“Certainly. I'll-
“By God. He got erect, coming up straight in one movement. “Nobby and now her.
You stay here-. He took a quick step, but I caught his arm. He jerked loose, violently.
I said fast, “Take it easy. I got his arm again, and he was trembling. “You bust in there and there's no telling what you'll do. Stay here and I'll go-
He pulled free and started off.
“Wait! I commanded, and he halted. “But first get a doctor and call the police.
Do that first. I'm going to your place. We left that knife in the dog, and someone might want it. Can't you put Hebe on guard here?
He spoke, not to me but to Hebe. She came to him, a darting shadow, close to him. He leaned over to touch the shoulder of the body of Mrs Barry Rackham and said, “Watch it, Hebe. The dog moved alongside the body, and Leeds, with nothing to say to me, went. He didn't leap or run, but he sure was gone. I called after him, “Phone the police before you kill anybody! stepped to the trail, and headed for Hillside Kennels.
With the flashlight I had no trouble finding my way. This time, as I approached, the livestock barked plenty, and, hoping the kennel doors were all closed tight,
I had my gun out as I passed the runs and the buildings. Nothing attacked me but noise, and that stopped when I had entered the house and closed the door.
Apparently if an enemy once got inside it was then up to the master.
Nobby was still there on the bench, and the knife was still in him. With only a glance at him in passing, I made for the little living-room, where I had previously seen a phone on a table, turned on a light, went to the phone, and got the operator and gave her a number. As I waited, a look at my wrist-watch showed me five minutes past midnight.
I hoped Wolfe hadn't forgotten to plug in the line to his room when he went up to bed. He hadn't. After the ring signal had come five times I had his voice.
“Nero Wolfe speaking.
“Archie. Sorry to wake you up, but I need orders. We're minus a client. Mrs
Rackham. This is a quick guess, but it looks as if someone stabbed her with a knife and then stuck the knife in a dog. Anyhow, she's dead. I've just-
“What is this? It was almost a bellow. “Flummery?
“No, sir. I've just come from where she's lying in the woods. Leeds and I found her. The dog's dead too, here on a bench. I don't-
“Archie!
“Yes, sir.
“This is insupportable. In the circumstances.
“Yes, sir, all of that.
“Is Mr Rackham out of it?
“Not as far as I know. I told you we just found her.
“Where are you?
“At Leeds' place, alone. I'm here guarding the knife in the dog. Leeds went to
Birchvale to get a doctor and the cops and maybe to kill somebody. I can't help it. I've got all the time in the world. How much do you want?
“Anything that might help.
“Okay, but in case I get interrupted here's a question first. On two counts, because I'm here working for you and because I helped find the body, they're going to be damn' curious. How much do I spill? There's no one on this line unless the operator's listening in.
A grunt and a pause. “On what I know now, everything about Mrs Rackham's talk with me and the purpose of your trip there. About Mrs Rackham and Mr Leeds and what you have seen and heard there, everything. But you will of course confine yourself strictly to that.
“Nothing about sausage?
“Absolutely nothing. The question is idiotic.
“Yeah, I just asked. Okay. Well, I got here and met dogs and people. Leeds' place is on a corner of Mrs Rackham's property, and we walked through the woods for dinner at Birchvale. There were eight of us at dinner…
I'm fairly good with a billiard cue, and only Saul Panzer can beat me at tailing a man or woman in New York, but what I am best at is reporting a complicated event to Nero Wolfe. With, I figured, a probable maximum of ten minutes for it,
I covered all the essentials in eight, leaving him two for questions. He had some, of course. But I think he had the picture well enough to sleep on when I saw the light of a car through the window, told him good-bye, and hung up. I stepped from the living-room into the little hall, opened the outside door, and was standing on the stone slab as a car with STATE POLICE painted on it came down the narrow drive and stopped. Two uniformed public servants piled out and made for me. I only hoped neither of them was my pet Westchester hate,
Lieutenant Con Noonan, and had my hope granted. They were both rank-and-file.
