der, we must devise a stratagem. Did your husband leave a will, Mrs. Mion?'
She nodded and said yes.
'Are you the heir?'
'Yes, I--' She gestured. 'I don't need it and don't want it.'
'But it's yours. That will do nicely. An asset of the estate is the expectation of damages to be paid by Mr. James for his assault on Mr. Mion. You may properly claim that asset. The six people I want to see were all concerned in that affair, one way or another. I'll write them immediately, mailing the letter tonight special delivery, telling them that I represent you in the matter and would like them to call at my office tomorrow evening.'
'That's impossible!' Peggy cried, shocked. 'I couldn't! I wouldn't dream of asking Gif to pay damages --'
Wolfe banged a fist on his desk. 'Confound it!' he roared. 'Get out of here! Go! Do you think murders are solved by cutting out paper dolls? First you lie to me, and now you refuse to annoy people, including the murderer! Archie, put them out!'
'Good for you,' I muttered at him. I was getting fed up too. I glared at the would-be clients. 'Try the Salvation Army,' I suggested. 'They're old hands at helping people in trouble. You can have the notebooks to take along--at cost, six bits. No charge for the contents.'
They were looking at each other.
'I guess he has to see them somehow,' Fred conceded. 'He has to have a reason, and I must admit that's a good one. You don't owe them anything--not one of them.'
Peggy gave in.
Curtains for Three 19
After a few details had been attended to, the most aportant of which was getting addresses, they left, ic manner of their going, and of our speeding them,
i so far from cordial that it might have been thought at instead of being the clients they were the prey. it the check was on my desk. When, after letting sin out, I returned to the office, Wolfe was leaning with his eyes shut, frowning in distaste.
I stretched and yawned. 'This ought to be fun,' I encouragingly. 'Making it just a grab for dam3S. If the murderer is among the guests, see how you can keep it from him. I bet he catches on efore the jury comes in with the verdict.'
'Shut up,' he growled. 'Blockheads.'
'Oh, have a heart,' I protested. 'People in love sn't supposed to think, that's why they have to hire lined thinkers. You should be happy and proud they
ked you. What's a good big lie or two when you're in re? When I saw--'
'Shut up,' he repeated. His eyes came open. 'Your
ebook. Those letters must go at once.'
Ill
pounds nday evening's party lasted a full three hours, and ler wasn't mentioned once. Even so, it wasn't ex ;ly jolly. The letters had put it straight that Wolfe, for Mrs. Mion, wanted to find out whether an propriate sum could be collected from Gifford James 'ithout resort to lawyers and a court, and what sum ould be thought appropriate. So each of them was turally in a state of mind: Gifford James himself; his lighter Clara; his lawyer, Judge Henry Arnold; lele Bosley for Public Relations; Dr. Nicholas Lloyd
20 Rex Stout
&. $as the technical expert; and Rupert Grove, who had been Mioa's manager. That made six, which was just comfortable for our big office. Fred and Peggy had not been invited.
The James trio arrived together and were so punctual, right on the dot at nine o'clock, that Wolfe and I hadn't yet finished our after-dinner coffee in the office. I was so curious to have a look that I went to answer the door instead of leaving it to Fritz, the chef and house overseer who helps to make Wolfe's days and years a joy forever almost as much as I do. The first thing that impressed me was that the baritone took the lead crossing the threshold, letting his daughter and his lawyer tag along behind. Since I have occasionally let Lily Rowan share her pair of opera seats with me, James' six feet and broad shoulders and cocky strut were nothing new, but I was surprised that he looked so young, since he must have been close to fifty. He handed me his hat as if taking care of his hat on Monday evening, August 15, was the one and only thing I had been born for. Unfortunately I let it drop.
Clara made up for it by looking at me. That alone showed she was unusually observant, since one never looks at the flunkey who lets one in, but she saw me drop her father's hat and gave me a glance, and then prolonged the glance until it practically said, 'What are you, in disguise? See you later.' That made me feel friendly, but with reserve. Not only was she pale and tense, as Peggy Mion had said, but her blue eyes glistened, and a girl her age shouldn't glisten hike that. Nevertheless^ I gave her a grin to show that I appreciated the prolonged glance.
Meanwhile the lawyer, Judge Henry Arnold, had hung up his own hat. During the day I had of course made inquiries on all of them, and had learned that he
Curtains for Three 21
I the 'Judge' only because he had once been a city ate. Even so, that's what they called him, so i sight of him was a let-down. He was a little sawed f squirt with a bald head so flat on top you could have an ashtray on it, and his nose was pushed in. He st have been better arranged inside than out, since s had quite a list of clients among the higher levels on
iway.
Taking them to the office and introducing them to felfe, I undertook to assign them to some of the yelbw chairs, but the baritone spied the red leather one copped it. I was helping Fritz fill their orders for when the buzzer sounded and I went back to front.
