tive is no help； with four of you inheriting piles from two hundred grand up； and the other two possibly counting on marrying one of the piles。 Only I must say； in the atmosphere here tonight； courtship doesn't seem to be on the program。〃
〃It isn't；〃 Annabel asserted。
I glanced at Hammond and Pierce； but neither of them seemed to want the floor。
〃So；〃 I continued； 〃unless the cops have got a trap set that you don't know about； it's one of those things。 You never can tell。 It would be a waste of money to pay me to go over the ground the cops have covered…or any other detective except Nero Wolfe； and he's not around。 There's only one way to use me； or anyhow only one way to start； and stand a chance of getting your money's worth； and that would be to give me a good eight or ten hours with each of you six people； each one separately。 I have watched and listened to Nero Wolfe a good many years and I can now do a fair imitation。 It might possibly rum out to be worth it to all of you…except one； as Mr。 Pierce would say。〃
I flipped a hand。 〃That's the best suggestion I can offer。 With nothing like a guarantee。〃
Annabel said； 〃No one would tell you everything you asked。 I haven't myself； to the police。〃
〃Sure。 I understand that。 That's part of it。〃
〃You would be working for me…for us。 It would be confidential。〃
〃Things that weren't used would be confidential。 Nothing that was evidence would be。〃
Annabel sat and regarded me。 She had had her fingers twisted tight together； and now she loosened them and then they twisted again。 〃I want to ask you something； Mr。 Goodwin。 Do you think one of us killed Mrs。Rackham？〃
〃I do now。 I don't know what I would think after I had worked at it。〃
〃Do you think you know which one？〃
〃Nope。 I'm impartial。〃
〃All right。 You can start with me。〃 She turned her head。 〃Unless one of you would rather first？〃
No one moved or spoke。 Then Calvin Leeds： 〃Count me out； Annabel。 Not with Goodwin。 Let him tell us first where Nero Wolfe is and why。〃
〃But Cal…you won't？〃
〃Not with him I won't。〃
〃Dana？〃
Hammond looked unhappy。 He got up and went to her。 〃Annabel； this was a mistake。 The whole idea was no good。 What can Goodwin do that the police couldn't do？ I doubt i￡ you have any conception of how a private detective works。〃
〃He can try。 Will you help； Dana？〃
〃No。 I hate to refuse； but I must〃
〃Oliver？ Will you？〃
〃Well。〃 The statesman was frowning； not at her； at me。 〃This seems to me to be a case of all or none。 I don't see how anything could be acplished…〃
〃Then you refuse me too？〃
〃Under the circumstances I have no other course。〃
〃I see。 You won't even give me a straight no。 Barry？〃
〃Certainly not。 Goodwin has lied to the police about my wife's visit to Wolfe。 I wouldn't give him eight seconds； let alone eight hours。〃
Annabel left her chair and went toward the couch。 〃Lina； I guess it's up to the women。 You and me。 She was darned good to us； Lina…both of us。 What about it？〃
〃Darling；〃 Lina Darrow said。 She sat up。 〃Darling Annabel。 You know you don't like me。〃
That isn't true；〃 Annabel protested。 〃Just because…〃
〃Of course it's true。 You thought I was trying to squeeze you out。 You thought I was making a play for Barry merely because I was willing to admit he might be human； so wait and see。 You thought I was trying to snatch Oilie from you； when as a matter of fact…〃
〃Lina； for God's sake；〃 Pierce implored her。
Her fine dark eyes flashed at him。 〃She did； Oilie！ When as a matter of fact she got bored with you； and I happened to be near。〃 The eyes darted right to left； sweeping them。 〃And look at you now； all of you； and listen to you！ You all think Barry killed her…all except one； you would say； Oilie。 But you haven't got the guts to say so。 And this Mr。 Goodwin of yours； darling Annabel； have you told him that what you really want him for is to find some kind of proof that Barry did it？ No； I suppose you're saving that for later。〃
Lina arose； in no hurry； and confronted Annabel from springing distance。
〃I thought it would be something like this；〃 she said； and left us； detouring around Leed's chair and heading for the door to the reception hall。 Eyes followed her； but no one said anything； then； as she passed out of sight； Barry Rackham got up and； without a glance for any of us； including his hostess； tramped from the room。
The remaining three guests exchanged looks。 Leeds and Pierce left their chairs。
〃I'm sorry； Annabel；〃 Leeds said gruffly。 〃But didn't I tell you about Goodwin？〃
