I stood up。 〃One way to settle it； you could phone Zeck and ask him。 That would be hard on me； but what can a double…crosser expect？ So I'll trot along。〃
I moved toward the door and was navigating a course through the scattered fragments of glass in the path when he decided to speak。
〃Wait a minute；〃 he said； still wistful。 〃You mentioned when you get approached。〃
〃If I get approached。〃
'You will。 That's the way they work。 Whatever they offer； I'll top it。 e straight to me and I'll top it。 I want to see you anyhow； every day…wait a minute。 e back and sit down。 We can make a deal right now； for you to…〃
〃No；〃 I said； kind but firm。 〃You're so damn scared it would be a temptation to bargain you out of your last pair of pants。 Wait till you cool off a little and get some spunk back。 Ring me any time。 You understand； of course； we're still tailing you。〃
I left him。
Several times； walking downtown； I had to rein myself in。 I would slow down to a normal gait； and in another block or so there I would be again； pounding along as fast as I could swing it； though all I had ahead was an open evening。 I grinned at myself indulgently。 I was excited； that was all。
The game was on； I had pitched the first ball； and it had cut the inside er above his knees。 Not only that； it was a game with no rules。 It was hard to believe that Rackham could possibly go to Zeck or any of his men with it； but if he did I was on a spot hot enough to fry an egg； and Wolfe was as good as gone。 That was why I had tried to talk Wolfe out of it。 But now that I had started it rolling and there was no more argument； I was merely so excited that I couldn't walk slow if you paid me。
I had had it in mind to drop in at Rusterman's Restaurant for dinner and say hello to Marko that evening； but now I didn't feel like sitting through all the motions； so I kept going to Eleventh Avenue； to Mart's Diner； and perched on a stool while I cleaned up a plate of beef stew； three ripe tomatoes sliced by me； and two pieces of blueberry pie。 Even with a full stomach I was still excited。 It must have shown； I suppose in my eyes； for Mart asked me what the glow was about； and though I had never had any tendency to discuss my business with him； I had to resist an impulse to remark casually that Wolfe and I had finally mixed it up with the most dangerous baby on two legs； one so tough that even Inspector Cramer had said he was out of reach。
I went home and sat in the office all evening； holding magazines open as if I were reading them。 All I really did was listen for the phone or doorbell。 When the phone rang at ten o'clock and it was only Fred Durkin wanting to know where Saul and the subject were； I was so rude that I hurt his feelings and had to apologize。 I told him to cover the Churchill as usual； which was one of the factors that made it a burlesque； since that would have required four men at least。 What I wanted to do so bad I could taste i￡ was call the number Wolfe had given me； but that had been for emergency only。 I looked emergency up in the dictionary； and got 〃an unforeseen bination of circumstances which calls for immediate action。〃
Since this was just the opposite； a foreseen bination of circumstances which called for getting a good night's sleep； I didn't dial the number。 I did get the good night's sleep。
Saturday morning at 1019 I had to pitch another ball； but not to the same batter。 The typing of Friday's reports required only the customary summarizing of facts as far as Saul and Fred and Orrie were concerned； but my own share took time and thought。 I had to account for the full time I had spent in Rackham's suite； since there was a double risk in it： the chance that I was being checked and had been seen entering and leaving； and the chance that Rackham had himself split a seam。 So it was quite a literary effort and I spent three hours on it。 That afternoon； when Max Christy called to get the report as usual； and sat to look it over； I had papers on my desk which kept me so busy that I wasn't even aware if he sent me a glance when he got to the middle of the second page； where my personal contribution began。 I looked up only when he finally spoke。
〃So you had a talk with him； huh？〃
I nodded。 〃Have you read it？〃
〃Yes。〃 Christy was scowling at me。
〃He seemed so anxious that I thought it would be a shame not to oblige him。 It's my tender heart。〃
〃You took his money。〃
〃Certainly。 He was wild to spend it。〃
〃You told him you're working for Mrs。 Frey。 What if he takes a notion to ask her？〃
