Cramer grunted and moved himself another inch forward.
Skinner was sunk in his chair with his elbows on its arms and his fingertips placed neatly together, his narrowed eyes moving from Wolfe to Clivers to Perry and back again. Hombert was biting his lip and watching Clivers.
Muir suddenly squeaked, “What’s all this about? What has this got to do—”
Wolfe snapped at him,
“Shut up.
You are here, sir, because that seemed the easiest way to bring Mr. Perry, and because I thought you should know the truth regarding your charge against Miss Fox.
If you wish to leave, do so; if you stay, hold your tongue.”
Clivers put in brusquely, “I didn’t agree to this man’s presence.”
Wolfe nodded.
“I think you may leave that to me.
After all. Lord Clivers, it was you who originally started this, and if the hen has come home to roost and I am to pluck it for you, I must be permitted a voice in the method.”
He turned abruptly.
“What about it, Mr. Perry?
You’ve had a moment for reflection.
You were Rubber Coleman, weren’t you?”
“I’m not talking.”
Perry was gazing at him, and this time he didn’t have to strain the words through his teeth. His Bps compressed a little, his idea being that he was smiling.
“Lord Clivers may quite possibly be mistaken.” He tried the smile again. “It may even be that he will … will realize his mistake.”
He looked around.
“You know me, Mr. Skinner.
You too, Mr. Hombert.
I am glad you are here.
I have evidence to present to you that this man Wolfe is engaged in a malicious attempt to damage my reputation and that of my vice-president and the firm I direct.
Mr. Muir will bear me out.” He turned small hard eyes on Wolfe. “I’ll give you rope. All you want.
Go on.”
Wolfe nodded admiringly.
“Superlative.”
He leaned back and surveyed the group.
“Gentlemen, I must ask you to listen, and bear with me.
You will reach my conclusion only if I describe my progress toward it.
I’ll make it as brief as possible. “It began some forty-five hours ago, when Mr. Perry called here and asked me to investigate a theft of thirty thousand dollars from the drawer of Mr. Muir’s desk.
Mr. Goodwin called at the Seaboard office and asked questions.
He was there from four-forty-five until five-fifty-five, and for a period of thirty-five minutes, from five-twenty until five-fifty-five, he saw neither Mr. Perry nor Mr. Muir, because they had gone to a conference in the directors’ room.
The case seemed to have undesirable features, and we decided not to handle it. I find I shall need some beer.”
He reached to push the button, and leaned back again.
“You know of Harlan Scovil’s visit to this office Monday afternoon.
Well, he saw Mr. Perry here.
He not only saw him, he stared at him.
You know of the phone call, at five-twenty-six, which summoned Mr. Scovil to his death.
Monday night, in addition to these things, I also knew the story which Miss Fox had related to us in the presence of Mr. Walsh and Miss Lindquist; and when, having engaged myself in Miss Fox’s interest, it became necessary to consider the murder of Harlan Scovil, I scanned the possibilities as they presented themselves at that moment.
“Assuming, until disproven, that Harlan Scovil’s murder was connected with the Rubber Band affair, the first possibility was of course Lord Clivers himself, but Tuesday morning he was eliminated, when I learned that the murderer was alone in the automobile.
An article in Sunday’s Times, which Mr. Goodwin had kindly read to me, stated that Lord Clivers did not know how to drive a car, and on Tuesday, yesterday, I corroborated that through an agent in London, at the same time acquiring various bits of information regarding Lord Clivers.
The second possibility was Michael Walsh.
I had talked with him and formed a certain judgment of him, and no motive was apparent, but he remained a possibility.
The same applied to Miss Lindquist.
Miss Fox was definitely out of it, because I had upon consideration accepted her as a client.”
Somebody burst out, “Ha!” Hombert ventured a comment, while Wolfe poured beer and gulped, but it went unheeded.
Wolfe wiped his Ups and went on.
“Among the known possibilities, the most promising one was Anthony D.
Perry.