TVen^r past three,' the husband put in.
'Were yon and your husband together all the time? CoBtinuousty?^
; *Wcourse. Welt--yon know how it i?-^he would want to look longer at something, and I would move on aHttte-?
'Certainly we were,' Carlisle said irritably. 'You can see why I made that remark about it depending on
Curtains for Three ITS
, she said. She has a habit of being vague. This is ito be vague.' am not actually vague,' she protested with no ; not to her husband but to Cramer. 'It's just that is relative. There would be no presence if t were no absence. There would be no innocence if were no sin. Nothing can be cut off sharp from ; else. Who would have thought my wish to see Wolfe's office would link me with a horrible
God!' Carlisle exploded. 'Hear that? Link. hy did you want to see Wolfe's office?' Cramer
hy, to see the globe.' awked at her. I had supposed that naturally she say it was curiosity about the office of a great oils detective. Apparently Cramer reacted the las me. 'The globe?' he demanded. STes, I had read about it and I wanted to see how it , I thought a globe that size, three feet in diame
: be fantastic in an ordinary room--Oh!' ^iwhat?' ; didn't see it!'
ler nodded. 'You saw something else instead, way, I forgot to ask, did you know her? Had ever seen her before?'
i mean--her?' STes. Her name was Cynthia Brown.'^ .
had never known her or seen her or heard of 1 the husband declared. ,-. .
. you, Mrs. Carlisle?'
*o.' ---.-'- . ----- . course she came as the guest of a Mrs. Orwin;
Ift Rex Stoat .
she wasn't a member of this flower club. Are you a member?'
'Myhusband is.'
'We both are,' Carlisle stated. *Vague again. It's a joint membership. In my greenhouse at my country home I have over four thousand plants, including several hundred orchids.' He looked at his wrist watch. 'Isn't this about enough?' ;
'Plenty,' Cramer conceded, 'Thank you, both of you. We won't bother you again unless we have to. Levy, pass them put,'
Mrs. Carlisle got to her feet and moved off, but halfway to the door she turned. 'I don?t suppose-- would it be possible for me to look at the globe now? Justapeek?'
'For God's sake!' Her husband took her by the arjm, 'Come on. Come on!' ,
When the door had closed behind them Cramer glared at me and then at Wolfe. 'This is sure a sweet one,' he said grimly. 'Say it's within the range of possibility that Carlisle is it, and the way it stands right now, why not? So we look into him. We check back on him for six months, and try doing it without getting roars out of him--a man like that, in his position. However, it can be done--by three or four men in two or threes we^ksl Multiply that by what? How many men .werehere?*'' u<:' . ''-''*' ' ' :
'Around a hundred and twenty,' I told him. 'Ten dozen. But you'll find that at least half of them are disqualified one way or another. As I told you, I took a sttrtfey^&iy sMly,''
'All right, multiply ft by s&ty. Do you care for it?'
'No.'
'Neither do I.' Cramer took the cigar from his mouth, removed a nearly severed piece with his fin Curtains for Three 177
and put it in an ashtray, and replaced the cigar a fresh tooth-hold. 'Of course,' he said sarcasti* , 'when she sat in there telling you about him the ;idn was different. You wanted her to enjoy being t you. You couldn't reach for the phone and tell us a self-confessed crook who could put a quick on a murderer and let us come and take over-- a! You had to save it for a fee for Wolfe! You had and admire her legs!' Dn't be vulgar,' I said severely, ifou had to go upstairs and make a survey! You
Well?'
aeutenant Rowcliff had opened the door and en. There were some city employees I liked, some I some I had no feeling about, some I could done without easy--and one whose ears-1 was to twist someday. That was Rowcliff. fle was ong, handsome, and a pain in the neck, e're all through in there, sir,' he said impor'We've covered everything. Nothing is being away, and it is all in order. We were especially with the contents of the drawers of Wolfe's J and also we--' ly desk!' Wolfe roared.
ffes, your desk,' Rowcliff said precisely, smirking, i blood was rushing into Wolfe's face, he was killed there,' Cramer said gruffly. 'She ;led with something, and murderers have jpmown to hide things. Did you get anything at
l^don't think so,' Rowcliff admitted. 'Of course ats have to be sorted, and there'll be lab re< How do we leave it?'
it up and we'll see tomorrow. You stay here
178 Bex Stout
and keep a photographer. The others can go. Tell Steb bins to send that woman in--Mrs. Irwin.'
'Orwm;gir.'
^raae^lwr.'
