。 It also caught four men： Christy； ing around the rear end of the Olds； and three serious…looking strangers； older than our driver； who wasn't there。
Without a word two of them put their hands on me。 First they took the gun from my armpit and then went over me。 The circumstances didn't seem favorable for an argument； so I simply stood at attention。 It was a fast and expert job； with no waste motion and no intent to offend。
〃It's all a matter of practice；〃 I said courteously。
〃Yeah；〃 the taller one agreed； in a tenor that was almost a falsetto。 〃Follow me。〃
He moved to the wall； with me behind。 The cars had been stopped short of the wall to leave an alley； and we went down it a few paces to a door where a man was standing。 He opened the door for us…it was the one that made little noise…and we passed through into a small vestibule； also with no windows in its concrete walls。 Across it； only three paces； steps down began； and we descended…fourteen shallow steps to a wide metal door。 My conductor pushed a button in the metal jamb。 I heard no sound within； but in a moment the door opened and a pasty…faced bird with a pointed chin was looking at us。
〃Archie Goodwin；〃 my conductor said。
〃Step in。〃
I waited politely to be preceded； but my conductor moved aside； and the other one said impatiently； 〃Step in； Goodwin。〃
I crossed the sill； and the sentinel closed the door。 I was in a room bigger than the vestibule above： bare concrete walls； well…lighted； with a table； three chairs； a water…cooler； and a rack of magazines and newspapers。 A second sentinel； seated at the table； writing in a book like a ledger； sent me a sharp glance and then forgot me。 The first one crossed to another big metal door directly opposite to the one I had entered by； and when he pulled it open I saw that it was a good five inches thick。 He jerked his head and told me； 〃On in。〃
I stepped across and passed through； with him at my heels。
This was quite a chamber。 The walls were paneled in a light gray wood with pink in it； from the tiled Boor to the ceiling； and the mgs were the same light gray with pink borders。 Light came from a concealed trough continuous around the ceiling。 The six or seven chairs and the couch were covered in pinkish gray leather； and the same leather had been used for the frames of the pictures； a couple of big ones on each wall。 All that； collected in my first swift survey； made a real impression。
〃Archie Goodwin；〃 the sendnel said。
The man at the desk said； 〃Sit down； Goodwin。 All right； Schwartz；〃 and the sentinel left us and closed the door。
I would have been surprised to find that Pete Roeder rated all this splash so soon after hitting this territory； and he didn't。 The man at the desk was not Roeder。 I had never seen this bozo； but no introduction was needed。
Much as he disliked publicity； his picture had been in the paper a few times； as for instance the occasion of his presenting his yacht to the United States Coast Guard during the war。 Also I had heard him described。
I had a good view of him at ten feet when I sat in one of the pinkish gray leather chairs near his desk。 Actually there was nothing to him but his forehead and eyes。 It wasn't a forehead； it was a dome； sloping up and up to the line of his faded thin hair。 The eyes were the result of an error on the assembly line。 They had been intended for a shark and someone got careless。
They did not now look the same as shark eyes because Arnold Zeck's brain had been using them to see with for fifty years； and that had had an effect。
〃I've spoken with you on the phone；〃 he said。
I nodded。 〃When I was with Nero Wolfe。 Three times altogether…no； I guess it was four。〃
〃Four。 Where is he？ What has happened to him？〃
〃I'm not sure； but I suspect he's in Florida； training with an air hose； preparing to lay for you in your swimming pool and get you when you dive。〃
There was no flicker of response； of any kind； in the shark eyes。 〃I have been told of your habits of speech； Goodwin；〃 he said。 〃I make no objection。 I take men for what they are or not at all。 It pleases me that； impressed as you must be by this meeting； you insist on being yourself。 But it does waste time and words。 Do you know where Wolfe is？〃
〃No。〃
〃Have you a surmise？〃
〃Yeah； I just told you。〃 I got irritated。 〃Say I tell you he's in Egypt； where he owns a house。 I don't； but say I do。 Then what？ You send a punk to Cairo to drill him？ Why？ Why can't you let him alone？ I know he had his faults …God knows how I stood them as long as I did…but he taught me a lot； and wherever he is he's my favorite fatty。 Just because he happened to queer your deal with Rackham； you want to track him down。 What will that get you； now that he's faded out？〃
