rs.toomanywomen-第13节
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of Waldo Wilmot Moore； it took him only a minute to decide that his best line was full and frank co…operation if he wanted any help from us in keeping his wife out of it as far as possible。 At least that was the way it looked to me； and by the time we got to his alibi for December 4 I was almost ready to regard him as a fellow being。
Around a quarter to ten he left； not because the bottle was empty or Wolfe had run out of questions； but because Saul Panzer arrived。 I let Saul in； and as he headed for the office the husband came out； got his things from the rack； and grunted and groaned without any false modesty as he got into his coat。 He offered a hand。
〃Christ； I'll be a cripple for a week；〃 he admitted。 〃That right of yours would dent a tank。〃
I acknowledged the pliment； closed the door after him； and returned to the office。
Saul Panzer； who was under size； who had a nose which could be accounted for only on the theory that a nose is all a face needs； and who always looked as if he had shaved the day before； was the best free…lance operative in New York。 He was the only colleague I knew that I would give a blank check to and forget it。 He had e to make a report； and； judging from the ground it covered； Wolfe must have got in touch with him and put him to work that morning as soon as I had left the house。
But that was about all you could say for it； that it covered lots of ground。 He had talked with squad men who had worked on the case； had gone through three newspaper files； had been shown the record by Captain Bowen downtown； and had even seen the owner of the car； and all he had harvested was one of the most plete collections of negatives I had ever seen。 No fingerprints from the car； nobody had any idea what Moore had been doing on Thirty…ninth Street； no one had seen the car being parked； afterwards； on Ninety…fifth Street； not a single lead had been picked up anywhere。 The police knew about Moore's friendship with Mrs。 Pine； and his romantic career at Naylor…Kerr； and a few other things about him that were news to me； but none of them had turned on a light they could see by。 It was now； for them； past history； and they had other things to do； except that a hit…and…run manslaughter was never finished business until they collared him。
〃One little thing；〃 said Saul； who wasn't pleased with himself。 〃The body was found at one…ten in the morning。 An M。E。 arrived at one…forty…two。 His quick guess was that Moore had been dead about two hours； and the final report more or less agreed with him。 So we have these alternatives： first； the body was there on the street； from around midnight until ten after one； with nobody seeing it。 Second； the M。E。 report is a bad guess and he hadn't been dead so long。 Third； the body wasn't there all that time but was somewhere else。 I mentioned it downtown； and they don't think it's a thing at all； not even a little one。 They have settled for either number one or number two； or a bination。 They say Thirty…ninth Street between Tenth and Eleventh might easily be that empty from midnight on。〃
Saul turned his palms up。 〃You can pay me expenses and forget it。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 Wolfe said。 〃I'm not paying you； the client is。 A tiger's eyes can't make light； Saul； they can only reflect it。 You've spent the day in the dark。 e back in the morning。 I may have some suggestions。〃
Saul went。
I yawned。 Or rather； I started to； and stopped。 It is true that wine always makes me yawn； but it is also true that the after…effect of a series of socks on my jaw and the side of my neck makes me stop yawning。 I swiveled my chair around with a swing of my body； not bothering to put my hand on the edge of my desk for an assist。 A simultaneous protest came from at least forty muscles； and； since Harry was no longer there； I groaned without restraint。
〃I guess I'll go to bed；〃 I stated。
〃Not yet；〃 Wolfe objected。 〃It's only half…past ten。 You have to go to your job in the morning and I haven't heard your report。〃 He leaned back and closed his eyes。 〃Go ahead。〃
And three hours later； at half…past one in the morning； we were still there and I was still reporting。 I have never known him to be more thorough； wanting every detail and every little word。 My face felt stiff as a board； and I hurt further down； especially my left side； but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction and pleasure of hearing me groan again； and I didn't。 After I had given him everything he kept ing back for more； and when it was no longer possible to continue that without making it perfectly plain that he was merely trying to see how long it would take me to collapse on the floor there in front of him； he asked：
