“I mean, as far as you know, is it true?”
“Certainly it’s true.”
“Where do you live?”
“ Plainview, Nebraska.
Near there.”
“When did you get to New York?”
“Last Thursday.
Thursday afternoon.”
“All right.
That’s all.
But understand, you’re not to leave the city—”
Wolfe put in,
“My clients will remain in this house until I have cleared up this matter.”
“See that they do.” Skinner grabbed his drink. “So you’re going to clear it up.
God bless you.
If I had your nerve I’d own Manhattan Island.”
He drank.
The clients got up and went.
I escorted them to the hall, and while I was out there the doorbell rang.
It was Saul Panzer.
I went to the kitchen with him and got his report, which didn’t take long.
Johnny Keems was there with his chair tipped back against the wall, half asleep, and Purley Stebbins was in a corner, reading a newspaper.
I snared myself a glass of milk, took a couple of sips, and carried the rest to the office.
Hombert and Cramer had highballs and Fritz was arranging another one for Skinner.
I said to Wolfe,
“Saul’s back.
The subject left his office a few minutes before six and showed up at his apartment about a quarter after seven and dressed for dinner.
Saul hasn’t been able to trace him in between.
Shall he keep after it tonight?”
“No.
Send him home. Here at eight in the morning.”
“Johnny too?”
“Yes. No, wait.” Wolfe turned. “Mr. Cramer. Perhaps I can simplify something for you.
I know how thorough you are.
Doubtless you have discovered that there are various ways of getting into that place on Fifty-fifth Street, and I suppose you have had them all explored.
You may even have learned that there was a man there this afternoon, investigating them.”
Cramer was staring at him.
“Now, somebody tell me, how did you know that?
Yeah, we learned it, and we’ve got a good description, and there are twenty men looking for him …”
Wolfe nodded.
“I thought I might save you some trouble.
I should have mentioned it before.
The man’s out in the kitchen.
He was up there for me.”
Cramer went pop-eyed.
“But good God!
That was before Walsh was killed!” He put his drink down. “Now what kind of a—”
“We wanted to see Walsh, and knew you would have a man posted at the entrance.
He was there to find a way.
He left a few minutes after six and was here from six-thirty until eight o’clock.