'I have not!' Fifi was back, at his elbow. 'I wouldn't dream of it,' she told Wolfe. 'You know, there's something about you, fat as you are.' She reached to pick up the glass of beer and Scotch. 'Open your mouth and I'll--hey! Where you going?'
She got no reply. Out of his chair and headed for the door, Wolfe kept on, turning left in the hall, toward the kitchen.
That ended the party. They made remarks, especially Leddegard and Heath, and I was sympathetic as I wrangled them into the hall and on to the front. I went out and stood on the |; stoop as they descended to the sidewalk and headed for Tenth Avenue, just to see, but by the time they had gone fifty paces no furtive figures had sneaked out of areaways along the line, so I thought what the hell and went back in. A glance in the office showed me it was empty, and I went on to the kitchen. Fritz was pouring something thick into a big stone jar. Wolfe stood watching him, a slice of sturgeon in one hand and a glass of beer in the other. His mouth was occupied.
I attacked head on. 'I admit,' I said, 'that she was set to
I' toss it at you, but I was there to help wipe it off. What good
f; does it do to duck? There are at least eighty-six things you
I1, have to know before you can even start, and you had them
there and didn't even try. My vacation starts next Monday.
And what about your rule on not eating at bedtime?'
He swallowed. He drank beer, put the glass and the sturgeon on the table, reached to a shelf for a Bursatto melon, got I* a knife from the rack, cut the melon open, and began spooning the seeds onto a plate.
'The precise moment,' he said. 'Do you want some?' '? 'Certainly not,' I said coldly. The peach-colored meat was |[ so juicy there was a little pool in each half, and a breeze from I. the open window carried the smell to me. I reached for one
23
of the halves, got a spoon, scooped out a bite--and another . . .
Wolfe never talks business during meals, but this was not a meal. In the middle of his melon he remarked, 'For us the past is impossible.'
I darted my tongue to catch a drop of juice. 'Oh. It is?'
'Yes. It would take an army. The police and the FBI have already had four days for it. The source of the poison. Mrs. Kremp. Mrs. Rackell's surmise of the motive. Mr. Heath is presumably a Communist, but what about the others? Anyone might be a Communist, just as anyone might have a hidden carcinoma.'
He scooped a bite of melon and dealt with it. 'What of the motives suggested by that fantastic female buffoon? Are any of them authentic, and if so which one or ones? That alone would need a regiment. As for the police and the FBI, we have nothing to bargain with. Are they all Communists? Were they all in on it? Must we expose not one murderer but five? All those questions and others would have to be answered. How long would it take?'
'A year ought to do it.'
'I doubt it. The past is hopeless. There's too much of it.'
I raised my shoulders and let them drop. 'Okay, you don't have to rub it in. So we cross it off. Do I draw a check to Rack ell for his three grand tonight or wait till morning?'
'Have I asked you to draw a check?' No, sir.
He picked up the slice of sturgeon and took a bite. He never skimped on his chewing, and it took him a good four minutes to finish. Meanwhile I disposed of my melon.
'Archie,' he said.
'Yes, sir.'
'How does Mr. Heath feel about Miss Goheen?'
'Well.' I considered. 'There are different ways of putting it. I would say something like you would feel about a dish of stewed terrapin with sherry--within your sight and smell-- if you thought you knew how it would taste but had never had any.'
24
He grunted. 'Don't be fanciful. It's a serious question in a field where you are qualified as an expert and I'm not. Is his appetite deeply aroused? Would he take a risk for her?' i 'I don't know how he is on risks, but I saw how he looked i at her and how he reacted when she touched him. Also I saw Delia Devlin, and so did you. I would say he would try crossing a high shaky bridge with a wind blowing, but not unless it had rails.'
'That was the impression I got. We'll have to try it.'
'Try what?'
'A shove. A dig in their ribs. If their past is too much for
us, their future isn't, or shouldn't be. We'll have to try it. If li it doesn't work we'll try again.' He was scowling. 'The best
I* I can give it is one chance in twenty. Confound it, it requires
the cooperation of Mrs. Rackell, so I'll have to see her again;
[that can't be helped.'
He scooped a bite of melon. 'You'll need some instructions. Hi finish this, and we'll go to the office.'
He put the bite where it belonged and concentrated on his taste buds.
