At the curb in front of the old brownstone there was a black limousine with a chauffeur in it. That would be Mrs. Oliver's. Mounting the seven steps to the stoop, I used my key, but the chain bolt was on and I had to ring for Fritz. As he took Weed's coat and I disposed of mine, he said, 'Thank God, Archie, thank God,' and I asked him what for, and he said, 'For you. It has been very bad. Three phone calls during dinner, and that woman was in the front room.'
'I can imagine. How many are in there now?'
'Three. Her and two men.'
So Khoury had come. I took Weed to the office. Wolfe was at his desk with a book. Weed headed for him, talking. 'I want to know why-'
'Shut up!' Wolfe bellowed.
Wolfe's bellow would stop a tiger ready to spring. Weed stood and glared at him. Wolfe finished a para- graph, inserted his marker, put the book down, and issued a command. 'Sit down. I prefer eyes at my level. Sit down! When you arrived at the Hazens' for dinner Monday evening were the others already there?'
'I want to know why you gave the gun-'
'Bah. Are you a jackass? You must be, to suppose you can call me to account. Sit down! You said you
The Homicide Trinity 125
would give an arm to help Mrs. Hazen. Keep your arm;
I want only some information. Must I repeat my ques- tion?'
Five of the yellow chairs were there. Weed took the nearest one. He ran his fingers through his mop of hair, but only a comb and brush could have handled it. 'Mrs. Oliver was there,' he said. 'And Khoury. Perdis and Mrs. Talbot came soon after I did. I don't see why-'
'This is what I want to know. While you were there, was any one of them absent from the gathering long enough to go to Mr. Hazen's bedroom and back? Con- sider it. Dismiss your fatuous huff for the moment and put your mind on something pertinent.'
Weed tried to. To do so he had to take his eyes from Wolfe, so he tilted his head back and looked at the ceiling. He took his time, then lowered his head. 'I don't think so. I'm pretty sure none of them left the room at all, either before we went to the dining room or after. Of course they were all there when I left, so-'
The doorbell rang. I went to the hall, but Fritz was there opening the door. When the newcomer had crossed the sill I stepped back into the office and gave Wolfe a nod, and he asked, 'Mrs. Talbot?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Mr. Weed to the hall, then bring them in, and Mr. Weed to the front room. We may need him later.'
'I'm staying right here,' Weed declared, 'until I-'
'You are not. I have work to do and no time to bicker with you. Out. Out!'
'But damn it-'
'Out.'
Weed looked at me, standing at the door. What he met was a stony gaze. He got up and came, past me and into the hall. When he was four paces along I went and opened the door to the front room.
Chapter 9
I put Anne Talbot in the chair nearest me because from her face and the way she moved it seemed likely that she might need smelling salts any minute, and there were some in my drawer. Next to her was Jules Khoury, then Mrs. Oliver, and then Ambrose Perdis. I had expected remarks as they entered, espe- cially from Mrs. Oliver, who had been waiting more than three hours, but there hadn't been a peep from anyone. I felt like an usher at a funeral.
Wolfe took them in. 'Since you are here,' he said, 'I assume that you are prepared to act on my proposal. Mrs. Oliver?''
I had her in profile and couldn't see her deep-set yellow eyes, and from that angle her sagging jowl was even less attractive. She opened her bag and took out a slip of paper. 'This is a cashier's check,' she said, 'on the Knickerbocker Trust Company for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, made out to me. I'll endorse it. Or I won't.'
'That will of course depend. Mrs. Talbot?'
Anne Talbot's lips parted but no sound came. She tried again and got it out. 'I have a certified check for sixty-five thousand dollars and forty thousand dollars in cash. I'll pay the rest as soon as I can-I think I can pay it in a month, but it might take longer. Of course you'll want me to sign something, a note, whatever you say, I tried-' She had to swallow. 'I tried-' Another swallow. 'I did the best I could.'
'Mr. Perdis?'
'I have a certified check for my share.'
'The full amount?'
