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〃No； I don't；〃 I told him； 〃not to you。 To you I don't stick to anything。 This is a private investigation about a guy shooting off his mouth； and I do my reporting to Mr。 Wolfe and to our client。 Where do you e in？ You're the head of the Homicide Squad； but you say yourself that Moore's death was an accident； so it's none of your business what I stick to and what I let go of。 I don't blame you for not wanting the Gazetee to start a howl； but if you expect any cooperation from me you're not going to get it by asking me whether I stick to it that I'm not a liar。 I suppose O'Hara has been on the phone and given you a pain in the sitdown； a substitute I use out of respect for your age； but you don't need to take it out on me。〃
I spread out my palms。 〃Take it this way。 Let's suppose you're a reasonable man instead of a hothead； and you e here to ask me something in that spirit； suppose you even call me Archie。 And you tell me what you want in a friendly well…modulated tone。 What would it be？〃
〃I've already told Wolfe； and he has told you。〃 Cramer was no longer bellicose； merely firm。 〃I want you to quit stirring up a murder stink where there's no evidence and peddling stale rumors to the papers。〃
〃I didn't peddle。 I went to the Gazetee boys for information； and I got it。 As for stink…stirring； do you mean you want me to quit my job at Naylor…Kerr？〃
〃Yes。 You don't need money that bad。〃
〃I wouldn't know； I'm only the bookkeeper。 That's up to Mr。 Wolfe。 He employs me and I follow orders。〃
〃And I；〃 Wolfe put in； 〃am in turn employed by Naylor…Kerr； Inc。； through its president； Mr。 Pine。 I am inclined to think that in hiring me he and his fellow executives had certain special undeclared purposes in mind。 Their nature is not known to me； but I have no reason to suppose them to be criminal or unethical； and they may even be praiseworthy。 Why don't you ask Mr。 Pine about it？ Have you talked to him？〃
〃The Deputy missioner has。〃 Cramer had got out a cigar and was threatening his teeth with it。 〃This afternoon。 I understand it was mostly about Goodwin lying about what Naylor had said to him。 I don't suppose the Deputy missioner asked him specifically to call you off。 That part of it was left to me。〃
〃I wouldn't feel justified；〃 Wolfe said virtuously； 〃in quitting the case without the approval of the client。〃
〃Okay； then get it。 Call him up now。 We'll both talk to him； and me first。〃
Wolfe nodded at me。 〃Get Mr。 Pine； Archie。 But not you first； Mr。 Cramer。 You second。〃
I got the number from the book and dialed it。 When； after a short wait； there was a voice in my ear that I recognized； I was surprised that a woman with enough money to keep pets answered the phone herself； but it was midnight and the servants probably didn't get to sleep as late in the morning as she did。 I told her who I was and she reacted instantly。
〃Of course； I knew your voice at once！ How is your face； Archie？〃
She sounded as if she had really had it on her mind and wanted to know。 〃Better； thanks；〃 I told her。 〃I'm sorry to disturb you so late at night； but…〃
〃Oh； it's not late for me！ I'm never in bed before three or four。 The season tickets aren't available yet； but they will be next week； and yours will be sent at once。〃
〃Much obliged。 Is your husband there？ Mr。 Wolfe would like to speak to him。〃
〃Yes he's here but he may be asleep。 He goes to bed much earlier than I do。 Hold the wire and I'll find out。 Is it important？〃
〃Not important enough to wake him up if he hates it as much as I do。〃
〃All right； hold the wire。 I'll see。〃
It took her long enough。 I sat and held it； reflecting that considering the state of their romance her husband's bed was probably not just the other side of a door。 Finally she was back。
〃No。； I'm sorry； he's sound asleep。 I thought he might be reading。 Is it about what I came to see you about？〃
〃Yes； it's connected with that。 We'll get him in the morning。 Many thanks。〃
〃Maybe I could help。 What is it？〃
〃I don't think so； it's just a detail。 Hold it a second。〃 I covered the transmitter and announced； 〃He's asleep and she wants to know if she can help。 She would like very much to help。〃
〃No；〃 Wolfe said positively。
〃Wait a minute；〃 Cramer began； but I ignored him and told the phone； 〃Mr。 Wolfe thanks you for your offer； Mrs。 Pine； but he will call your husband tomorrow。〃
〃Then just tell me what it is； Archie； and I can discuss it with him before Mr。 Wolfe calls。〃
It took me a good three minutes to get it concluded without being impolite。
A childish wrangle started。 Cramer adopted the position that I should have persuaded her to wake Pine up； and Wolfe； who hates having his sleep interrupted even more than I do； violently disagreed。 They kept at it as if it had been one of the world's major problems； like what to do with the Ruhr。 Neither of them budged an inch； so they ended where they began； stalemated。
〃Very well；〃 Cramer said finally； still belligerent。 〃So I get nothing for losing two hours of my own sleep and ing clear over here to ask you a favor。〃
〃Nonsense。〃 Wolfe was belligerent too。 〃You haven't asked a favor。 You have called Mr。 Goodwin a liar and you have made preposterous demands。 Besides； this is on your way home from your office。〃
That was the intellectual level they had descended to。 I wouldn't have been surprised if Cramer had produced a map of the city； to prove that Wolfe's house was not on a direct line between his office and his home； but he skipped that and concentrated on the other point…whether he had asked a favor or not。 He maintained that he had； and that if it had sounded like a demand that was only on account of his mannerisms； with which we were well acquainted and therefore had no right to misinterpret。 At length； by that roundabout route； he got back to his main point： would we or would we not break off relations with Naylor…Kerr； Inc。？ Apparently Deputy missioner O'Hara had really built a fire under him。
〃It isn't as urgent as all that； is it？〃 Wolfe asked in his tone of fake concern； which has maddened older men than me； or even than Cramer。 〃For a long time Mr。 Kerr Naylor…〃
The phone rang。 I gave it a glance of distaste before reaching for it； thinking it was certainly Mrs。 Pine； with nothing special to do for another two hours till bedtime； calling to ask about my face。 But no。 A gruff male voice asked to speak to Inspector Cramer and I moved out of my chair to let Cramer take the call at my desk。
It was a one…sided conversation； with Cramer contributing only a few grunts and； at the end； three or four questions。 He told someone he would be there in five minutes； hung up； and swiveled to us。
〃Kerr Naylor has been found dead on Thirty…ninth Street near Eleventh Avenue。 Four blocks from here。 Apparently run over by a car； with his head smashed。〃 Cramer was on his feet。 〃They got his name from papers in his pocket。〃 He growled at me； 〃Want to e and identify him？〃
〃Indeed；〃 Wolfe muttered。 〃Remarkable coincidence。 Mr。 Moore died there too。 It must be a dangerous street。〃
〃And now；〃 I plained； 〃I'll never be able to make him take ba