Death of a Doxy (Crime Line)

She had started the glass for her mouth but stopped it halfway. 'Of all the dumb questions,' she said.

'But not pointless. Nor impertinent. I need to know if a chance – a long one, but a chance – of making fifty thousand dollars would interest you. Would it?'

'That's even dumber.'

'Would it?'

'You're asking me?'

'I am.'

'Fifty grand in cash?'

'Yes.'

'Less income tax.'

'Not until you paid it. I suggest nothing; I state a fact: it would be in cash, and you would sign no receipt.'

She sipped juice. 'Do you know what I would do if I had fifty grand in one wad? I would go to school for four straight years. Or five.' She sipped juice. 'I suppose some college; I finished high school. I have a feeling there are a lot of things I ought to know that I don't know. I always have it. You say you're being serious?'

'Yes. There is a possibility of earning a hundred thousand dollars, and we would share it equally. It would come from the man who paid Isabel Kerr's bills – the man you call the lobster. He was here just now, and we -'

'He was here? You know him?'

'Yes. It was his third visit. He was here twice last week. He is a man of wealth and what is called standing. To you his name is X and will remain X. He fears that his name will become public in connection with what he calls his diversion and a sensational murder, and you and Mr. Goodwin and I will try to prevent it. If we succeed, he will pay. For that you have my word, he will pay. His fear is extreme. Shall I go on?'

She had put the glass down, not quite empty. 'You are serious,' she said.

'Yes.'

'You mean it.'

'Yes.'

'All right, go on. How do we prevent it?'

'That's the question. Probably we can't, but possibly we can. If I go on I must tell you things that must not be repeated, and first you must answer two questions. Are you willing to help?'

'How? I don't see how I can help.'

'You already have. You have established the identity of the blackmailer indubitably, and the identity of the murderer as a sound conclusion. If you can help with this, are you willing?'

She looked at me. I not only looked back, I nodded. She told Wolfe, 'Yes, I'm willing.'

'Do you engage to keep secret what I tell you in confidence?'

'Yes, that's all right. I can do that.'

'Then you're a paragon. But there are things you have to know – for instance, that Mr. Goodwin and I learned X's name from Orrie Cather. Miss Kerr told his name to two people only, Orrie Cather and her sister. That may be safely assumed, because she didn't even tell you. Mrs. Fleming told her husband, so there are five people who know it. I will answer for three of the five: Mr. Goodwin, Mr. Cather, and me. There would be some question about Mr. Cather if he were going to be tried for murder, but he isn't. That leaves Mr. and Mrs. Fleming as the only sources for the disclosure of X's name. I am taking pains to make sure that it's clear to you.'

'You sure are. Have I told you that I can say the alphabet backward?'

'You have told Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Cramer. So can I. Now for the fact that gives us our one chance in a thousand. There is one person who dreads the publication of X's association with Miss Kerr even more intensely than X does. Tell her, Archie.'

I took five seconds, not to figure it, but to realize that I had never looked at it from that angle. I told Julie, 'Stella. I told you Saturday how she reacted. Remember? She doesn't want a trial even if they get the right man. Of course, X's name would come out only in connection with Isabel.' I looked at Wolfe. 'Yeah. I'll be damned. But how?'

'That's what we need Miss Jaquette for.' His eyes were narrowed at her. 'Don't you want coffee? It's getting cold.'

She picked up the glass and finished the juice, put it down, poured coffee, picked up the cup, and took a sip. She looked at Wolfe and shook her head. 'I don't get it. What's so great about that fact?'

'The possibilities it presents. Suppose that Mrs. Fleming knows, or even strongly suspects, that her husband killed her sister, and knows why, and also knows that he may be arrested and charged at any moment, and later brought to trial. What would she do?'

'I don't know. I don't know her.'

'What would she do, Archie?'

'I don't know either,' I said, 'what she would do. But I know she would do