'I suppose you'll have to.' Wolfe shuddered. Out into the night like that. 'What time will Saul be here in the morning?'
'Nine o'clock.'
'Phone him and tell him to bring that envelope.'
'Yes, sir. Are you really going to hand it over to her?'
'I am. I want to see what she is going to do with it. Will Fred and Orrie also be here at nine?'
'Yes, sir. Who do you want to tail whom?'
'Tailing may not be necessary. On the other hand, it may be, for her protection. Mr Faber wanted that paper.'
'Not only did he want it, he knew where to look for it,' I yawned. 'And since Carla put it there, did she tell him about it? Or did he learn it from a member of your family?'
'I have no family.'
'A daughter is commonly considered to be a member of one's family. In this case it would hardly be too much to say that a daughter is a family.' I made my voice grave and respectful. 'When I marry her, I guess it will be unavoidable for me to call you Dad.'
'Archie, I swear by all-'
'And I would be your heir in case you die. I would be the beneficiary on your life insurance. We could play in father and son golf tournaments. Later on you could hold the baby. Babies. When the time comes for the divorce-now what the hell!'
The doorbell was ringing.
Chapter Nine
At half past one in the morning, with me yawning my head off and an outside errand still to do, the doorbell should ring.
I went to the front and unlocked, leaving the chain bolt on so that the door only opened to a five-inch crack, and peered through at the male figure standing there.
'Well?'
'I want to see Nero Wolfe.'
'Name, please?'
'Open the door!' He was a bit peremptory.
'Tut-tut,' I said. 'It's after office hours. If you don't like your own name, make up one. But it had better be a good one, at this time of night.'
'My name is Donald Barrett.'
'Oh. Okay. Hold that pose. I'll be back.'
I went to the office and told Wolfe. He opened his eyes, frowned, muttered something and nodded. I returned to the front and let the night-walker in, flunkeyed for him, and escorted him to the office. In the bright light he looked handsome and harassed, with his white tie somewhat crooked and his hair disarranged. He blinked at Wolfe and said he was Donald Barrett.
'So I understand. Sit down.'
'Thanks.' He lodged his sitter on the edge of a chair in a temporary manner. 'This is a frightful stink, this thing.'
Wolfe's brows went slightly up. 'This thing?'
'This-up at Miltan's. Ludlow. It's murder, you know.'
'I believe it is. You were among those present.'
'Yes, I was, damn it. Of course, you got that from this fellow you sent up there.'
'Excuse me,' Wolfe murmured. 'I thought you two had met. Mr Barrett, this is Mr Goodwin, my assistant.'
'Oh, we met. We spoke a few words. He was guarding the door, and I asked him to let a young lady through to keep an important appointment, and he wouldn't do it.'
Wolfe nodded. 'That was Miss Reade.'
'Oh? He told you that too?'
'Mr Goodwin tells me everything.'
'I suppose he would. Naturally. He was damn bull-headed about letting Miss Reade out. He said the worst thing she could do was to leave the place and start the cops looking for her; and then, by God, he gets out
