ately by another。
As I got the cord off and jammed it in my pocket； Zeck's torso slumped sideways and then forward。 Flat on the floor； I slewed around； saw Zeck's contorted face right above my eyes； pulled the handkerchief out of his mouth and stuffed it in my pocket with the cord； slid forward under the desk； and reached for one of the signal buttons。
I didn't know； and don't know yet； whether the noise of the shots had got through the soundproof door or whether it was my push on the button that brought them。 I didn't hear the door open； but the next shots I heard were a fusillade that came from no Carson； so I came back out from under the desk and on up to my feet。 Schwartz and his buddy were standing just inside the door； one with two guns and one with one。 Rackham was stretched out on the floor； flat on his face。 Wolfe was standing at the end of the desk； facing the door； scowling as I had never seen him scowl before。
〃The dirty bastard；〃 I said bitterly； and I admit my voice might have trembled even if I hadn't told it to。
〃Reach up；〃 Schwartz said； advancing。
Neither Wolfe nor I moved a muscle。 But Wolfe spoke。 '〃What for？〃 He was even bitterer than me； and contemptuous。 〃They let him in armed； not us。〃
〃Watch 'em； Harry；〃 Schwartz said； and came forward and on around behind the desk where I was。 Ignoring me； he bent over Zeck's collapsed body； spent half a minute with it； and then straightened and turned。
〃He's gone；〃 he said。
Harry； from near the door； squealed incredulously。 〃He's gone？〃
〃He's gone；〃 Schwartz said。
Harry wheeled； pushed the door open； and was gone too。
Schwartz stared after him three seconds； not more than that； then jumped as if I had pinched him； made for the door； and on through。
I went and took a look at Rackham； found he was even deader than Zeck； and turned to Wolfe。 〃Okay； that's enough。 e on。〃
〃No。〃 He was grim。 〃It will be safer when they've all skedaddled。 Phone the police。〃
〃From here？〃
〃Yes。〃
I went to Zeck's desk and pulled one of the phones to me。
〃Wait。〃 I had never heard him so grim。 〃First get Marko's number。 I want to speak to Fritz。〃 〃Now？ For God's sake； now？〃
〃Yes。 Now。 A man has a right to have his satisfactions match his pains。 I wish to use Mr。 Zeck's phone to tell Fritz to go home and get dinner ready。〃
I dialed the operator。
20
THREE days later； Friday afternoon； 1 said to Wolfe； 〃Anyway； it's all over now； isn't it？〃
〃No； confound it；〃 he said peevishly。 〃I still have to earn that fee。〃
It was six o'clock； and he had e down from the plant rooms with some more pointed remarks about the treatment the plants had got at Hewitt's place。 The remarks were pletely uncalled for。 Considering the two journeys they had taken； out to Long Island and then hack again； the plants were in splendid shape； especially those hard to handle like the Miltonias and Phalaenopsis。 Wolfe was merely trying to sell the idea； at least to himself； that the orchids had missed him。
Fritz might have been a mother whose lost little boy has been brought home after wandering in the desert for days； living on cactus pulp and lizard's tails。 Wolfe had gained not an ounce less than ten pounds in seventy…two hours； in spite of all the activity of getting resettled； and at the rate he was going he would be back to normal long before Thanksgiving。
The pleats in his face were already showing a tendency to spread out； and of course the beard was gone； and the slick had been shampooed out of his hair。 I had tried to persuade him to stay in training； but he wouldn't even bother to put up an argument。 He just spent more time than ever with Fritz； arranging about meals。
He had not got home for dinner Tuesday evening after all； in spite of the satisfaction he had got by putting in a call to Fritz on Zeck's phone。
We were now cleaned up with Westchester； but it had not been simple。
The death of Arnold Zeck had of course started a chain reaction that went both deep and wide； and naturally there had been an earnest desire to make goats out of Wolfe and me； but they didn't have a damn thing on us； and when word came from somewhere that Wolfe； during his association with Zeck； might have collected some facts that could be embarrassing to people who shouldn't be embarrassed； the attitude toward us changed for the better right away。
