No, I didn't think of her. I've only seen her two or three times.
C-A-R-O-L? M-A-R-D-I-S?
U-S.
Married?
No. As far as I know. She was married to Willis Krug, and divorced.
My brows went up. That's interesting. She wasn't on his list. Divorced how long ago?
I don't know exactly. I think four or five years. I only met her after I married Dick and Willis too.
I have to ask a question. If she's the mother, and now that's ten to one, how likely is it no, not likely.' How credible is it that Dick was the father?
I don't know. I've told you about Dick, Archie. I know he had been intimate with her years ago no, I don't know it, but someone told me. But if she's the mother Suddenly she was on her feet. I'm going to see her. I'm going to ask her.
Not right now. I started a hand for her arm but stopped it. Never mix personal relations with business relations unless you have to. I'm going to give you an order. I've made a few requests and suggestions, and I've talked you into a couple of things, but I've never given you an order. Now I do. You will mention Carol Mardus to no one, positively no one, until I say you can. And you won't see her or phone her. Right?
She smiled. No one has ever given me an order since my father died.
Then it's about time. Well?
Here. She put out a hand and I took it. The atmosphere was back to normal, but there was work to do. As a client, I said, you're the cream of the cream. I have to use the phone on business.
There was one in a cabinet at the end of the room, and I went and opened the door and dialed. I wouldn't have been surprised if Fritz had answered, they were so deep in literature, but it was Saul. I told him it would save time if Wolfe got on, and in a moment had his voice. Yes?
I'm at Mrs. Valdon's house. She knows the woman, not well. The name is Carol Mardus. I spelled it. She's the fiction editor of Distaff magazine. The Distaff Building is on Madison Avenue at Fifty-second Street. She was intimate with Valdon some years ago. Further details to follow. Congratulations again. If she isn't the mother she certainly knows who is. I'm on my way, to find out what she was doing in January.
No, Wolfe said. Saul will go.
Hold it. I slipped a cog. I turned to Lucy. You said you've seen her two or three times. Did you see her last winter?
She shook her head. I was just thinking. I haven't seen her since Dick died.
To the phone. Saul? Mrs. Valdon hasn't seen her since last September. Don't get too close to her, maybe she strangles the way she walks, straight and smooth. She was married to Willis Krug, but they were divorced four or five years ago. You might start with him, but you might not. He may not want to be reminded of her. She wasn't on his list. I have a suggestion.
Yes? Wolfe.
Manuel Upton is her boss. He told you five weeks ago that if Mrs. Valdon wants a favor from him she can ask him. She could phone and ask him if Carol Mardus was around last winter. That might simplify it, but of course it might tangle it.
It might indeed. Saul will follow routine. Tell Mrs. Valdon to mention Carol Mardus to no one.
I already have.
Tell her again. Stay with her. Divert her. Don't let her out of your sight. Click.
I cradled the phone and closed the cabinet. Saul will check on Carol Mardus, I told Lucy. 'My job is you. I am to keep you under constant surveillance. Mr. Wolfe understands you. He knows you wanted to find the mother so you could pull her hair. If you leave the house I'll have to tail you.
She tried to smile. I am beat, Archie, she said. Carol Mardus!
It's not certain yet, only ten to one, I told her.
It became certain two days later, at twenty minutes past ten Thursday evening, when Saul made his last phone call from Florida.
Of course it was Ellen Tenzer that complicated it. If there had been nothing to it but the mother hunt, I could simply have gone to Carol Mardus, showed her the picture, and asked her how and where she had spent last winter; and if she had stalled I would have told her that it would be a cinch to find out if she had been carrying and having a baby, and she might as well save me time and trouble. But almost certainly, if she was the mother, she had either killed Ellen Tenzer or knew or suspected who had, so it wasn't so simple.
