grunted. “I'm afraid I don't follow you. How was it your fault that Mr Kane went to mail some letters and accidentally ran over Mr Rony?” She stared. “But you know that's not true!” “Yes, but you don't-or do you?” “Of course I do!” Her hands came unclasped. “I may be a fool, I guess I can't go back on that, but I've known Webster a long time and I know he couldn't possibly do such a thing!” “Anyone can have an accident' “I know they can; I don't mean that. But if he had run a car over Louis and saw he was dead, he would have gone back to the house, straight to a phone, and called a doctor and the police. You've met him. Couldn't you see he was like that?” This was a new development, a Sperling trying to persuade Wolfe that Kane's statement was a phony.
“Yes,” Wolfe said mildly, “I thought I saw he was like that Does your father know you're here?” “No. I-I didn't want to quarrel with him.” “It won't be easy to avoid it when he finds out. What made you decide to come?” “I wanted to yesterday, and I didn't. I'm a coward.” “A fool and a coward.” Wolfe shook his head. “Don't rub it in. And today?” “I heard someone say something. Now I'm an eavesdropper too. I used to be when I was a child, but I thought I was completely over it. Today I heard Connie saying something to Paul, and I stayed outside the door and listened.” “What did she say?” Gwenn's face drew together. I thought she was going to cry, and so she did. That would have been bad, because Wolfe's wits leave him when a woman cries.
I snapped at her. “What did you drive down here for?” She pulled out of it and appealed to Wolfe. “Do I have to tell you?” “No,” he said curtly.
Naturally that settled it. She proceeded to tell. She looked as if she would rather eat soap, but she didn't stammer any.
They were in their room and I was going by. But I didn't just happen to overhear it; I stopped and listened deliberately. She hit him or he hit her, I don't know which-with them you don't know who is doing the hitting unless you see it. But she was doing the talking. She told him that she saw Goodwin-” Gwenn looked at me. “That was you.” “My name's Goodwin,” I admitted.
“She said she saw Goodwin finding a stone by the brook and she tried to get it and throw it in the water, but Goodwin knocked her down. She said Goodwin had the stone and would take it to Nero Wolfe, and she wanted to know what Paul was going to do, and he said he wasn't going to do anything. She said she didn't care what happened to him but she wasn't going to have her reputation ruined if she could help it, and then he hit her, or maybe she hit him. I thought one of them was coming to the door and I ran down the hall.” “When did this happen?” Wolfe growled.
“Just before dinner. Dad had just come home, and I was going to tell him about it, but I decided not to because I knew he must have got Webster to sign that statement, and he's so stubborn-I knew what he would say. But I couldn't just not do anything. I knew it was my fault Louis got killed, and after what you told us about him it didn't matter about him but it did about me. I guess that sounds selfish, but I've decided that from now on I'm going to be perfectly honest. I'm going to be honest to everyone about everything. I'm going to quit being a fake. Take the way I acted the day you came. I should have just phoned Louis and told him I didn't want to see him any more, that would have been the honest thing and that was what I really wanted to do; but no, I didn't do that, I had to phone him to come and meet me so I could tell him face to face-and what happened? I honestly believe I was hoping that someone would listen in on one of the extensions so they would know how fine and noble I was! I knew Connie did that all the time, and maybe others did too. Anyhow someone did, and you know what happened. It was just as if I had phoned him to come and get killed!” She stopped for breath. Wolfe suggested, “You may be taking too much credit, Miss Sperling.” That's a nasty crack.” She wasn't through. “I couldn't say all this to my father or mother, not even to my sister, because-well, I couldn't. But I wasn't going to start being honest by hiding the worst thing I ever did. I thought it over very carefully, and I decided you were the one person who would know exactly what I meant. You knew I was afraid of you that afternoon, and you told me so. I think it was the first time anyone really understood me.” I had to keep back a snort. A fine freckled girl saying that to Wolfe with me present was approaching the limit. If there was anything oh earth he didn't understand and I did, it was young women.