As for the scene that ended with the death of Zeck and Rackham； we were clean as a whistle。 The papers in Roeder's brief case； which of course the cops took； proved nothing on anybody。 By the time the cops arrived there had been no one on the premises but Wolfe and me and the two corpses。 A hot search was on； especially for Schwartz and Harry； but so far no take。 No elaborate lying was required； our basic story was that Wolfe； in his disguise as Roeder； had got in with Zeck in order to solve the murder of Mrs。 Rackham； and the climax had e that afternoon when Zeck had put the screws on Rackham by saying that he had evidence that would convict him for killing his wife； and Rackham had pulled a gun； smuggled somehow past the sentinels； and had shot Zeck； and Schwartz and Harry had rushed in and drilled Rackham。 It was surprising and gratifying to note how much of it was stricdy true。
So by Friday afternoon we were cleaned up with Westchester； as I thought； and therefore it was a minor shock when Wolfe said； 〃No； confound it； I still have to earn that fee。〃
I was opening my mouth to ask him how e； when the phone rang。
I got it。 It was Annabel Frey。 She wanted to speak to Wolfe。 I told him so。 He frowned and reached for his phone； and I stayed on。
〃Yes； Mrs。 Frey？ This is Nero Wolfe。〃
〃I want to ask you a favor； Mr。 Wolfe； That is； I expect to pay for it of course； but still it's a favor。 Could you and Mr。 Goodwin e up here this evening？ To my home； Birchvale？〃
〃I'm sorry； Mrs。 Frey； but it's out of the question。 I transact business only in my office。 I never leave it。〃
That was a little thick； I thought； from a guy who had just spent five months the way he had。 And if she read newspapers she knew all about it…or anyhow some。
〃I'm sorry；〃 she said； 〃because we must see you。 Mr。 Archer is here； the District Attorney； and I'm calling at his suggestion。 We have a problemtwo problems； really。〃
〃By 'we' do you mean you and Mr。 Archer？〃
〃No； I mean all of us…all of us who inherited property from Mrs。 Rackham； and all of us who were here the night she was killed。 Our problem is about evidence that her husband killed her。 Mr。 Archer says he has none； none that is conclusive…and perhaps you know what people are saying； and the newspapers。 That's what we want to consult you about…the evidence。〃
〃Well。〃 A pause。 〃I'm trying to get a little rest after a long period or overexertion。 But…very well。 Who is there？〃
〃We all are。 We met to discuss this。 You'll e？ Wonderful！ If you…〃
〃I didn't say I'll e。 All five of you are there？〃
〃Yes…and Mr。 Archer…〃
〃Be at my office； all of you； at nine o'clock this evening。 Including Mr。 Archer。〃
〃But I don't know if he will…〃
〃I think he will。 Tell him I'll be ready then to produce the evidence。〃
〃Oh； you will？ Then you can tell me now…〃
〃Not on the phone； Mrs。 Frey。 I'll be expecting you at nine。〃
When we had hung up I lifted the brows at him。 〃So that's what you meant about earning that fee？ Maybe？〃
He grunted； irritated that he had to interrupt his convalescence for a job of work； sat a moment； reached for a bottle of the beer Fritz had brought； grunted again； this time with satisfaction； and poured a glass with plenty of foam。
I got up to go Eo the kitchen； to tell Fritz we were having pany and that refreshments might be required。
21
I WAS mildly interested when the six guests arrived…a little early； five to nine…in such minor issues as the present state of relations between Annabel Frey and the banker； Dana Hammond； and between Una Darrow and the statesman； Oliver Pierce； and whether Calvin Leeds would see fit to apologize for his unjust suspicions about Wolfe and me。
To take the last first； Leeds was all out of apologies。 The spring was in his step all right； but not in his manners。 First to enter the office； he plumped himself down in the red leather chair； but I figured that Archer rated it ex officio and asked him to move； which he did without grace。 As for the others； there was too much atmosphere to get any clear idea。 They were all on speaking terms； but the problem that brought them there was in the front of their minds； so much so that no one was interested in the array of liquids and accessories that Fritz and I had arranged on the table over by the big globe。 Annabel was in the most fortable of the yellow chairs； to Archer's left； then； working toward me at my desk； Leeds and Lina Darrow； and Hammond and Pierce closest to me。
Wolfe's eyes swept the arc。
〃This；〃 he said； 〃is a little awkward for me。 I have met none of you before except Mr。 Leeds。 I must be sure I have you straight。〃 His eyes went along the line again。 〃I think I have。 Now if you'll tell me what you want…you； Mrs。 Frey； it was yo