Chapter Ten
Donald Barrett wasn't especially good; not much above the average man when he is suddenly and abruptly faced with a question which he isn't supposed to know the answer to but does. His jaw loosened, his eyes widened, and his breathing stopped. The first two may be the result of innocent surprise, but not the third. But he was fairly quick on the recovery. He stared at Wolfe and made folds in his smooth handsome brow and demanded:
'Where have I hid who?'
'Madame Zorka.'
He shook his head. 'If it's a joke, you'll have to explain it to me. I don't get it.'
Wolfe said patiently, 'I'll explain it. Madame Zorka phoned here this evening and said she saw Miss Tormic put something in Mr Goodwin's pocket and she was going to report it to the police immediately.'
'The devil she did!'
'Please don't interrupt. It's wasted. Mr Goodwin persuaded her to postpone informing the police until he could take Miss Tormic to Madame Zorka's apartment for a discussion of the matter. When he and Miss Tormic arrived some time later, they found the apartment empty; and they learned that Madame Zorka had departed fifteen minutes previously, in a hurry, with a bag and suitcase. Mr Goodwin then brought Miss Tormic and Miss Lovchen here to see me.'
'Well, that-'
'Please. The two young ladies have a talk with me and leave. Soon you arrive. You reveal that you possess knowledge of three facts: that someone says that Miss Tormic was seen putting something in Mr Goodwin's pocket, that that information has not yet reached the police, and that it has reached me. The first two you might have got hold of in several conceivable ways, but not the third. You couldn't possibly have known that the information had reached me unless Madame Zorka communicated with you after she phoned here.'
Barrett was standing up, apparently with the idea that it was time to go. 'Rubbish,' he snorted. 'If that's the kind of deduction-'
Wolfe shook his head, and his tone got sharp. 'I won't have it, sir. I won't spend an hour working it into your skull that I know what I know. Madame Zorka told you what she had told me. Don't try dodging; you'll only annoy me.'
'It would be too damn bad if I annoyed you.' He looked and sounded nasty. 'What if Zorka did tell me about it? What if that's why I came down here? What's wrong with that?'
'Did she?'
'What if she did?'
'Did she?'
'Yes!'
'On the telephone?'
'Yes.'
'And you, being a friend of Miss Tormic, saw that the only way to make sure that her story would not reach the police was to hustle her away somewhere-and you somehow persuaded her. Then you thought of the possibility that I might pass it on to the police, and came here to plug that hole. Where is Madame Zorka, Mr Barrett?'
'I don't know. I supposed she was at home until you said Goodwin was told she had gone with her bag and suitcase. I'll tell you something. I don't like the way you're handling this and I'm going to tell Miss Tormic so. She ought to have a good lawyer, anyway, and I'll see that she gets one. If she lets you out, how much cash will you take not to peddle this fairy tale to the police about her putting something in Goodwin's pocket?'
I got up and took a step towards him, but Wolfe shook his head at me. 'No, Archie. Let me-'
I said, 'Excuse me. There are times when you get mad and there are times when I get mad. I'll make a concession. I was going to hit him and then talk, but I'll talk first.'
I put my face fourteen inches from Barrett's. 'You. I am restraining myself. You have implied that this office has a stooling department. What evidence have you got to back that up? Talk like a man whether you are one or not. I warn you I'm mad. Have you got any evidence?'
'I… I didn't mean-'
'Have you?'
'No.'
'Are you sorry you said it?'
'Yes.'
'Don't say it to oblige me. I'd rather you refused to say it. You are sorry?'
'Yes.'
'Marshmallows,' I muttered, and went back to my chair.
