briefcase along with the piece of cord. I took it and aimed it at
Rackham.
“Sit down, I said, “and stay.
He sank down into the chair. I moved to the end of the desk so as to have him in a corner of my eye while looking at Zeck. Roeder, at my left elbow, spoke rapidly but distinctly.
“Mr Zeck, he said, “you told me on the telephone two years ago that you had great admiration for me. I hope that what has just happened here has increased it. I'm Nero Wolfe, of course. There are many things it would give me satisfaction to say to you, and perhaps I shall some day, but not now. It is true that if one of your men suddenly opened the door Mr Goodwin would kill you first, but I'm afraid you'd have company. So I'll get on. Having by your admission matched you in intellect, it's a question of will, and mine has not failed me, as you thought. Confound it, I wish you could speak.
The expression of Zeck's eyes, no longer popping, indicated that Wolfe had nothing on him there.
“Here's the situation, Wolfe went on. “During the two months I've been here in this outlandish guise I have collected enough evidence to get you charged on thirty counts under Federal law. I assure you that the evidence is sound and sufficient, and is in the hands of a man whom you cannot stop or deflect. You'll have to take my word for it that if that evidence is produced and used you are done for, and that it will be immediately produced and used if anything untoward happens to Mr Goodwin or me. I fancy you will take my word since you admit that
I match you in intellect, and to climax these five frightful months with such a bluff as this, if it were one, would be witless. However, if you think I'm bluffing there's no point in going on. If you think I'm bluffing, please shake your head meaning no, you don't believe me.
No shake.
“If you think I have the evidence as described, please nod your head.
No nod.
“I warn you, Wolfe said sharply, “that Mr Goodwin and I are both ready for anything whatever.
Zeck nodded. Nothing violent, but a nod.
“You assume my possession of the evidence?
Zeck nodded again.
“Good. Then we can bargain. While I have great respect for the Federal laws, I am under no obligation to catch violators of them. Without compunction I can leave that to others. But I am under an obligation to a certain individual which
I feel strongly and which I must discharge. Mrs Rackham paid me a large sum to serve her interest, and the next day she was murdered. It was clearly my duty to expose her murderer-not only my duty to her but to my own self-respect-and I have failed. With an obligation of that nature I have never accepted failure and do not intend to. Mr Goodwin, working on my behalf, has been a party to that failure, and he too will not accept it.
Zeck nodded again, or I thought he did, probably to signify approval of our high moral standards.
“So we can bargain, Wolfe told him. “You said day before yesterday that you have evidence, or can easily get it, that will convict Rackham of the murder of his wife. Was that true?
Zeck nodded. The shark eyes were intent on Wolfe.
“Very well. I believe you because I know what you are capable of. I offer a trade. I'll trade you the evidence I have collected against you for the evidence that will convict Rackham. Will you make the trade?
Zeck nodded.
“It will have to be more or less on my terms. I can be trusted; you cannot. You will have to deliver first. But I realise that the details of anything as vital as this is to you cannot be settled without discussion, and it must be discussed and settled now. We are going to release your hands and take that handkerchief from your mouth, but before we do so, one more warning. You are to stay where you are until we've finished. If you move towards the floor signals under your desk, or try to summon your men in any other manner, you will die before anyone else does. Also, of course, there is the evidence that exists against you. You understand the situation?
Zeck nodded.
“Are you ready to discuss the matter?
Zeck nodded.
“Release him, Archie, Wolfe snapped.
Needing two hands to untie the cord, I put the Carson Snub Thirty down on the polished top of Zeck's desk. I would have given a year's pay for a glance at
Rackham, to see what the chances were, but that might have ruined it. So I put the gun there, stepped around to the rear of Zeck's chair, knelt, and started untying the knot. My heart was pounding my ribs like a sledgehammer.
So I didn't see it happen; I could only hear it. I did see one thing there behind Zeck's chair: a sudden convulsive jerk of his arms, which must have been his reaction to the sight of Rackham jumping for the gun I had left on the desk.
More even than a sight of Rackham, to see if he was rising to it, I wanted a sight of Wolfe, to see if he was keeping his promise to duck for cover the instant Rackham started for the gun. but I couldn't afford it. My one desperate job now was to get that cord off Zeck's wrists in time, and while Wolfe had used the trick knot we
