bound.'
'Sure, I see. Duty bound.'
'Yes. But also I sink eet ees only fair I tell you before I tell zee police. Now I tell you. Now I tell zee police.'
'Wait a minute, please. Let me get this straight. You're going to phone the police now?'
'Yes.'
'And exactly what are you going to tell them?'
'Zat I see Mees Tormic put somesing in your pocket in zee coat hanging on zee rack and trying not to have anybody see. Zen pretty soon you take zee coat and go.'
'Now, listen.' I tried to laugh. 'You sure are seeing things. Where are you now?'
'Zey let me go home. I am at my apartment, 78th Street. 542 East.'
'Well, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll get hold of Miss Tormic and we'll drop in to see you. If you think we're murderers, which we're not-'
'Oh, I'm not afraid. But I am worried.'
'Don't you worry for a minute. We'll be there in less than an hour. You're sure you'll be there?'
'Certainly I will.'
'The police can wait that long.'
'But not longer, Meesturr Gudwinnnn.'
'Okay. Absolutely.'
I shoved back the phone and stood up.
'There,' I said, with no feeling because my feelings were too deep. 'There you are. What else could I say?'
'Nothing,' Wolfe muttered. 'Now be quiet.'
He shut his eyes and his lips began to push in and out. That went on for ten minutes. I sat and tried to figure out something milder than kidnapping, but my brain wouldn't work because I was too damn disgruntled. Finally he said quietly:
'Get Mr Cramer.'
That took a little doing, because the saps Cramer had left up at Miltan's studio had to go into a huddle before they would even admit he wasn't there. Next I tried his office at headquarters, and got him; apparently the base of operations had been moved down there. Wolfe took it:
'Mr Cramer? I have a little something on that Ludlow case. No, it's somewhat complicated. I think the best idea would be for you to have a man collect Madame Zorka and Miss Tormic and bring them to my office as soon as possible. No, I want to co-operate, but I hardly think any other procedure would be feasible. No, I haven't solved the case, but this is a development that I am sure will interest you. You know whether I may be depended on for that sort of thing. You'll come yourself? Fine.'
He hung up and rubbed his nose with his forefinger. I blurted, 'And whoever goes to get Zorka, she'll spill the entire bag of beans before they get here-'
'Let me alone, Archie. Take that confounded thing out of that idiotic cake and put it back in your pocket the way it was.'
I gave up. And obeyed blindly. Talk about discipline.
Chapter Seven
Neva Tormic was the first to arrive for the party. It was close to midnight when I went to answer the bell, saving Fritz the trouble of putting his slippers in commission and glad of a chance to stretch my legs even that much.
'Hallo,' I said in polite surprise, for three of them crossed the threshold, and I knew all of them. First Neya Tormic, then Carla Lovchen, and bringing up the rear, Sergeant Purley Stebbins. Purley and I had often been enemies, and even friends once or twice. While I helped with wraps he said:
'This other one coupled on and I would have had to use force to separate her. So I thought if she's not wanted we can do the separating here.'
'Sure,' I agreed, 'let Cramer do it. He ought to be here any minute. You go on to the kitchen-you know the way-and Fritz'll give you a pork tenderloin sandwich with onion grass.'
He looked wistful. 'I guess I won't let her out of my sight-'
'Pooh! Pooh! My dear fellow, this is a conference, and Mr Wolfe and I are conferees. Breaded pork tenderloin and steaming black coffee?'
So he headed for the kitchen and I herded the Balkans into the office.
