'Then there's a misunderstanding. I heard Miss Lowell's talk with you on the phone, both ends of it. I got the impression that my threat to inform the police about Mr. Getz's death was what brought you down here. Now you seem?'
'It wasn't any threat that brought me here! It's that blackmailing suit you started! I want to make you eat it and I'm going to!'
'Indeed. Then I gather that you don't care who gets my information first, you or the police. But I do. For one thing, when I talk to the police I like to be able?'
The doorbell rang. When visitors were present Fritz usually answered the door, but he had orders to stick to his post in the kitchen, so I got up and went to the hall, circling behind the arc of the chairs. I switched on the stoop light for a look through the one-way glass. One glance was enough. Stepping back into the office, I stood until Wolfe caught my eye.
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'The man about the chair,' 1 told him.
He frowned. 'Tell him I'm--' He stopped, and the frown cleared. 'No. I'll see him. If you'll excuse me a moment?' He pushed his chair back, made it to his feet, and came, detouring around Koven. I let him precede me into die hall and closed that door before joining him. He strode to the front, peered through the glass, and opened the door. The chain bolt stopped it at a crack of two inches.
Wolfe spoke through the crack. 'Well, sir?'
Inspector Cramer's voice was anything but friendly. 'I'm coming in.'
'I doubt it. What for?'
'Patricia Lowell entered here at six o'clock and is still here. The other four entered fifteen minutes ago. I told you Monday evening to lay off. I told you your license was suspended, and here you are with your office full. I'm coming in.'
'I still doubt it. I have no client. My job for Mr. Koven, which you know about, has been finished, and I have sent him a bill. These people are here to discuss an action for damages which I have brought against Mr. Koven. I don't need a license for that. I'm shutting the door.'
He tried to, but it didn't budge. I could see the tip of Cramer's toe at the bottom of the crack.
'By God, this does it,' Cramer said savagely. 'You're through.'
'I thought I was already through. But this--'
'I can't hear you! The wind.'
'This is preposterous, talking through a crack. Descend to the sidewalk, and I'll come out. Did you hear that?'
'Yes.'
'Very well. To the sidewalk.'
Wolfe marched to the big old walnut rack and reached for his overcoat. After I had held it for him and handed him his hat I got my coat and slipped into it and then took a look through the glass. The stoop was empty. A burly figure was at the bottom of the steps. I unbolted the door and opened it, followed Wolfe over the sill, pulled die door shut, and made
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sure it was locked. A gust of wind pounced on us, slashing at us with sleet. I wanted to take Wolfe's elbow as we went down the steps, thinking where it would leave me if he fell and cracked his skull, but knew I hadn't better.
He made it safely, got his back to the sleety wind, which meant that Cramer had to face it, and raised his voice. 'I don't like fighting a blizzard, so let's get to the point. You don't want these people talking with me, but there's nothing you can do about it. You have blundered and you know it. You arrested Mr. Goodwin on a trumpery charge. You came and blustered me and went too far. Now you're afraid I'm going to explode Mr. Koven's lies. More, you're afraid I'm going to catch a murderer and toss him to the district attorney. So you--'
'I'm not afraid of a goddam thing.' Cramer was squinting to protect his eyes from the cutting sleet. 'I told you to lay off, and by God you're going to. Your suit against Koven is a phony.'
'It isn't, but let's stick to the point. I'm uncomfortable. I am not an outdoors man. You want to enter my house. You may, under a condition. The five callers are in my office. There is a hole in the wall, concealed from view in the office by what is apparently a picture. Standing, or on a stool, in a nook at the end of the hall, you can see and hear us in the office. The condition is that you enter quietly--confound it!'
The wind had taken his hat. I made a quick dive and stab but missed, and away it went. He had only had it fourteen years.
'The condition,' he repeated, 'is that you enter quietly, take your post in the nook, oversee us from there, and give me half an hour. Thereafter you will be free to join us if you think you should. I warn you not to be impetuous. Up to a certain point your presence would make it harder for me, if not impossible, and I doubt if you'll know when that point is reached. I'm after a murderer, and there's one chance in five, I should say, that I'll get him. I want--'
'I thought you said you were discussing an action for damages.'
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