and looked contented.
I sat down and listened to him discussing with a couple of dicks the best way to persuade some Harlem citizen to quit his anatomy experiments on the skulls of drugstore cashiers, and when they went I looked at him and grinned. He didn't grin back. He whirled his chair around to face me and asked me what I wanted. I told him I didn't want anything, I just wanted to thank him for letting me squat on the sidelines up at Doc Burton's last night.
He said, 'Yeah. You were gone when I came out. Did it bore you?'
'It did. I couldn't find any clue.'
'No.' But still he didn't grin. 'This case is one of those mean babies where nothing seems to fit. All we've got is the murderer and the gun and two witnesses.
Now what do you want?'
I told him, 'I want lots of things.
You've got it, Inspector. Okay. You can afford to be generous, and George Pratt ought to hand you two grand, half of what you saved him. I'd like to know if you found any fingerprints on the gun. I'd like to know if Chapin has explained why he planned it so amateur, with him a professional. But what I'd really like is to have a little talk with Chapin. If you could arrange that for me -'
Cramer was grinning. He said, ‹I wouldn't mind having a talk with Chapin myself.'
'Well, I'd be glad to put in a word for you.'
He pulled on his cigar, and then took it out and got brisk. 'I'll tell you, Goodwin.
I'd just as soon sit and chin with you, but the fact is it's Sunday and I'm busy. So take this down. First, even if I passed you in to Chapin you wouldn't get anywhere.
That cripple is part mule. I spent four hours on him last night, and I swear to God he wouldn't even tell me how old he is. He is not talking, and he won't talk to anyone except his wife. He says he don't want a lawyer, or rather he don't say anything when we ask him who he wants.
His wife has seen him twice, and they won't say anything that anyone can hear.
You know I've had a little experience greasing tongues, but he stops them all.'
'Yeah. Did you try pinching him, just between you and me?'
He shook his head. 'Haven't touched him. But to go on. After what Nero Wolfe said on the phone last night – I suppose you heard that talk – I had an idea you'd be wanting to see him. And I've decided nothing doing. Even if he was talking a blue streak, not a chance. Considering how we got him, I don't see why you're interested anyhow. Hell, can't Wolfe take the short end once in his life? – Now wait a minute. You don't need to remind me Wolfe has always been better than square with me and there's one or two things I owe him. I'll hand him a favor when I've got one the right size. But no matter how tight I've got this cripple sewed up, I'm going to play safe with him.'
'Okay. It just means extra trouble.
Wolfe will have to arrange it at the D.A.'s office.'
'Let him. If he does, I won't butt in. As far as I'm concerned, the only two people that get to see Chapin are his wife and his lawyer, and he's got no lawyer and if you ask me not much wife. – Listen, now that you've asked me a favor and I've turned you down, how about doing one for me?
Tell me what you want to see him for?
Huh?'* I grinned. 'You'd be surprised. I have to ask him what he wants us to do with what is left of Andrew Hibbard until he gets a chance to tend to it.'
Cramer stared at me. He snorted. 'You wouldn't kid me.'
'I wouldn't dream of it. Of course if he's not talking he probably wouldn't tell me, but I might find a way to turn him on.
Look here, Inspector, there must be some human quality in you somewhere. Today's my birthday. Let me see him.'
'Not a chance.'
I got up. 'How straight is it that he's not talking?'
'That's on the level. We can't get a peep.' ' ‹ I told him much obliged for all his many kindnesses, and left.
I got in the roadster and headed north. I wasn't downcast. I hadn't made any history, but I hadn't expected to.
Remembering the mask that Paul Chapin had been using for a face as I saw him sitting in the Burton foyer the night before,I wasn't surprised that Cramer hadn't found him much of a conversationalist, and I wouldn't have expected to hear anything even if I had got to see him.
At Fourteenth Street I parked and went to a cigar store and phoned Wolfe. I told him, 'Right again. They have to ask his wife whether he prefers white or dark meat, because he won't even tell them that. He's not interested in a lawyer.
Cramer wouldn't let me see him.' ' Wolfe said, 'Excellent. Proceed to Mrs.
Burton.'
I went back to the roadster and rolled on uptown.
When they telephoned from the lobby to the Burton apartment to say that Mr.
Goodwin was there, I was hoping she hadn't got a new slant on this and that during the* night. As
