He had suspected from the first that there was something odd about the disappearance of that $30,000, and he reasserted his right to know what Wolfe had found out about it.
Wolfe let him ramble on quite a while, but finally he sighed and sat up and got positive.
Nothing doing.
Perry seemed determined to keep his temper.
He sat and bit his lower lip and looked at me and back at Wolfe again.
Wolfe asked,
“Was there anything else, sir?”
Perry hesitated.
Then he nodded.
“There was, yes.
But I don’t suppose … however … 1 want to see Miss Fox.”
“Indeed.” Wolfe’s shoulders went up an inch and down again. “The demand for that young woman seems to be universal.
Did you know the police are still looking for her?
They want to ask her about a murder.” Perry’s chin jerked up.
“Murder?
What murder?”
“Just a murder.
A man on the street with five bullets in him.
I would have supposed Frisbie had told you of it.”
“No. Muir said Frisbie said something … I forget what … but this sounds serious.
How can she possibly be connected with it?
Who was killed?”
“A man named Harlan Scovil.
Murder is often serious.
But I think you needn’t worry about Miss Fox; she really had nothing to do with it.
You see, she is still my client.
At present she is rather inaccessible, so if you could just tell me what you want to see her about …”
I saw a spot of color on Perry’s temple, and it occurred to me that he was the fourth raan I had that day seen badly affected in the emotions by either the presence or the name of Clara Fox.
She wasn’t a woman, she was an epidemic.
But obviously Perry wasn’t going to repeat Muir’s performance.
I watched the spot of color as it faded. At length he said to Wolfe quietly,
“She is in this house.
Isn’t she?”
“The police searched this house today and didn’t find her.”
“But you know where she is?”
“Certainly.” Wolfe frowned at him. “If you have a message for her. Mr. Goodwin will take it.”
“Can you tell me when and where it will be possible to see her?”
“No.
I’m sorry.
Not at present.
Tomorrow, perhaps …”
Perry arose from his chair.
He stood and looked down at Wolfe, and all of a sudden smiled.
“All right,” he said. “I can’t say that my call here has been very profitable, but I’m not complaining.
Every man has a right to his own methods if he can get away with them.
As you suggest, I’ll wait till tomorrow; you may feel differently about it.”
He put out his hand.
Wolfe glanced at the outstretched hand, then opened his eyes to look directly at Perry’s face.
He shook his head.
“No, sir.