“What on earth-” She gasped.
I decided she had snapped out of it, went to the kitchen and asked Fritz to bring crackers and milk and hot coffee, and returned. As I sat at my desk she demanded, “Did you have to do that?”
“Look,” I said, “evidently you came to get Mr. Wolfe to help you. He can’t stand hysterical women, and in another four seconds he would have been out of the room and would have refused to see you again. That’s one angle of it. I am going on talking to give both you and Mr. Wolfe a chance to calm down. Another angle is that if you think it’s undesirable to be kissed by me I am willing to submit it to a vote by people who ought to know.”
She was passing her hands over her hair. “I suppose I should thank you?”
“You’re welcome.”
“Are you recovered,” Wolfe rasped, “or not?”
“I’m all right.” She swallowed. “I haven’t slept, and it’s quite true I haven’t eaten anything, but I’m all right. They’ve arrested Paul for murder. He wants me to get a lawyer, and of course I have to, but I don’t know who. The one he uses in business is no good for this, and certainly Jim Beebe won’t do, and two other lawyers I know-I don’t think they’re much good. I told Paul I was coming to you, and he said all right.”
“You want me to recommend a lawyer?”
“Yes, but we want you too. We want you to do- well, whatever you do.” Suddenly she was flushing, and the color was good for her face. “Paul says you charge very high, but I suppose I have lots of money again, now that Sidney is dead.” The flush deepened. “I’ve got to tell you something. Last night when you told us about it, that Sidney had been murdered, for just one second I thought Paul had done it-one awful second.”
“I know you did. Only I would say ten seconds. Then you went to him.”
“Yes. I went and touched him and let him touch me, and then it was over, but it was horrible. And that’s partly why I must ask you, do you believe Paul killed him?”
“No,” Wolfe said flatly.
“You’re not just saying that?”
“I never just say anything.” Wolfe suddenly realized that he had swiveled his chair away from her when she started to erupt, and now swung it back. “Mr. Cramer, a policeman, came this morning and twitted me for having let a murderer hoodwink me. When he had gone I considered the matter. It would have to be that Mr. Aubry, having killed Mr. Karnow, and having discussed it with you, decided to come and engage me to deal with Karnow in order to establish the fact that he didn’t know Karnow was dead. That is Mr. Cramer’s position, and I reject it. I sat here for an hour yesterday, listening to Mr. Aubry and looking at him, and if he had just come from killing the man he was asking me to deal with, I am a dolt. Since I am not a dolt, Mr. Aubry is not a murderer. Therefore-Yes, Fritz. Here’s something for you, madam.”
I would like to think it was my kiss that gave her an appetite, but I suppose it was the assurance from Wolfe that he didn’t think her Paul was guilty of murder. She disposed not only of the crackers and milk but also of a healthy portion of toast spread with Fritz’s liver pate and chives, while Wolfe busied himself with the cards and I found something to do on my desk.
“I do thank you,” she said. “This is wonderful coffee. I feel better.”
It is so agreeable to Wolfe to have someone enjoy food that he had almost forgiven her for losing control. He nearly smiled at her.
“You must understand,” he said gruffly, “that if you hire me to investigate there are no reservations. I think Mr. Aubry is innocent, but if I find he isn’t I am committed to no evasion or concealment. You understand that?”
“Yes. I don’t-All right.”
“For counsel I suggest Nathaniel Parker. Inquire about him if you wish; if you settle on him we’ll arrange an appointment. Now, if Mr. Aubry didn’t kill Karnow, who did?”
No reply.
“Well?” Wolfe demanded.
She put the coffee cup down. “Are you asking me?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know.”
“Then we’ll return to that. You said Mr. Aubry has been arrested for murder. Has that charge been entered, or is he being held as a material witness?”
“No, murder. They said I couldn’t get bail for him.”
“Then they must have cogent evidence, surely something other than the manifest motive. He has talked, of course?”
“He certainly has.”
“He has told of his going to the door of Karnow’s room yesterday afternoon?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know what time that was?”
“Half-past three. Very close to that.”
“Then opportunity is established, and motive. As for the weapon, the published account says it was Karnow’s. Has that been challenged?”
“Not that I know of.”
