'Put it that way if you prefer it. It did not.'
Wolfe was pouring beer. 'How,' he inquired, not belligerently, 'was Mr. Goodwin supposed to have learned of the murder? Had you fitted that in?'
'I don't know.' Cramer gestured impatiently. 'I didn't come here with a diagram. I only know what it means, what it always has meant, when I'm on a homicide, which is what I work at, and suddenly there you are, or Goodwin. And there Goodwin was, two hours after it happened, and I asked some questions and I can take only so much coincidence. Frankly I have no idea where you come in. You work only for big money. That hit-and-run driver could be a man with money, but if so it couldn't be someone who works in that shop. No one there has the kind of dough that hires Nero Wolfe. So I don't see how it could be money that pulled you in, and I frankly admit I have no idea what else could. I guess I'll have a little beer after all, if you don't mind. I'm tired.'
Wolfe leaned forward to push the button.
'What was on my mind,' Cramer said, 'was two things.
I First, I did not believe that Goodwin just happened to drop
in at the scene of a murder. I admit he's not quite, brazen
enough to commit perjury.' He looked at me. 'I want that
I affidavit. Today. Word it yourself, but say it right.'
'You'll get it,' I assured him.
'Today.'
'Yep.'
'Don't forget it.'
Fritz entered with another tray, put it down on the little I table at Cramer's elbow, and uncapped the bottle. 'Shall I : pour, sir?'
'Thanks, I will.' Cramer took the glass in his left hand,
tilted it, and poured with his right. Unlike Wolfe, he didn't
-care for a lot of foam. 'Second,' he said, 'I thought that
j.what took Goodwin there might be something you would be
ready to tell me about, but he wouldn't because you're the
9i
boss and he's such a goddam clam unless you say the word. I don't pretend to have anything to pry it out of you with. You know the law about withholding evidence as well as I do, you ought to by this time, the stunts you've pulled--'
The foam was down to where he liked it, and he stopped to take a swig.
'You thought,' Wolfe asked, 'that I had sent Archie to the shop on business?'
Cramer ran his tongue over his lips. 'Yes. For the reason given. I still think so.'
'You're wrong. I didn't. Since you're to get an affidavit from Archie, you might as well have one from me too and get it settled. In it I will say that I did not send him to the barber shop, that I did not know he was going there, and that I heard and knew nothing of the murder until he returned and told me.'
'You'll swear to that?'
'As a favor to you, yes. You've wasted your time coming here, and you might as well get a little something out of it.' Wolfe reached for his second bottle. 'By the way, I still don't know why you came. According to Archie, the murderer is known and all you have to do is find him--that man at the clothes rack--uh, Carl. And his wife, you said, Archie?'
'Yes, sir. Tina, one of the manicures. Purley told me straight they had done it and scooted.'
Wolfe frowned at Cramer. 'Then what could you expect to get from me? How could I help?'
'What I said, that's all,' Cramer insisted doggedly, pouring the rest of his beer. 'When I see Goodwin poking around I want to know why.'
'I don't believe it,' Wolfe said rudely. He turned to me. 'Archie. I think you're responsible for this. You're brash and you talk too much. I think it was something you did or said. What was it?'
'Sure, it's always me.' I was hurt. 'What I did, I got a shave, and Ed had a customer and I had to wait, so I talked with Purley and looked at a magazine--no, I started to but didn't--and with Inspector Cramer and then with Janet, 92
n
Miss Stahl to you, and with Ed while I was in the chair that is, he talked--'
'What did you say to Mr. Cramer?' 'Practically nothing. Just answered a civil question.' 'What did you say to Mr. Stebbins?' I thought I knew now where he was headed and hoped to I God I was right. 'Oh, just asked what was going on, and he | told me. I've told you about it.'
'Not verbatim. What did you say?'
'Nothing, damn it! Of course Purley wanted to know |; what brought me there, and I told him I--say, wait a minute! I Maybe you're right at that! He asked me if I had seen Carl or Tina this morning, and I said sure, I had put them here in I the front room and told them to wait, and if he would step on it--
'Ha!' Wolfe snorted. 'I knew it! Your confounded tongue. So that's it.' He looked at Cramer. 'Why have you waited ; to pounce?' he asked, trying not to sound too contemptuous, ' for after all Cramer was drinking his beer.
