ace about who killed her…and killed her dog too。〃 His jaw quivered a little； and he clamped it tight。
〃Do you mean；〃 I inquired； 〃that suspicion is centered on you？ How e？〃
〃Not on me as…as a murderer； I don't suppose so； but on me as a liar； and you and Wolfe。 Even though she left me a great deal of money…I'm not thinking about being arrested for murder。〃
〃Who do you think ought to be？〃
〃I don't know。〃 He gestured。 〃You're trying to change the subject。 It's not a question of me and what I think； it's you and what you're going to do。 From what I've heard of Wolfe； I doubt if it would help for you to tell him what I've said； I've got to see him and tell him myself。 If he has really got to hide from somebody or something； do it however you want to。 Blindfold me and put me face down in your car。 I've got to see him。 My cousin would have wanted me to； and he took her money。〃
I was half glad there for a moment that I did not know where Wolfe was。 I had no admiration for Leed's preference in pets； since I would put a woman ahead of a Doberman pinscher any day； and there was room for improvement in him in a few other respects； but I couldn't help but admit he had a point and was not being at all unreasonable。 So if I had known where Wolfe was I would have had to harden my heart； and as it was all I had to harden was my voice。 It struck me then； for the first time； that maybe I shouldn't be so sore at Wolfe after all。
Leeds hung on for another quarter of an hour； and I prolonged it a little myself by trying to get something out of him about the progress the cops had made； without success。 He went away mad； still calling me a liar； which kept it unanimous。 What he got from me was nothing。 What I got from him was that Mrs。 Rackham's funeral would be the next morning； Wednesday。 Not a profitable way to spend most of an hour； for either of us。 I spent what was left of the afternoon looking into the matter of sausage。
Within ten minutes after the package had been opened that day； Wolfe had phoned both Mummiani and the Fleet Messenger Service and got a blank as expected； but on the outside chance that I might at least get a bone for my curiosity to gnaw on I made a trip to Fulton Street and one uptown。
At Mummiani's no one knew anything。 Since Wolfe had been getting Darst's sausage from them for years； and in that time their personnel had e and gone； any number of outsiders could know about it At the Fleet Messenger Service they were willing to help but couldn't。 They remembered the package because Wolfe had phoned about it； but all I learned was that it had been left there by a youth who might have been playing hookey from the eighth grade； and I didn't even bother to listen to the description； such as it was。
Fed up with an empty house and the phone ringing and being called a bar； I put in a call myself from a drugstore booth； and made personal arrangements for dinner and a show。
Wednesday morning a visitor came that I let in。 I had formed the habit； since returning from jail； of hearing the doorbell ring； going to the hall； observing through the one…way glass panel who it was out on the stoop； making a face； and returning to the office。 If the bell kept ringing long enough to be a nuisance I flipped the switch that turned it off。 This time； around eleven Wednesday morning； instead of making a face I went and opened the door and said； 〃Well； hello！ ing in？〃
A chunky specimen about my height； with wrinkled pink skin and gray hair and sharp gray…blue eyes； grunted a greeting and stepped over the sill。
I said it was cold for April； and he agreed。 As I hung his topcoat on the rack I told myself that I must be more restrained。 The fact that I was alone in the house was no reason to give Inspector Cramer of Manhattan Homicide the impression that I was glad to see him。 Wolfe or no Wolfe； I could keep up appearances。
I let him lead the way to the office。 This time I sat at my own desk。 I was tempted to take Wolfe's chair again just to see how he would react； but it would have put me at a disadvantage； I was so used to dealing with him； in the red leather chair； from my own angle。
He eyed me。 〃So you're holding the fort；〃 he growled。
〃Not exactly；〃 I objected。 〃I'm only the caretaker。 Or maybe I'm going down with the ship。 Not that those who have left are rats。〃
〃Where's Wolfe？〃
〃I don't know。 Next； you call me a liar。 Then I say I have been； but not now。 Then you…〃
〃Nuts。 Where is he； Archie？〃
