He gazed at Wolfe and in a change of pace ran all his words together: “What do you want ten thousand dollars for, Mr. Wolfe?”
Wolfe looked grim, seeing already that he was up against it. He said in one of his deeper tones, “To deposit in my bank account.”
“Ha! Good. Damn good and I asked for it. Strictly speaking, that was the only proper reply to my question. I should have said, let me see, for what reason do you expect to get ten thousand dollars from anyone, and from whom do you expect it? I hope not from me, for I haven't got it. My son has explained to us that he engaged you tenta-tentatively for a certain kind of job in a fit of foolishness.
My son is a donkey, but surely you don't expect him to give you ten thousand dollars merely because he's a donkey? I hope not, for he hasn't got it either.
Nor has my sister-in-law-have you, Calida? What do you think, Calida? Shall I go on with this? Do you think I'm getting anywhere?”
Mrs. Edwin Frost was looking at Wolfe, and didn't bother to turn to her brother-in-law. She said in a low pleasant tone, “I think the most important thing is to explain to Mr. Wolfe that he jumped to a wrong conclusion about what
Helen said.” She smiled at Wolfe. “My daughter Helen. But first, since Lew thought it necessary for us to come down here, perhaps we should hear what Mr.
Wolfe has to say.”
Wolfe aimed his half-shut eyes at her. “Very little, madam. Your nephew commissioned me to perform an inquiry, and persuaded me to take an unprecedented step which was highly distasteful to me. I no sooner began it than he informed me it was a flop and asked me how much he owed me. I told him, and on account of the unusual circumstances demanded immediate cash payment. In a panic, he telephoned his father.”
Her brow was wrinkled. “You asked for ten thousand dollars?”
Wolfe inclined his head, and raised it.
“But, Mr. Wolfe.” She hesitated. “Of course I am not familiar with your business”-she smiled at him-”or is it a profession? But surely that is a remarkable sum. Is that your usual rate?”
“Now see here.” Dudley Frost had been squirming in his chair. “After all, this thing is simple. There are just certain points. In the first place, the thing was purely tentative. It must have been tentative, because how could Mr. Wolfe tell what he might or might not be able to find out until he had gone up there and looked things over? In the second place, figure Mr. Wolfe's time at twenty dollars an hour, and Lew owes him forty dollars. I've paid good lawyers less than that. In the third place, there's no sense in talking about ten thousand dollars, because we haven't got it.” He leaned forward and put a paw on the desk. “That's being frank with you, Mr. Wolfe. My sister-in-law hasn't got a cent, no one knows that better than I do. Her daughter-my niece-has got all that's left of my father's fortune. We're a pauper family, except for Helen. My son here seems to think he has got something started, but he has thought that before. I doubt if you could collect, but of course the only way to settle that is a lawsuit. Then it would drag along, and eventually you'd compromise on it-”
Our client had called at him several times-”Dad!…Dad!” in an effort to stop him, but with no success. Now Llewellyn reached across and gripped his father's knee. “Listen to me a minute, will you? If you'd give me a chance-Mr. Wolfe isn't letting it drag alongl Inspector Cramer is coming here at six o'clock to compare notes with him. About this.”
“Well? You don't need to crush my leg to a pulp. Who the deuce is Inspector
Cramer?”
“You know very well who he is. Head of the Homicide Bureau.”
“Oh, that chap. How do you know he's coming here? Who said he was?”
“He telephoned. Just before I phoned you. That's why I asked you and Aunt Gallic to come down here.”
I saw the glint in Dudley Frost's eye, as swift as it was, and wondered if Wolfe caught it too. It disappeared as fast as it came. He asked his son, “Who talked to Inspector Cramer? You?”
I put in, brusque, “No. Me.”
“Ah.” Dudley Frost smiled at me broadly, with understanding; he transferred it to Wolfe, and then back to me again. “You seem to have gone to a good deal of trouble around here. Of course I can see that that was the best way to get your threat in, to arrange for a call with my son in your office. But the point is-”
Wolfe snapped, “Put him out, Archie.”
I laid the pencil and notebook on the desk and got up. Llewellyn arose and stood like a pigeon. I noticed that all his aunt did was lift one brow a little.
Dudley Frost laughed. “Now, Mr. Wolfe. Sit down boys.” He goggled at Wolfe. “God bless me, I don't blame you for trying to make an impression. Quite a natural-”
“Mr. Frost.” Wolfe wiggled a finger. “Your suggestion that I need to fake a phone call to impress your son is highly offensive. Retract it, or go.”
Frost laughed again. “Well, let's say you did it to impress me.”
“That, sir, is worse.”
“Then my sister-in-law. Are you impressed, Calida? I must admit I am. This is what it looks like. Mr. Wolfe wants ten thousand dollars. If he doesn't get it he intends to see Inspector Cramer-where and when doesn't matter-and tell him that Helen has said she saw that box of candy before Molly Lauck did. Of course
Helen didn't tell him that, but that won't keep the police from tormenting her, and possibly the rest of us, and it might even get into the papers. In my position as the trustee of Helen's property, my responsibility is as
