Death of a Doxy (Crime Line)

was absolutely essential. We were barely on speaking terms when the phone rang and she was informed that Mr. Fleming was below and wanted to come up. I stayed on the couch. I stayed put when the knock sounded and she went and opened the door and he entered. Seeing it and not knowing, you would have thought it was she, not he, who needed watching. She turned to close the door, and he turned to keep her in view, and it wasn't until she had passed him and he turned again that he saw me.

He spoke. He said, 'Oh,' but didn't know he was saying it. Then he stood and stared. Julie faced him and said, 'I believe you have met Mr. Goodwin. I'll take your coat.'

His mouth opened, but no words came. He tried again and managed it. 'I thought you – this would be private.'

She nodded. 'I suppose you would rather have it private, but I thought I'd better be careful with a – with you. Have you got the money?'

He was having trouble with his eyes. He wanted them to stay on her, but they wanted me in. 'I'm afraid,' he said, 'there's a serious misunderstanding. I'm afraid Isabel told you some things that weren't true. I'm afraid -'

'Nuts. Milton Thales. Tha-lez. I know exactly how you got it and who you got it from. The only reason I haven't told the cops is because Isabel wouldn't want me to. She would want me to make you cough it up, and that's what I'm doing. I think she would also want me to tell her sister, because she intended to, and I think I ought to, but first I want the money. Have you got it?'

'No. Honestly, Miss Jaquette, really -'

'Nuts.' She whirled. 'What do you think, Mr. Goodwin?'

Formal, yet. She could have made it Archie. 'I think you're wasting your time,' I said. 'I think I ought to call Inspector Cramer and tell him to come and get him. I suggest Cramer because he handles homicide and he may be interested.' I rose and went to the stand where the phone was and lifted the receiver and started to dial.

Fleming's voice came, not a yell, but loud. 'No!'

I turned. 'No?'

'I'll give you the money.' From that angle the light was bouncing off his cheekbones. 'I couldn't get it today, the bank's closed. I'll bring it Monday.'

I cradled the phone. Julie said, 'All of it. Five thousand.'

'Yes. Of course.' His eyes went with me back to the couch, and then to her. 'What you said – I don't think Isabel would want you to tell my wife, now that she – I'm sure she wouldn't. Promise me you won't. I'm going to give you the money.'

Julie shook her head. 'I'm not promising anything.'

'Promise me you won't tell her before Monday. We can talk about it Monday. I can tell you why – we can talk about it.'

I spoke because I considered it absolutely essential for him to know he had some time to play with. 'I'm here too,' I said. 'I can't speak for Miss Jaquette, but I can for me. I promise positively to say nothing to your wife until after you return the five grand, provided it's Monday. Then we'll see.'

'All right,' she said. 'Archie's promise is no good without mine. I promise too.'

He put his hat on. If he had known he was putting it on, in a lady's room with the lady present, he would have been shocked. He wanted to say something more, but didn't know what, and he turned, slow and stiff, and headed for the door. Then he forgot his manners again. When he shut the door he left it open a crack. Julie went and pushed it shut and then came to me and asked, 'How was I?'

'Terrible. You called me Mr. Goodwin and then Archie. He'll think you don't know your own mind.'

'I think you don't know yours. I thought the idea was to fox him into killing me.'

'Into trying to. It sounds better, now that I've got acquainted with you.'

'All right, you've hashed it. I knew damn well you should have stayed in the other room. Now he knows he'd have to kill you too.'

'He does not. Didn't I explain that? Sit down.' I patted the couch, and she sat. 'It's simple. He thinks they can't get him for the murder without you because you're the only one who can supply the motive. Of course you wouldn't go on the stand and swear that Isabel told you she was going to tell him that she was going to tell Stella about the blackmail, but he thinks you would. He also thinks you will tell Stella, not before Monday, but soon after, and apparently that bites him even deeper, I don't know why; he must see more in her than I do. So you're a double-breasted danger, but I'm not. I'm only hearsay. As he sees it, I can only tell what you told me, but you can tell what Isabel told you herself. That's equally true for the witness stand and for Stella. She would probably believe you, but not me. We haven't got a single item of evidence to connect him with either the blackmail or the murder, but if he hands you five thousand bucks' worth of currency, that would be evidence. He never will. So you'll have to be removed, but I'm just a nuisance. Sorry.'

'Huh. You have dealt me in.'

'Up to your neck. I apologize for one thing. I should have made it clear that once you were in you couldn't get out. I apologize.'

'I don't want out. I think he killed her.'

'Certainly he did.'

'What do we do now?'

'Whatever you had on your program, if there's room for company. It's three o'clock Saturday afternoon. If you go out, Saul Panzer is downstairs and we'll escort you. If you stay in, I'll be in the hall.'

'Do you play gin?'