“So,” Gwenn went on, “I had to come and tell you. I know you can't do anything about it, because Dad got Webster to sign that statement, and that ends it, but I felt I had to tell someone, and then when I heard what Paul and Connie said I knew I had to. But you've got to understand that I'm being absolutely honest. If this was me the way I was a year ago or a week ago I'd be pretending that I only came because I think I owe it to Louis to help to bring out the truth about how he died, but if he was the kind of man you said he was I don'' really believe I owe him anything. It's only that if I'm going to be a genuine straightforward person I have to start now or I never will. I don't want ever to be afraid of anyone again, not even you.” Wolfe shook his head. “You're expecting a good deal of yourself. I'm more than twice your age, and up with you in self-esteem, but I'm afraid of someone. Don't overdo it. There are numerous layers of honesty, and the deepest should not have a monopoly. What else was said by Mr and Mrs Emerson?” “Just what I told you.” “Nothing more-uh, informative?” “I told you everything I heard. I don't-” She stopped, frowning. “Didn't I?
About his calling her an idiot?” “No.” “He did. When she said that about her reputation. He said, ‘You idiot, you might as well have told Goodwin you killed him, or that you knew I did.’ Then she hit him-or he hit her.” “Anything else?” “No. I ran.” “Had you already suspected that Mr Emerson had murdered Mr Rony?” “Why, I-” Gwenn was shocked. “I don't suspect that now.
“Do I?” “Certainly you do. You merely hadn't put it so baldly. You may have got to honesty, Miss Sperling, but there is still sagacity. If I understand you, and you say I do, you think that Mr Emerson killed Mr Rony because he was philandering with Mrs Emerson. I don't believe it. I've heard some of Mr Emerson's broadcasts, and met him at your home, and I consider him incapable of an emotion so warm and direct and explosive. You said I can do nothing about Mr Rony's death. I think I can, and I intend to try, but if I find myself reduced to so desperate an assumption as that Mr Emerson was driven to kill by jealousy of his wife, I'll quit.” “Then-” Gwenn was frowning at him. “Then what?” “I don't know. Yet.” Wolfe put his hands on the edge of his desk, pushed his chair back, and arose. “Are you going to drive back home tonight?” “Yes. But-” “Then you'd better get started. It's late. Your newborn passion for honesty is admirable, but in that, as in everything, moderation is often best. It would have been honest to tell your father you were coming here; it would be honest to tell him where you have been when you get home; but if you do so he will think that you have helped me to discredit Mr Kane's statement, and that would be false. So a better honesty would be to lie and tell him you went to see a friend.” “I did,” Gwenn declared. Tfou are a friend. I want to stay and talk.” “Not tonight.” Wolfe was emphatic. “I'm expecting a caller. Some other time.” He added hastily, “By appointment, of course.” She didn't want to go, but what could the poor girl do? After I handed her her neckpiece she stood and prolonged it a little, with questions that got answers in one syllable, but finally made the best of it.
When she had gone I proceeded immediately to tell Wolfe what I thought of him.
“You couldn't possibly ask for a better chance,” I protested hotly. “She may not be Miss America 1949, but she's anything but an eyesore, and she'll inherit millions, and she's nuts about you. You could quit work and eat and drink all day. Evenings you could explain how well you understand her, which is apparently all she asks for. You're hooked at last, and it was about time.” I extended a paw. “Congratulations!” “Shut up.” He glanced at the clock.
“In a minute. I approve of your lie about expecting a caller. That's the way to handle it, tease her on with the hard to get-” “Go to bed. I am expecting a caller.” I eyed him. “Another one?” “A man. I'll let him in. Put this stuff away and go to bed. At once.” That had happened not more than twice in five years. Once in a while I get sent out of the room, and frequently I am nagged to get off my phone, when something is supposed to be too