〃What do you think？〃
I tried to grin at him； but I doubt if I put it over。
〃I think；〃 I said； 〃that the crucial point in this case will e in about a month or six weeks； when we'll have to decide whether to stop and send in our bill or go on a while longer。 It will depend on two things…how much we need the money； and how much Naylor…Kerr will pay for nothing。 That's the problem that confronts us and we must somehow solve it。〃
〃Then you don't think Mr。 Moore was murdered。〃
〃I don't know。 There are at least two hundred people who might have murdered him。 If one of them did； and if there were any possible way of finding out which one； naturally I have my favorites。 I have mentioned Pine。 I like the idea of him because it is always gratifying to call a bullheaded bluff； and if it was him he certainly tried one when he hired you。 But if he's the sort of bird who takes it in his stride when his wife keeps two…legged pets on account of her owning stock in the pany that pays his salary； what would ever work him up to murder？ Anyhow； she had given Moore the boot。 My real favorite is Kerr Naylor。〃
〃Indeed。〃
〃Yes； sir。 On account of psychology。 Wait till you see him Monday。 His last ten incarnations he was a cat； and he always held the world's record for mouse…playing。 Add that to the well…known impulse of a murderer to confess； and what have you got？ Although it has all been filed away as a hit…and…run； with the hit…runner not found and not likely to be at this late day； he has got that impulse； so he tells the world； including a Deputy missioner of Police； that it was murder。 That satisfies the impulse without costing him anything； and also it carries on the tradition of his cat ancestry。 Baby； what fun！ In this case the mouse is the people in his department； the president of the firm and the Board of Directors； the cops…everybody but him。 〃Yep； he's my favorite。〃
〃Any others？〃
I started to wave a hand but called it back on a word from my shoulder。 〃Plenty。 Dickerson； for the honor of the Section。 Rosenbaum； hipped on Miss Livsey and wanting to save her from a two…bit Casanova。 And so on。 But this is all academic。 We might reach some kind of a conclusion； but what if we do？ The waves have washed all the foot…prints away； and as I said before； all we'll be able to solve is the question when to quit and render a bill。 The only consolation is that I'll get a wife out of it。 I'm going to make Miss Livsey forget Waldo。〃
〃Confound it。〃 Wolfe reached for his beer glass and saw that it was empty； lifted the bottle and found it empty too； and glared at both of them。 〃I suppose we'd better go to bed。 Are you in pain？〃
〃Pain？ Why？ I thought we might sit and talk a while。 This is a very difficult case。〃
〃It may be。 Tomorrow I'd like to see Mrs。 Pine。 She can e at eleven in the morning； or right after lunch。 You can arrange it through Mr。 Pine。〃 He gripped the edge of his desk with both hands； the customary preliminary to getting to his feet。
The phone rang。 I swiveled my chair； not groaning； and lifted the instrument。
〃Nero Wolfe's office； Archie Goodwin speaking。〃
〃Oh； Mr。 Goodwin？ My husband has told me about you。 This is Cecily Pine； Mrs。 Jasper Pine。〃
〃Yes； Mrs。 Pine。〃
〃I just got home from a theater supper； and my husband told me about your inquiry regarding Waldo Moore。 I would like to help； if I can in any way； and I don't think these things should be put off； so I'll drive down there now。 I have the address。〃
I tried to keep my voice friendly and sociable。 〃I'm afraid it would be better to make it tomorrow； Mrs。 Pine。 It's pretty late； and Mr。 Wolfe…〃
But he ruined it。 He had got on his extension； and broke in； 〃This is Mr。 Wolfe； Mrs。 Pine。 I think it would be better to e now。 An excellent idea。 You have the address？〃
She said she had and would leave right away； and only had to e from Sixty…seventh Street。 Wolfe and I hung up。
〃It's unfortunate；〃 Wolfe said。 〃You should be in bed； but it may be necessary for you to take notes。〃
〃I'm not sleepy；〃 I said through my teeth。 〃I was hoping she would call。〃
Chapter Fourteen
Considering what I knew of her； I could hardly believe my eyes when I opened the door and let her in。 Probably I had unconsciously been expecting something on the order of Hedy Lamarr as she would be with the wrinkles of age； and therefore the sight of her pink smooth…skinned wholesome face and her medium…sized housewife's chassis； a little plump maybe； but certainly not
