No!
Was Richard Valdon the father?
No reply.
Will you answer me, madam?
No.
You won't answer, or he wasn't the father?
I won't answer.
I advise you to. It is known that you were formerly intimate with Richard Valdon. Further inquiry will disclose if you renewed the intimacy in the spring of last year.
No comment.
Will you answer?
No.
When you arrived in New York with the baby on February fifth what did you do with it?
No reply.
Will you answer?
No.
Did you at a later date leave the baby in the vestibule of Mrs. Valdon's house on Eleventh Street?
No reply.
Will you answer?
No.
Did you print the message that was pinned to the baby's blanket when it was left in Mrs. Valdon's vestibule? Will you answer?
No.
I strongly advise you, madam, to answer this question. How did you know that the baby Mrs. Valdon had in her house, as reported in the newspaper article, was your baby?
No reply.
Will you answer that?
No.
Where were you in the evening of Sunday, May twentieth? Will you answer?
No.
Where were you the night of Friday, June eighth? Will you answer?
She got up and walked out, and I have to hand it to her, she walked straight and smooth. I would have had to doublequick to beat her to the front door, so I merely stepped to the hall. When she was out and the door was shut I stepped back in, returned to my desk, sat, and looked at Wolfe, and he looked back at me.
Grrrr, he said.
That last question, I said.
What about it?
It may have been a little uh previous. It's barely possible, just barely, that she doesn't know about Ellen Tenzer. If the idea was to start her poking, shouldn't we have had Saul standing by? Or all three?
Pfui. Is she a nincompoop?
No.
Then could even Saul shadow her?
Probably not. Then why ask her about June eighth?
She came here to find out how much we know. It was as well to inform her that our interest is not restricted to the baby and its parentage, that we are also concerned, even if only incidentally, with the death of Ellen Tenzer.
Okay. I doubted if it was okay, but there was no point in pecking at it. What comes next?
I don't know. He glowered at me. Confound it, I am not lightning. I'll consider it. I shall probably want to see Mr. Bingham, Mr. Haft, and Mr. Krug, to ask why they failed to recognize her picture, though that may be inconsequential. I'll consider it. Will she approach Mrs. Valdon? Is she on her way there now?
No. Any odds you name.
Is Mrs. Valdon in danger? Or the baby?
I took five seconds and shook my head. I can't see it.
