'There's ample excuse for these two. They are material witnesses. They are indeed.'
'You haven't named them. Who are they?'
'The man and woman who found the body. Mr. Frederick Weppler, the music critic, and Mrs. Mion, the widow.'
This time I didn't goggle, but I had to catch myself
Curtains for Three 43
quick. It was a first if there ever was one. Time and again I have seen Wolfe go far, on a few occasions much too far, to keep a client from being pinched. He regards it as an unbearable personal insult. And here he was, practically begging the law to haul Fred and Peggy in, when I had deposited her check for five grand only the day before! 'Oh,' Cramer said. 'Them?' 'Yes, sir,' Wolfe assured him cooperatively. 'As you know or can learn from the files, there is plenty to ask them about it. Mr. Weppler was there for lunch pthat day, with others, and when the others left he re fmained with Mrs. Mion. What was discussed? What they do that afternoon; where were they? Why did p. Weppler return to the Mion apartment at seven ?clock? Why did he and Mrs. Mion ascend together to studio? After finding the body, why did Mr. Weeper go downstairs before notifying the police, to get a . of names from the doorman and elevator man? An ordinary performance. Was it Mion's habit to an afternoon nap? Did he sleep with his mouth i?'
'Much obliged,' Cramer said not gratefully. Sfou're a wonder at thinking of questions to ask. But if Mion did take naps with his mouth open, I ; if he did it standing up. And after the bullet left head it went up to the ceiling, as I remember it. 1 Cramer put his palms on the arms of the chair, i the cigar in his mouth tilted up at about the angle f gun in Mion's mouth had probably been. 'Who's client?'
Jo,' Wolfe said regretfully. 'I'm not ready to dis that.'
'. thought not. In fact, there isn't one single damn ; you have disclosed. You've got no evidence, or if
44 Rex Stoat
you have any you're keeping it under your belt. You've got a conclusion you like, that will help a client you won't name, and you want me to test it for you by arresting two reputable citizens and giving them the works. I've seen samples of your nerve before, but this is tops. For God's sake!'
'I've told you I won't eat it, and neither will you. If--'
'You'd eat one of your own orchids if you had to earn a fee!'
That started the fireworks. I have sat many times and listened to that pair in a slugging match and enjoyed every minute of it, but this one got so hot that I wasn't exactly sure I was enjoying it. At 12:40 Cramer was on his feet, starting to leave. At 12:45 he was back in the red leather chair, shaking his fist and snarling. At 12:48 Wolfe was leaning back with his eyes shut, pretending he was deaf. At 12:52 he was pounding his desk and bellowing.
At ten past one it was all over. Cramer had taken it and was gone. He had made a condition, that there would first be a check of the record and a staff talk, but that didn't matter, since the arrests were to be postponed until after judges had gone home. He accepted the proviso that the victims were not to know that Wolfe had a hand in it, so it could have been said that he was knuckling under, but actually he was merely using horse sense. No matter how much he discounted Wolfe's three words that were not to be eaten--and he knew from experience how risky it was to discount Wolfe just for the hell of it--they made it fairly probable that it wouldn't hurt to give Mion's death another look; and in that case a session with the couple who had found the body was as good a way to start as any. As a
Curtains for Three 45
alter of fact, the only detail that Cramer choked on Swas Wolfe's refusal to tell who his client was.
As I followed Wolfe into the dining room for lunch I Remarked to his outspread back, 'There are already hi hundred and nine people in the metropolitan area |who would like to poison you. This will make it eight and eleven. Don't think they won't find out oner or later.' 'Of course they will,' he conceded, pulling his chair
'But too late.'
The rest of that day and evening nothing happened II, as far as we knew.
VI
s at my desk in the office at 10:40 the next morning i the phone rang. I got it and told the transmitter, lero Wolfe's office, Archie Goodwin speaking.' 'I want to talk to Mr. Wolfe.' 'He won't be available until eleven o'clock. Can I p?'
pThis is urgent. This is Weppler, Frederick Wepfc I'm in a booth in a drugstore on Ninth Avenue Twentieth Street. Mrs. Mion is with me. We've i arrested.' imood God!' I was horrified. 'What for?'
i ask us about Mion's death. They had material! warrants. They kept us all night, and we just at on bail. I had a lawyer arrange for the bail, but want him to know about--that we consulted , and he's not with us. We want to see Wolfe.'
sure do,' I agreed emphatically. 'It's a damn e. Come on up here. He'll be down from the Mffooms by the time you arrive. Grab a taxi.'
46 R
Stoat
'** ^-^^y^Phoaag. We're being followed b*J; *WO Octaves and we faft want them to know *r-^ ? f6'1* Wo5e. How op, we shake ^^
Ifc w^t? S? saved time and energy to tell him to come alXrt, i^ff ?f ?ffidaltaas needn't worry ^W St^?***'*****.
'F^ ^ 'ft.lMid'**??. 'Cops give me
'For ., T*; .' --' '*?8u?ea. 'uops < a pain ir*,the neck' Llsten- A^ yoa listening?' 'Yes*
ug? ^ntl^/T t C?mpany' Five-thirty-five _^-enteenth Street. Tn tho ??*. , * 'SI
