'Of course eet ees.'
'I know it's the name on your letterheads and in the telephone book. But were you christened Zorka?'
'Eet ees my name.'
'What's the rest of it?'
She fluttered a nervous hand. 'Zorka.'
'Now, my dear young lady. Last night, inferentially at least, you were drunk. But you're not drunk now, you're merely bedraggled. Do you intend to tell us the rest of your name or not?'
'I…' She hesitated, and then said with sudden determination, 'No. I can't.'
'Why can't you?'
'Because I-it would be dangerous.'
'Dangerous to whom? To you?'
'No, not to me-as much as uzzer people.' She took a deep breath. 'I am a refugee. I escaped.'
'Where from?'
She shook her head.
'Come, come,' Wolfe said brusquely. 'Not the place, the city, the village, if you think you can't. What country? Germany? Russia? Italy? Yugoslavia?'
'All right. Zat much. Yugoslavia.'
'I see. Croatia? Serbia? Montenegro?'
'I said Yugoslavia.'
'Yes, but… Very well.' Wolfe shrugged. 'How long ago did you escape?'
'About one year ago.'
'And came to America? To New York?'
'First Paris. Paris some time, then America.'
'Did you bring a lot of money with you?'
'Oh, no.' She spread out her hands to reject an absurdity. 'No money. No refugee could have money.'
'But I understand you have a business here in New York which must have cost a good deal to set up.'
She almost smiled at him. 'I knew you would ask zat. A friend was very kind to me.'
'Is the friend's name Donald Barrett?'
She sat silent a moment, just looking at him, and then said, 'But I am foolish. Zaire is no disgrace. Anyway, eet ees known to a few people, and you would ask and find out. Zee kind friend who lent me money ees Mr Barrett. He ees, what you call eet, silent partner.'
'You're in debt to Mr Barrett, then?'
'Debt?' She frowned. 'Oh, debt. Yes, very much.'
Wolfe nodded. 'I sympathize with you, madame. I hate being in debt. Some people don't seem to mind it. By the way, those people in Yugoslavia-those who might be in danger if you told us the rest of your name-are they relatives of yours?'
'Yes, some. Some relatives.'
'Are you Jewish?'
'Oh, no. I am very old Yugoslavian family.'
'Indeed. Nobility?'
'Well…' She pulled her shoulders up and together, and released them again.
'I see. I won't press that. The danger to your relatives-would that be on account of your activities in New York?'
'But I have no activities in New York, except my business.'
'Then I don't understand how revealing your name would place your relatives in peril.'
'Zat ees… eet would be suspect.'
'What would be suspect?'
She shook her head.
Cramer growled, 'We know damn well she's not normal. I could have told you that much. When we went through her apartment this morning-'
Zorka's head jerked around at him and she squeaked in indignation, 'You went through my apartment!'