She didn't reply。 She only stood and breathed。 Leeds went； with not as much spring to his step as I had seen； and Pierce； mumbling a good night； followed。 Dana Hammond went to Annabel； had a hand out to touch her arm； and then let it drop。
〃My dear；〃 he said； appealing to her； 〃it was no good。 It couldn't be。 If you had consulted me…〃
〃I'll remember next time； Dana。 Good night。〃
〃I want to talk with you； Annabel。 I want to…〃
〃Tor God's sake； let me alone！ Go！〃
He backed up a step and scowled at me； as if I were to blame for everything。 I lifted my right brow at him。 It's one of my few outstanding talents； lifting one brow； and I save it for occasions when nothing else would quite serve the purpose。
He walked out of the room without another word。
Annabel dropped onto the nearest chair； put her elbows on her knees； and buried her face in her hands。
I stood looking down at her。 〃It was not；〃 I told her sympathetically； 〃what I would call a success； but anyhow you tried。 Not to try to make you feel better； but for future guidance； it might have been wiser； instead of calling a convention； to tackle them one at a dme。 And it was too bad you picked Leeds to sell first； since he has a grudge against me。 But the truth is you were licked before you started。 The shape their nerves are in； touching them with a feather wouldn't tickle them； it would give them a stroke。 Thanks all the same for asking me。〃
I left her。 By the time I got out to the parking space the cars of the other guests were gone。 Rolling down the curving driveway； I was thinking that my first ining phone call hadn't been so damned magnificent after all。
12
ONE or two of my friends have tried to tell me that some of my experiences that summer are worth telling about； but even taking them at their word； I'm not going to drag it in here。 However； it is true that after I ran an ad in the Gazette and word got around I soon quit keeping count of the ining calls。 All I'll do here is summarize it by months； May。 Woman with pet cat stolen。 Got it back； fifty dollars and expenses。
Guy who got rolled in a joint on Eighth Avenue and didn't want to call the cops。 Found her and scared most of it out of her。 Two Cs for me。 Man who wanted his son pried loose from a blond sharpie。 Shouldn't have tried it； fell on my nose； took a C above expenses anyhow。 Restaurant with a dumb cashier with sticky fingers； took only one afternoon to hook her； client beefed about my request for sixty…five dollars but paid it。
June。 Spent two full weeks handling a hot insurance case for Del Bas and damn near got my skull cracked for good。 Cleaned it up。 Del had the nerve to offer me three Cs； demanded a grand and got it。 My idea was to net more per week than I had been getting from Wolfe； not that I cared for the money； but as a matter of principle。 Found a crooked bookie for a man from Meadville； Pa。 A hundred and fifty dollars。 Man wanted me to find his vanished wife； but it looked dim and he could pay only twenty bucks a day； so I passed it。 Girl unjustly accused； she said； of giving secret business dope to a rival firm； and fired from her job； pestered me into tackling it。 Proved she was right and got her job back； doing five hundred dollars' worth of work for a measly hundred and twenty； paid in installments。 Her face wasn't much； but she had a nice voice and good legs。 Got an offer of a job from the FBI； my ninth offer from various sources in six weeks； and turned it down。
July。 Took a whirl at supervising ten men for a bunch of concessionaires at Coney Island； caught one of them taking a cut from doobey stands； he jumped me with a cooler and I broke his arm。 Got tired of looking at a thousand acres of bare skin； mostly peeling； practically all nonseductive； and quit。 Eight fifty for seventeen days。 Had passed up at least two thousand worth of little chores。 Screwball woman on Long Island had had jewelry stolen； uninsured； thought cops were in on it and stalling。 Two things happened； I got some breaks； and I did a damn good piece of work。
It took me into August。 I got all the jewelry back； hung it on an interior decorator's assistant with proof； billed her for thirty…five hundred gross； and collected。
August。 I had drawn no pay from Wolfe's checkbook since May sixth； I had not gone near my personal safe deposit box； and my personal bank balance had not only not sunk； it had lifted。 I decided I had a vacation ing。 The most I had ever been able to talk Wolfe out of was two weeks； and I thought I should double that at least。 A friend of mine； whose name has ap