Plot It Yourself

“That will come after we act on the motion,” Tabb said. “Or it won’t. Before we discuss it, have you any more questions for Mr Wolfe?”

“I’d like to ask him,” a woman said, “if he knows who the murderer is.”

Wolfe, on his feet, grunted. “If I did I wouldn’t be here.”

“Any further questions?” Tabb asked. Apparently not. “Then discussion of the motion.”

“You don’t need us for that,” Wolfe said. “I appreciate the courtesy of your invitation to be present, and if my opening remark gave you the impression that I accepted it solely to prevent you from forsaking a responsibility I wish to correct it. I also wish to earn a fee. Come, Archie.”

He wheeled and headed for the door, and I circled around him to open it, detouring to get his hat and cane from a chair.

Chapter 16

We got home at three-fifty-five, just in the nick of time for Wolfe to keep his afternoon date with the orchids. On my desk were three memos from Fritz, reporting phone calls-one from Lon Cohen, one from Dexter of Title House, and one from a personal friend. I rang Dexter. He wanted to know if there was any truth in the rumour that the NAAD council was holding a special meeting for the purpose of instructing the joint committee to terminate its engagement with Wolfe. Thinking it would be unwise to tell a publisher, even one with a conscience, what authors and dramatists had done or were doing, I said we had heard the rumour but knew nothing definite, which was true, since we hadn’t stayed for the vote on the motion. He said if the NAAD council didn’t know that they couldn’t give orders to a joint committee they would soon find out. I didn’t bother with Lon Cohen; he could ring again. The personal friend was a personal matter, and I attended to it.

A little after five Saul Panzer called, from a booth in a Carmel drugstore. “We’ve been liberated,” he said. “Free as crows. No charges. The lawyer is at the fountain with Miss Bonner and Fred, having a milkshake. Now what?”

“No program,” I told him. “I don’t suppose there’s any chance of keeping on her?”

“I doubt it. I don’t see how. I just got back from a little ride out that way. There’s a car there in the same spot we’ve been using, I suppose a deputy sheriff’s. He’s probably covering the house. Also there’s a car near the spot Miss Bonner and Miss Corbett were using, with a man in it. It looks as if Stebbins has fed Putnam County a line. About the only way would be to come in from the back, walk in about a mile from another road to a hill with trees on it, and use binoculars. Five hundred yards from the house. Of course that would be no good after dark.”

I said it wouldn’t be much better even before dark and told him to go home and get some sleep and stand by, and the same for Fred. Also to tell Dol Bonner she would hear from us when we had anything to say. Two minutes after I hung up the phone rang again.

“Nero Wolfe’s office, Archie Goodwin speaking.”

“This is the chairman of the Joint Committee on Plagiarism. You may recognize my voice.”

“I do. Was it a close vote?”

“We don’t reveal details of our deliberations to outsiders, but it wasn’t close. The letter has been drafted and you’ll have it tomorrow. I don’t ask you what the next move is, since Wolfe doesn’t reveal details either, but I thought he’d like to know that we’re both gallant and honourable. Sometimes.”

“He will, Mr Oshin. Congratulations. Who’s the new committee member?”

“Oh, Harvey’s still on the committee. He only resigned as chairman. I think he wants to keep his eye on us. Let me know if you need a bat boy.”

I said I would.

When Wolfe came down at six o’clock I reported the calls to him-Dexter and Saul and Oshin. As I finished, Fritz entered with a tray-a bottle of beer and a glass. Wolfe glared at him, and he stopped halfway to the desk.

“Archie put you up to this,” Wolfe said coldly.

“No, sir. I thought perhaps-”

“Take it back. I am committed. Take it back!”

Fritz went. Wolfe transferred the glare to me. “Is Alice Porter still alive?”

“I don’t know. Saul saw her at eight this morning, ten hours ago.”

“I want to see her. Bring her.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

I regarded him. “Some day,” I said, “you’re going to tell me to bring you the Queen of England, and I’ll do my best. But I remind you that two or three times, when you have told me to bring someone and I have done so, you didn’t like the method I used. Do you want to suggest one this time?”

“Yes. Tell her that I am ready to make a settlement with her for her claim against Amy Wynn.”

I raised a brow. “What if she wants to know what kind of a settlement?”

“You don’t know. You only know that I am ready to make one, and tomorrow may be too late.”