〃He won't。 If he does； who will know who to believe or what？ I warned him about me。 By the way； have I ever warned you？〃
〃Why did you play him？〃
〃It's all there in the report。 He knew he had a tail； how could he help it； already on guard； after eight days of it？ I thought I might as well chat with him and see what was on his mind。 He could have said something interesting； and maybe he did； I don't know； because I don't know what you and your friends would call interesting。 Anyway； there it is。 As for his money； he practically stuffed it in my ear； and if I had refused to take it he would have lost all respect for me。〃
Christy put the report in his pocket； got up； rested his fingertips on the desk； and leaned over at me。 〃Goodwin；〃 he asked； 〃do you know who you're dealing with？〃 〃Oh； for God's sake/' I said impatiently。 〃Have I impressed you as the son of boob who would jump off a building just to hear his spine crack？ Yes； brother； I know who I'm dealing with； and I expect to live to ninety at least。〃
He straightened up。 〃Your chief trouble；〃 he said； not offensively； 〃is that you think you've got a sense of humor。 It confuses people； and you ought to get over it。 Things strike you as funny。 You thought it would be funny to have a talk with Rackham； and it may be all right this time； but some day something that you think is funny will blow your goddam head right off your shoulders。〃
Only after he had gone did it occur to me that that wouldn't prove it wasn't funny。
I had a date that Saturday evening with Lily Rowan； but decided to call it off。 Evidently I wasn't tactful enough about it； for she took on。 I calmed her down by promising to drown myself as soon as the present crisis was past； went home and got my dinner out of the refrigerator； and settled down in the office for another evening of not reading magazines。 A little after nine the minutes were beginning to get too damn long entirely when the phone rang。 It was Lily。
〃All right；〃 she said briskly； 〃e on up here。〃
〃I told you…〃
〃I know； but now I'm telling you。 I'm going to have pany around eleven； and as I understand it you're supposed to get here first。 Get started。〃
〃Phooey。 I'm flattered that you bothered to try it； but…〃
〃I wouldn't have dreamed of trying it。 The pany just phoned； and I'm following instructions。 My God； are you conceited！〃
〃I'll be there in twenty minutes。〃
It took twenty…two； to her door。 She was vindictive enough to insist that there were three television programs she wouldn't miss for anything； which was just as well； considering my disposition。 I suppose I might have adjusted to it in time； say ten years； but I was so used to having Wolfe right at hand any minute of the day or night when difficulties were being met that this business of having to sit it out until word came； and then rushing up to a friend's penthouse and waiting another hour and a half； was too much of a strain。
He finally arrived。 I must admit that when the bell rang Lily； having promised to behave like a lady； did so。 She insisted on opening the door for him； but having got him into the living room； she excused herself and left us。
He sat。 I stood and looked at him。 Eleven days had passed since our reunion； and I hadn't properly remembered how grotesque he was。 Except for the eyes； he was no one I had ever seen or cared to see。
〃What's the matter？〃 I asked peevishly。 〃You look as if you hadn't slept for a week。〃
〃I'm a little tired； that's all；〃 he growled。 〃I have too much to watch； and I'm starving to death。 So far as I know everything at my end is satisfactory。 What about Miss Rowan？〃
〃She's all right。 As you may remember； every week or so I used to send her a couple of orchids of a kind that couldn't be bought。 I have told her that the custom may be resumed some day provided we get this difficulty ironed out； and that it depends on her。 Women like to have things depend on them。〃
He grunted。 〃I don't like to have things depend on them。〃 He sighed。
〃It can't be helped。 I can only stay an hour。 Bring me some of Miss Rowan's perfume。〃
I went and tapped on a door； got no answer； opened it and crossed a room to another door； tapped again； was told to enter； and did so。 Lily was on a divan with a book。 I told her what I wanted。
〃Take the Houri de Perse；〃 she advised。 〃Pete likes it。 I had it on that night。〃
I got it from the dressing table； returned to the living room； aimed it at him from the proper distance； and squeezed the bulb。 He shut his eyes and tightened his lips to a thin line。
〃Now the other side；〃 I said gently。 〃What's w