ways, straight from Birch, and on the phone. A woman would call and give it to me.”
“What woman?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen her.”
“How would you know it wasn’t a trap? Just by her voice?”
“I knew her voice, but there’s a password.”
“What is it?”
Egan tightened his lips.
“You won’t be using it anymore,” I assured him, “so let’s have it.”
“‘Said a spider to a fly.’”
“What?”
“That’s the password. That’s how I got the lead on Leopold Heim. You asked who I would deliver dough to with Birch dead. I thought she would phone and tell me.”
“Why didn’t she tell you when she phoned you the lead on Heim?”
“I asked her, and she said she’d tell me later.”
“What’s her name?”
“I don’t know.”
“What number do you call her at?”
“I never call her. Birch was my contact. Now I wouldn’t know how to get her.”
“Phooey. We’ll come back to that if we have to stimulate you. Why did you kill Birch?”
“I didn’t kill him. I’m not a killer.”
“Who did?”
“I don’t know.”
I sat down. “As I told you, what I’m interested in is murder. With that cord we could squeeze your guts out, but that wouldn’t help us any; we just want facts, and facts we can check. If you didn’t kill Birch and don’t know who did, now tell me exactly how you’ve got it doped, and don’t-”
A buzzer sounded. I left the chair. It went two short, one long, and one short. I said sharply, “Muzzle ‘em.” Saul pressed a palm over Egan’s mouth, and Fred went to Mort. I stepped to the wall, to the button I had seen Mort use, and pushed it. Probably the one short, two long, and one short, wasn’t the right answer this time, but it was as good as any ad lib. Then I left the room and, with my gun ready, stood three paces off from the foot of the stairs. I heard a voice up above, faintly, then silence, then footsteps, at first barely audible but getting louder. Then Orrie’s voice came down. “Archie?”
“Yeah. Present.”
“I’m bringing company.”
“Fine. The more the merrier.”
The steps reached the head of the stairs and started down. I saw well-shined black shoes, then well-pressed dark blue trouser legs, then a jacket to match, and to top it all the face of Dennis Horan. The face was very expensive. Behind him was Orrie with his gun visible.
“Hello there,” I said.
He wasn’t speaking, so I switched to Orrie. “How did he come?”
“In a car alone. He drove in, and I took it easy, not interested. He glanced at me but didn’t say anything and went to a button on a pillar and pushed it. When a buzzer sounded I thought it was time to take a hand, so I showed my gun and told him to walk. Whoever pushed that buzzer may be-”
“That’s all right, I did. Have you felt him?”
“No.”
I went to Horan and patted him in the likely spots and some unlikely ones. “Okay. Go back up and tend to customers.” Orrie went, and I sang out, “Saul! Take the muzzle off and tie his ankles and come here.”
Horan started for the door of the room. I grabbed his arm and whirled him. He tried to pull away, and I gave him a good twist. “Don’t think I’m not serious,” I told him. “I know what number to call for an ambulance.”
“Yes, it
“Maybe, but right now I’m it, and it has gone to my head, so watch out.” Saul came out. “This is Mr. Saul Panzer. Saul, this is Dennis Horan. We’ll invite him to the conference later, but first I want to make a phone call. Take him over by the far wall. Don’t disfigure him unless he insists on it. He’s not armed.”
I crossed to the room, entered, and shut the door. Fred was seated at the table massaging a finger, and the other two were as before. I pulled the little stand back to its place, picked up the phone and put it on the stand, seated myself, and dialed. This time it took more whirrs to get results, and then only a peevish mutter.
“Archie. I need advice.”
“I’m asleep.”