〃I don't wish or intend to track him down。〃
〃No？ Then what made me so interesting？ Your Max Christy and your bearded wonder offering me schoolboy jobs at triple pay。 Get roe sucked in； get me branded； and when the time es use me to get at Wolfe so you can pay him。 No。〃 I shook my head。 〃I draw the line somewhere； and all of you together won't get me across that one。〃
I'm not up enough on fish to know whether sharks blink； but Zeck was showing me。 He blinked perhaps one…tenth his share。 He asked； 〃Why did you take the job？〃
〃Because it was Rackham。 I'm interested in him。 I was glad to know someone else was。 I would like to have a hand in his future。〃
No blink。 〃You think you know； I suppose； the nature of my own interests and activities。〃
〃I know what is said around。 I know that a New York police inspector told me that you're out of reach。〃
〃Name him。〃
〃Cramer。 Manhattan Homicide。〃
〃Oh； him。〃 Zeck made his first gesture： a forefinger straightened and curved again。 〃What was the occasion？〃
〃He wouldn't believe me when I said I didn't know where Wolfe was。 He thought Wolfe and I were fixing to try to bring you down； and he was just telling me。 I told him that maybe he would like to pull us off because he was personally interested； but that since Wolfe had scooted he was wasting it。〃
〃That was injudicious； wasn't it？〃
〃All of that。 I was in a bad humor。〃
Zeck blinked； I saw him。 〃I wanted to meet you； Goodwin。 I've allowed some time for this because I want to look at you and hear you talk。 Your idea of my interests and activities probably has some relation to the facts； and if so you may know that my chief problem is men。 I could use ten times as many good men as I can find。 I judge men partly by their record and partly by report； but mainly by my first…hand appraisal。 You have disappointed me in one respect。 Your conclusion that I want to use you to find Nero Wolfe is not intelligent。 I do not pursue an opponent who has fied the field； it would not be profitable。 If be reappears and gets in my path again； I'll crush him。 I do want to suck you in； as you put it。 I need good men now more than ever。 Many people get money from me； indirectly； whom I never see and have no wish to see； but there must be some whom I do see and work through。 You might be one。 I would like to try。 You must know one thing： if you once say yes it bees impractical to change your mind。 It can't be done。〃
〃You said；〃 I objected； 〃you would like to try。 How about my liking to try？〃
〃I've answered that。 It can't be done。〃 〃It's already being done。 I'm tailing Rackham for you。 When he approached me I took it on myself to chat with him and report it。 Did you like that or not？ If not； I'm not your type。 If so； let's go on with that until you know me better。 Hell； we never saw each other before。 You can let me know a day in advance when I'm to lose the right to change my mind； and we'll see。 Regarding my notion that you want to use me to find Nero Wolfe； skip it。 You couldn't anyway； since I don't know whether he went north； east； south； or west。〃
I had once remarked to Wolfe； when X （our name then for Zeck） had brought a phone call to a sudden end； that he was an abrupt bastard。 He now abruptly turned the shark eyes from me； which was a relief； to reach for the switch on an inter box on his desk； flip it； and speak to it。 〃Send Roeder in。〃
〃Tell him to shave first；〃 I suggested； thinking that if I had a reputation for a habit of speech I might as well live up to it。 Zeck did not react。 I was beginning to believe that he never had reacted to anything and never would。
I turned my head enough for the newer to have my profile when he entered； not to postpone his pleasure at seeing me。
It was a short wait till the door opened and Roeder appeared。 The sentinel did not e in。 Roeder crossed to us； stepping fiat on the rugs so as not to slide。 His glance at me was fleeting and casual。
〃Sit down；〃 Zeck said。 〃You know Goodwin。〃
Roeder nodded and favored me with a look。 Sitting； he told me； 'Your
reports haven't been worth what they cost。〃
It gave me a slight shock； but I don't think I let it show。 I had forgotten that Roeder talked through his nose。
〃Sorry；〃 I said condescendingly。 〃I've been sticking to facts。 If you want them dressed up； let me know what color you like。〃
〃You've been losing him。〃
I flare