t of was two weeks； and I thought I should double that at least。 A friend of mine； whose name has appeared in print in connection with one of Wolfe's cases； had the idea that we should take a look at Norway； and her point of view seemed sound。
Slow but sure； I was working myself around to an attitude toward life without Nero Wolfe on a permanent basis。 One thing that kept it slow was the fact that early in July Marko Vukcic had asked me to bring him another check for five grand drawn to cash。 Since if you wanted to eat in his restaurant you had to reserve a table a day in advance； and then pay six bucks for one helping of guinea hen； I knew he wasn't using it himself； so who was？ Another thing； the house hadn't been sold； and； doing a little snooping on my own account； I had learned that the asking price was a hundred and twenty thousand； which was plain silly。 On the other hand； if Marko was getting money to Wolfe； that didn't prove that I was ever going to see him again； and there was no hurry about selling the house until the bank balance began to sag； and also there was Wolfe's safe deposit box。 Visiting his safe deposit box was one item on the select list of purposes for which Wolfe had been willing to leave his house。
I did not really want to leave New York； especially to go as far as Norway。
I had a feeling that I would about be passing Sandy Hook when word would e somehow； wire or phone or letter or messenger； to 35th Street or 1019； in a code that I would understand…if I was there to get it。 And if it did e I wanted to be there； or I might be left out of the biggest charade Wolfe had ever staged。 But it hadn't been days or weeks； it had been months； and my friend was pretty good at several things； including riding me about hanging on forever to the short end of the stick； so we had reservations on a ship that sailed August twenty…sixth。
Four days before that； August twenty…second； a Tuesday afternoon； I was sitting at my desk at 1019； to keep an appointment with a man who had phoned。 I had told him I was soon leaving for a month's vacation； and he hadn't felt like giving a name； but I thought I recognized the voice and had agreed to see him。 When he walked in on the dot； at 3：15；I was glad to know that my memory for voices was holding up。 It was my old cellmate； Max Christy。
I got up and we shook。 He put his panama on the desk and glanced around。 His black mop was cut a little shorter than it had been in April； but the jungle of his eyebrows hadn't been touched； and his shoulders looked just as broad in gray tropical worsted。 I invited him to sit and he did。
〃I must apologize；〃 I said； 〃for never settling for that breakfast。 It was a life…saver。〃
He waved it away。 〃The pleasure was mine。 How's it going？〃
〃Oh…no plaints。 You？〃
〃I've been extremely busy。〃 He got out a handkerchief and dabbed at his face and neck。 〃I certainly sweat。 Sometimes I think it's stupid； this constant back and forth； push and shove。〃
〃I hear you mentioned around。〃
〃Yes； I suppose so。 You never phoned me。 Did you？〃 〃The number；〃 I said； 〃is Churchill five； three two three two。〃
〃But you never called it。〃
〃No； sir；〃 I admitted； ''I didn't。 One thing and another kept ing up； and then I didn't care much for your line about if I got taken in and my being given a trial。 I am by no means a punk； and the ink on my license dried long ago。 Here； look behind my ears。〃
He threw back his head and haw…hawed； then shut it off and told me soberly； 〃You got me wrong； Goodwin。 I only meant we'd have to go slow on account of your record。〃 He used the handkerchief on his forehead。 〃I certainly do sweat。 Since then your name has been discussed a little； and I assure you； you are not regarded as a punk。 We have noticed that you seem to have plenty of jobs since you opened this office； but so trivial for a man like you。 Why did you turn down the offer from the Feds？〃
〃Oh； they keep such long hours。〃
He nodded。 〃And you don't like harness； do you？〃
〃I've never tried it and don't intend to。〃
〃What have you got on hand now？ Anything important？〃
〃Nothing whatever； important or otherwise。 I told you on the phone； I'm taking a vacation。 Sailing Saturday。〃
He regarded me disapprovingly。 〃You don't need a vacation。 If anybody needs a vacation it's me； but I don't get one。 I've got a job for you。〃
I shook my head。 〃Not right now。 When I get back maybe。〃