That cleared the atmosphere。 Over the years he had called me Goodwin fifty times to one Archie。 He called me Archie only when he wanted something awful bad or when he had something wrapped up that Wolfe had given him and his humanity overcame him。 So we were to be mellow。
〃Listen；〃 I said； friendly but firm。 〃That routine is all right for people like district attorneys and state cops and the representatives of the press； but you're above it。 Either I don't know where he is； or I do know but I'm sitting on it。 What's the difference？ Next question。〃
He took a cigar from his pocket； inspected it； rubbed it between his palms； and inspected it again。 〃It must be quite a thing；〃 he remarked； not growling。 〃That ad in the paper。 The plants gone。 Fritz and Theodore gone。 Vukcic listing the house for sale。 I'm going to miss it； I am； never dropping in to see him sitting there thinking he's smarter than God and all His angels。 Quite a thing； it must be。 What is it？〃
I said slowly and wearily； 〃Either I don't know what it is； or I do know but…〃
〃What about the sausage that turned into tear gas？ Any connection？〃
I am always ready for Inspector Cramer； in the light of experience guided by intelligence； and therefore didn't bat an eye。 I merely cocked my head a little； met his gaze； and considered the matter until I was satisfied。 〃I doubt if it was Fritz；〃 I stated。 〃Mr。 Wolfe has him too well trained。 But in the excitement Sunday morning； Mr。 Wolfe being gone； Fritz told Theodore； and you got it out of Theodore。〃 I nodded。 〃That must be it。〃
〃Did the tear gas scare him out of his skin？ Or out of his house； which is the same thing。 Was that it？〃
〃It might have； mightn't it？ A coward like him？〃
〃No。〃 Cramer put the cigar between his teeth； tilted up。 〃No； there are plenty of things about Wolfe I can and do object to； but he's not a coward。 There might have been something about that tear gas that would have scared anybody。 Was there？〃
〃As far as I know； it was just plain tear gas； nothing fancy。〃 I decided to shove a little。 〃You know； it's nice to have you here any time； just for pany； but aren't you spreading out some？ Your job is homicide； and the tear gas didn't even make us sick； let alone kill us。 Also your job is in the County of New York； and Mrs。 Rackham died in Westchester。 I enjoy talking with you； but have you got credentials？〃
He made a noise that could have been a chuckle。 〃That's more like it；〃 he said； not sarcastically。 〃You're beginning to sound natural。 I'll tell you。 I'm here at the request of Ben Dykes； who would give all his teeth and one ear to clear up the Rackham case ahead of the state boys。 He thinks that Archer； the DA； may have swallowed the idea that you and Leeds are lying too deep； and he came to me as an expert on Nero Wolfe； which God knows I am。 He laid it all out for me and wanted my opinion。〃 He shifted the cigar to a new angle。 〃The way it looked to me； there were three possibilities。 First； the one that Archer has sold himself on； that you and Leeds are lying； and that what Mrs。 Rackham really told Wolfe when she came here； together with her getting murdered the next day； somehow put Wolfe on a spot that was too hot for him； and he scooted； after fixing with you to cover as well as you could。 I told Dykes I would rule that out； for various reasons…chiefly because neither you nor Wolfe would risk that much on a setup that depended on a stranger like Leeds sticking to a lie。 Shall I analyze it more？〃
〃No； thanks； that'll do。〃
〃I thought so。 Next； the possibility that when you phoned Wolfe right after the body was found you told him something that gave him a line on the murderer； but it's tricky and he had to go outdoors to get his evidence； preparing to grandstand it for the front page。 I told Dykes I would rule that out too。 Wolfe is quite capable of a play like that； sure he is； but if that's all it amounted to； why move the plants out and put Frits to work in a restaurant and list the house for sale？ He's colorful； but not that colorful。 Mrs。Rackham only paid him ten thousand； about what I make a year。 Why should he spend it having his orchids carted around？〃
Cramer shook his head； 〃Not for my money。 That leaves the third possibility： that something really did scare him。 That there was something about Mrs。 Rackham's murder； or anyhow connected with it； that he knew he couldn't handle sitting there in that chair； but for some reason he had to handle it。 So he scooted。 As you say； you either don't know where he is or you know and won't tell…and that's no help either way。 Now I've got a lot to say about this possibility。 You got time to listen？〃
〃I've got all day； but Fritz isn't here