I swiveled and picked it up and started my usual salutation,
“Hello, this is the office-”
“Hello! Hello there! I want to speak to Nero Wolfe!”
I made a face at my desk calendar; this was a voice I knew too. I turned on the aggressiveness: “Don't bark like that. Mr. Wolfe is engaged. This is Goodwin, his confidential assistant. Who-”
“This is Mr. Dudley Frost!
I don't care if he is engaged, I want to speak to him at once!
Is my niece there?
Let me speak to her! Let me speak to Wolfe first!
He's going to be sorry-”
I roughened up:
“Listen, mister, if you don't turn off that valve a little I'll hang up on you. I mean it.
Mr. Wolfe and Miss Frost are having a conversation, and I refuse to disturb them.
If you want to leave a message-” “I insist on speaking to Wolfe!” “You C, A, N, apostrophe, T, can't. Don't be childish.” “I'll show you who's childish!
You tell Wolfe-tell him that I am my niece's trustee.
She is under my protection.
I will not have her annoyed.
I'll have Wolfe and you too arrested as nuisances! She is a minor! I'll have you prosecuted-”
“Listen, Mr. Frost. Will you listen?
What you say is okay.
Let me suggest that you have Inspector Cramer do the arresting, because he's been here often and knows the way.
Furthermore, I'm going to hang up now, and if you aggravate me by keeping this phone ringing, I'll hunt you up and straighten your nose for you. I mean that with all my heart.”
I cradled the instrument, picked up my notebook and turned and said curtly,
“More fuss.”
Helen Frost said in a strained voice, because she didn't like to have to ask,
“My cousin?”
“No.
Your uncle.
Your cousin comes next.” Which was truer and more imminent than I knew.
Her mouth opened at me as if for another question, but she decided against it.
Wolfe resumed:
“I was about to ask, how long have you been working?”
“Nearly two years.”
She leaned forward at him. “I'd like to ask…is this…going on indefinitely?
You're just trying to provoke me…”
Wolfe shook his head.
“I'm trying not to provoke you.
I'm collecting information, possibly none of it germane, but that's my affair.” He glanced at the clock. “It's a quarter past three.
At four o'clock I shall ask you to accompany me to my plant rooms on the roof; you'll find the orchids diverting.
I should guess we shall be finished by six. I assure you, I'm going through with this.
I intend to invite Mr. McNair to call on me this evening.
If he finds that inconvenient, then tomorrow.
If he refuses, Mr. Goodwin will go to his place in the morning and see what can be done.
By the way, I need to be sure that you will be there tomorrow.
You will?”
“Of course.
I'm there every- Oh! No.
I won't be there.
The place will be closed.”
“Closed?
A Thursday?