〃It won't wait till you get back。 There's a man we want tailed and we're short of personnel； and he's tough。 We had two good men on him； and he spotted both of them。 You would need at least two helpers； three would be better。 You use men you know； handle that yourself； and pay them and expenses out of the five hundred a day you'll get。〃
I whistled。 〃What's so hot about it？〃
〃Nothing。 It's not hot。〃
〃Then who's the subject； the Mayor？〃
〃I'm not naming him。 Perhaps I don't even know。 It's merely a straight tailing job； but it has to be watertight and no leaks。 You can net three hundred a day easy。〃
〃Not without a hint who he is or what he looks like。〃 I waved it away。
〃Forget it。 I'd like to oblige an old cellmate； but my vacation starts Saturday。〃
〃Your vacation can wait。 This can't。 At ten o'clock tonight you'll be walking west on Sixty…seventh Street halfway between First and Second Avenues。 A car will pick you up； with a man in it that wants to ask you some questions。 If your answers suit him he'll tell you about the job…and it's your big chance； Goodwin。 It's your chance for your first dip into the biggest river of fast dough that ever flowed。〃
〃What the hell；〃 I protested； 〃you're not offering me a job； you're just giving me a chance to apply for one I don't want。〃
It was perfectly true at that point； and it was still true ten minutes later； when Max Christy left； that I didn't want the job； but I did want to apply for it。 It wasn't that I had a hunch that the man in the car who wanted to ask me some questions would be Arnold Zeck； but the way it had been staged gave me the notion that it was just barely possible； and the opportunity； slim as it was； was too good to miss。 It would be interesting to have a chat with Zeck； besides； he might give me an excuse to take a poke at him and I might happen to inadvertendy break his neck。 So I told Christy that I would be walking on 67th Street at ten that evening as suggested。 I had to break a date to do it； but even if the chance was only one in a million I wanted it。
To get that point settled and out of the way； the man who wanted to quiz me was not Arnold Zeck。 It was not even a long black Cadillac； it was only a '48 Chevvy two…door sedan。
It was a hot August night； and as I walked along that block I was sweating a little myself； especially my left armpit under the holster。 There was a solid string of parked cars at the curb； and when the Chewy stopped and its door opened and my name was called； not loud； I had to squeeze between bumpers to get to it。 As I climbed in and pulled the door shut the man in the front seat； behind the wheel； swiveled his head for a look at me and then； with no greeting； went back to his chauffeuring； and the car started forward。
My panion on the back seat muttered at me； 〃Maybe you ought to show me something。〃
I got out my display case and handed it to him with the license…detective； not driver's…uppermost。 When we stopped for a light at Second Avenue he inspected it with the help of a street lamp； and returned it。 I was already sorry I had wasted an evening。 Not only was he not Zeck； he was no one I had ever seen or heard of； though I was fairly well acquainted； at least by sight； with the high brass in the circles that Max Christy moved in。 This bird was a plete stranger。 With more skin supplied for his face than was needed； it had taken up the slack in pleats and wrinkles； and that may have accounted for his sporting a pointed brown beard； since it must be hard to shave pleats。
As the car crossed the avenue and continued west； I told him； 〃I came to oblige Max Christy…if suggestions might help any。 I'll only be around till Saturday。〃
He said； 〃My name's Roeder；〃 and spelled it。
I thanked him for the confidence。 He broadened it。 〃I'm from the West Coast； in case you wonder how I rate。 I followed something here and found it was tied in with certain operations。 I'd just as soon leave it to local talent and go back home； but I'm hooked and I have to stick。〃 Either he preferred talking through his nose or that was the only way he knew。 〃Christy told you we want a man tailed？〃
〃Yes。 I explained that I'm not available。〃
〃You have got to be available。 There's too much involved。〃 He was twisted around to face me。 〃It'll be harder than ever now； because he's on guard。 It's been messed up。 They say if anyone can do it you can； especially with the help of a couple of men that Nero Wolfe used。 You can get them； can't you？〃
〃Yeah； I can get them； but I can't get me。 I won't be here。〃
〃You're here now。 You can start tomorrow。 As Christy told you； five Cs a day。 It's a straight tailing job； where you're working for a man named Roeder from Los Angeles。 The cops might not