mind does when I’m walking.

I had been in Arbor Street before, no matter why for this report. It’s narrow and only three blocks long, with an assortment of old brick houses on either side. Number 63, which was near the middle, had nothing distinctive about it. I stood across the street and looked it over. The windows on the third floor, where Morris Althaus had lived and died, had tan drapes that were drawn. I went to the corner around which the G-men had parked their car. As I said, sightseeing, loose. Actually, of course, I was professionally observing the scene of a crime which might be going to have my attention. It helps somehow. Helps me, not Wolfe; he wouldn’t go to the window to see the scene of a crime. I would have liked to go up to the third floor for a look at the living room, but I wanted to get home in time for lunch, so I backtracked to Christopher Street and flagged a taxi.

The reason I wanted to be there for lunch was the rule that business must never be mentioned during meals. It was twenty past one when Fritz let me in and I put my coat and hat on the rack, so Wolfe was at the table. Going to the dining room and taking my place across from him, I made a remark about the weather. He grunted and swallowed a bite of braised sweetbread. Fritz came with the dish, and I took some. I was not being merely petty; I was showing him that sometimes rules can be damn silly; one you make so you can enjoy your food can just about spoil a meal. It didn’t spoil mine, but there wasn’t much conversation.

But there was another reason for saving it. As we pushed our chairs back I told him I wanted to show him something in the basement, and I led the way to the hall, then to the right, and down the steps. The basement has Fritz’s room and bath, a storeroom, and a large room with a pool table. In the last is not only the usual raised bench, but also a big comfortable chair on a platform, for Wolfe when he feels like watching Saul Panzer and me use our cues, which happens about once a year. I led him to that room, flipped the wall switch for light, and spoke.

“Your new office. I hope you like it. There may be only one chance in a million that they can bug a room without getting inside, but that’s one too many. Be seated.” I lifted my rump onto the rim of the pool table, facing the big chair.

He glared. “Are you badgering me or is it possible?”

“It’s conceivable. I wouldn’t risk leaking it that Inspector Cramer told me to give you his regards. Also that he bought me a carton of milk, shook my hand, and wished me a happy New Year.”

“This is flummery.”

“No, sir. It was Cramer.”

“In that hotel room?”

“Yes.”

He stepped onto the platform and sat. “Report,” he growled.

I obeyed. I didn’t rush it because I wanted to be sure to get every word in. If we had been in the office he would have leaned back and closed his eyes, but that chair wasn’t built for it and he had to stay straight. For the last ten minutes his lips were pressed tight, either because of what he was hearing or of where he was sitting, probably both. I finished with my sightseeing trip and said that a man across the street, maybe walking a dog, or one in a front room of either of two houses, could have seen them leave Number 63 and go around the corner to the car, and even the license number. There was a light in the corner.

He took in a bushel of air through his nose and let it out through his mouth. “I wouldn’t have thought,” he said, “that Mr. Cramer could be such an ass.”

I nodded. “I know it sounds like it. But he didn’t know, until I told him, why the FBI was on us. He only knew we had stung them somehow, and he had a murder he couldn’t tag them for, and he decided to hand it to you. You’ve got to admit that you should feel flattered that he thought there was the remotest chance you could pull it, and look at all the trouble he took. And after I told him about Mrs. Bruner he didn’t stop to figure it. Probably he has by now. He must realize that it doesn’t fit. Suppose you passed a miracle and tied that murder to them so they couldn’t shake it off. That wouldn’t fill your client’s order. The only way that could help her and earn you a fee would be if you said to them, look, I’ll lay off on the murder if you’ll lay off of Mrs. Bruner. Cramer wouldn’t like that, that’s not his idea at all. Neither would you, really. Making a deal with a murderer isn’t your style. Have I got it straight?”

He grunted. “I don’t like your pronouns.”

“All right, make it ‘we’ and ‘us.’ It’s not my style either.”

He shook his head. “It’s a pickle.” A corner of his mouth curled up.

I stared and demanded, “What the hell are you smiling at?”

“The pickle. The alternative. You have made it clear that it would be futile to establish that the FBI killed that man. Very well, then we’ll establish that they didn’t.”

“Good for us. And then?”

“We’ll see.” He turned a hand over. “Archie. We had nothing. The items Mr. Cohen gave us were mere trivia, offering not even a forlorn hope. Now, thanks to Mr. Cramer, we have a nut with meat in it, an unsolved murder in which the FBI is deeply involved, whether they committed it or not. An open challenge to ingenuity, to our talents if we have any. We need first to learn, assuredly, who killed that man. You saw Mr. Cramer’s face and heard his tone. Is he really satisfied that it was the FBI?”

“Yes.”

“Justly?”

“He thinks so. Of course it appeals to him. He refers to them as that goddamn outfit and that bunch of grabbers. After he learned about the three G-men being at the scene at the right time he probably let up on other possibilities, but he’s a good cop, and if there had been any other lead that was at all hot he would have kept on it, and apparently he didn’t. Also, if Althaus was there dead when they entered, why didn’t they report it? Anonymously, of course, after they left. They might have preferred not to, but it’s a fair question. Also the bullet. Not many murderers would have realized that it had gone on through to the wall and fallen to the floor, and found it and taken it. With an old pro like Cramer that would be a big point. So I guess you could say justly.”

He was frowning at me. “Who is the Wragg Mr. Cramer mentioned?”

“Richard Wragg. Top G-man in New York. Special agent in charge.”

“Does he know, or believe, that Althaus was killed by one of his men?”

“I’d have to ask him. He could know one of them did, but he couldn’t know he didn’t, because he wasn’t there. He’s not a damn fool, and he would be if he believed everything they tell him. Does it matter?”

“It might. It could be of great consequence.”

“Then my guess is that he either knows a G-man killed him or he thinks it probable. Otherwise, when Cramer went and asked him for cooperation he would probably have opened up. The FBI likes to oblige local cops when it doesn’t cost them anything — prestige, for instance — and Wragg would know that Cramer wouldn’t care about their calling at Althaus’s place uninvited. Cops do that too, as you know. So Wragg may even have the bullet in a drawer of his desk.”

“What is your opinion? Do you agree with Mr. Cramer?”

“That’s a strange question, from you. I don’t rate an opinion, and you don’t either. Maybe the landlord shot Althaus because he was behind on the rent. Or and or and or.”

He nodded. “That’s what we must explore. You will start now, as you think best. Perhaps with his family. My recollection is that his father, David Althaus, makes clothes for women.”

“Right. Seventh Avenue.” I slid off of the pool table and was on my feet. “Since we prefer it that he wasn’t killed by a G-man, I suppose we’re not interested in what he had collected on the FBI.”

“We’re interested in everything.” He made a face. “And if you find anyone you think I should see, bring him.” He made a face again and added, “Or her.”

“With pleasure. My first stop will be the Gazette, to go through the file, and Lon may have some facts that haven’t been printed. As for bringing people, the house may be covered front and back. How do I get them in and out?”

“The door. We are investigating a murder with which the FBI is not concerned. So Mr. Wragg told Mr. Cramer. And for once Mr. Cramer won’t complain.”

“Then I don’t bother about tails?”

“No.”

“That’s a relief.” I went.