He went, and Levy and Murphy with him.
Dr. Morley pivoted his head to watch them go, kept it that way a moment, and then came back to us. He looked disappointed but not beaten. The black eyes, after resting on me briefly, darted to Wolfe.
'You,' he said, 'are intelligent and literate. I should have had you more in mind. May I count on you to explain to that policeman why my suggestion is the only hope for him?'
'No,' Wolfe said curtly.
'He's had a hard day,' I told Morley. 'So have I. Would you mind closing the door after you?'
He looked as if he had a notion to start on me as a last resort, so I got up and circled around to the door, which had been left open, and remarked to him, 'This way, please.'
He arose and walked out without a word. I shut the door, had a good stretch and yawn, crossed to open a window and stick my head out for a breath of air, closed the window, and looked at my wrist watch.
'Twenty minutes to ten,' I announced.
Wolfe muttered, 'Go look at the office door.'
Curtains for Three 195
'I just did, as I let Morley out. It's sealed. Malefic e.'
'See if they're gone and bolt the door. Send Saul ae and tell him to come at nine in the morning. Tell I want beer.'
obeyed. The hall and front room were uninhab , Saul, whom I found in the kitchen with Fritz, said made a complete tour upstairs and everything in order. I stayed for a little chat with him while took a tray to the dining room. When I left him went back Wolfe, removing the cap from a bottle er with the opener Fritz had brought on the tray, naking a face, which I understood. The opener he ays used, a gold item that a satisfied client had him years ago, was in the drawer of his desk in ffice. I sat and watched him pour beer.
isn't a bad room to sit in,' I said brightly, i! I want to ask you something.' Shoot.'
I want your opinion of this. Assume that we ac without reservation the story Miss Brown told By the way, do you?' In view of what happened, yes.' lien assume it. Assume also that the man she had i, knowing she had recognized him, followed ^downstairs and saw her enter the office; that he I that she intended to consult me; that he post1 joining her in the office either because he knew in there with her or for some other reason; She saw you come out and go upstairs; that he took tunity to enter the office unobserved, got her I, killed her, got out unobserved, and returned s. All of those assumptions seem to be required, we discard all that and dig elsewhere.' take it that way.'
196 Rex Stout
'Very well. Then we have significant indications of his character. Consider it. He has killed her and is back upstairs, knowing that she was in the office talking with you for some time. He would like to know what she said to you. Specifically, he would like to know whether she told you about him, and if so how much. Had she or had she not named or described him in his current guise? With that question unanswered, would a man of his character as indicated leave the house? Or would he prefer the challenge and risk of remaining until the body had been discovered, to see what you would do? And I too, of course, after you had talked with me, and the police?'
'Yeah.' I chewed my lip. There was a long silence. 'So that's how your mind's working. I could offer a guess.'
'I prefer a calculation to a guess. For that a basis is needed, and we have it. We know the situation as we have assumed it, and we know something of his character.'
'Okay,' I conceded, 'a calculation. I'll be damned. The answer I get, he would stick around until the body was found, and if he did, then he is one of the bunch Cramer has been talking with. So that's what occurred to you, huh?'
'No. By no means. That's a different matter. This is merely a tentative calculation for a starting point. If it is sound, I know who the murderer is.'
I gave him a look. Sometimes I can tell how much he is putting on and sometimes I can't. I decided to buy it. With the office sealed up by the crabbed and envious mind of Inspector Cramer, he was certainly in no condition to entertain himself by trying to string me.
'That's interesting,' I said admiringly. 'If you
Curtains for Three 197
at me to get him on the phone I'll have to use the I in the kitchen.'
|'I want to test the calculation.' |'So do I.'
|^But there's a difficulty. The test I have in mind, only one I can contrive to my satisfaction--only can make it. And in doing so you would have to
i yourself to great personal risk.' ''or God's sake.' I gawked at him. 'This is a i-new one. The errands you've sent me on! Since i have you flinched or faltered in the face of dan >me?'
lis danger is extreme.'
> is the fix you're in. The office is sealed, and hi it : the book you're reading and the television set. i hear the test. Describe it. All I ask is ninety-nine aces in a hundred.'
/ery well.' He turned a hand over. 'The decision |be yours. The typewriter in the office is inaeeessi ;!Is that old one in your room in working order?' 6Pair.'
3ring it down here, and some sheets of blank pa ny kind. I'll need a blank envelope.' have some.'
Jring one. Also the telephone book, Manhattan, i my room.'
'went to the hall and up two flights of stairs. Hav|eollected the first three items in my room, I de ijed a flight,
