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the accident had been found； but the post…mortem report； plus laboratory examination of various particles clinging to the tires and fender of the stolen car； had satisfied everybody as to what had happened。 It was filed as a routine hit…and…run and was still open。 After the phone call Purley went through a door； and came back in a couple of minutes and told me that Homicide still had it and was working on it。
〃Yeah；〃 I grinned at him； 〃I can imagine it…conferences； minute clues subjected to severe scrutiny； ten of your best men turning over stones all the way…〃
Purley pronounced a word。 Having granted my slightest wish； he sneered； 〃e and take my desk and do it。 Now give。 Who's your client？〃
I shook my head。 〃About that noise you use for a voice； I know how you got it。 Your mother had a longing for nutmeg graters when she was carrying you。 It might be； say； an insurance pany。〃
〃Nuts。 No insurance pany pays Nero Wolfe prices。 Who invited you in？〃
〃Nothing for now。〃 I got erect。 〃Somebody had a dream； that's all。 If and when anything for the teeth is brought on； we'll see that you get a bite。 Much obliged； and give my love to your boss。〃
But I had a chance to do my own love…giving。 On my way out there he was； striding in from the entrance； Inspector Cramer himself； concentrated and in a hurry。
He saw me； stopped short； and demanded； 〃What do you want？〃
〃Well； sir；〃 I said pleadingly； 〃I thought with my experience if you had a vacancy anywhere； I'd be willing to start as a patrolman and work my way…〃
〃Natural…born clown；〃 he said personally。 〃Is it the Meredith case？ Has Wolfe crashed the gate…〃
〃No； sir； Mr。 Wolfe would regard that as impertinent。 As he was saying only yesterday； if ever Mr。 Cramer…〃
He was on his way。 I looked reproachfully at his broad manly back and then headed for the street。
Chapter Five
Seated at my desk in the office； I put the phone back in the cradle and told Nero Wolfe； 〃The bank says that Naylor…Kerr is good for anything up to twenty million。〃
Wolfe； seated behind his own desk； heaved a sigh and then was silent。 I had given him the story plete； in a dry factual manner with no flavor or coloring on account of the coolness previously mentioned。 His inclination； naturally； was to turn it down； since he was always annoyed at any hint of a prospect that he might have to use his brain； but I doubted if I would have to ride him hard on this because it looked like easy money and we could always use it。
He sighed again。
I spoke； still dry。 〃I suppose the best bet is that Pine killed Waldo Wilmot Moore himself and is keeping up appearances。 What for being unknown to us； but surely not to everybody。 Anyway； we would be paid by the corporation； not him。 His suggestion that you get a job in the stock department under another name shows that he has given the problem a great deal of thought。 You could call yourself Clarence Camembert； for instance； or Percy Pickerel。 If they gave you too much to do you could bring things home and I'd be glad to help。 They could pay you by weight…say； a dollar a pound a week。 As you stand now； or at least sit； close to three hundred and forty pounds； it would e to an annual salary…〃
〃Archie。 Your notebook。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 I got it and flipped to a new page。
〃A letter to Mr。 Pine； president and so on。 Mr。 Goodwin has reported his conversation this morning with you。 I accept the job of investigating； on behalf of your pany； the death of your former employee； Waldo Wilmot Moore。 It is understood that the purpose of the investigation is to establish； with satisfactory evidence； the manner of his death…whether by accident or by the deliberate action； with intent； of some person or persons。 The job does not； as I understand it； extend to the disclosure of the identity of the murderer…if there was a murder…nor to procurement of proof of guilt。 Should such extension be desired； you may notify me。 Paragraph。
〃The procedure promising quickest results； I think； will be for you to put Mr。 Goodwin on the pany payroll as a personnel expert。 You can plausibly explain his presence as a part of your campaign to reduce your employee turnover。 Thus he can spend his days there； moving freely about and conversing with anyone whomever； without causing ment or increasing the gossip you deplore。 I suggest that you make his salary two hundred dollars weekly。 Paragraph。
〃My fee will of course be determined by the amount of time spent on the case and the amount and kind of work required。 No guarantee is given。 No retainer is necessary unless you prefer it that way； in which case the check should be for two thousand dollars。 Sincerely。〃
Wolfe； who always straightened up to some extent to dictate； leaned back again。 〃After lunch you can go down and give that to him。〃
If I had been cool before I was a glacier now。 〃Why lunch？〃 I demanded。 〃Why should I eat？〃
〃Why not？〃 His eyes went open。 〃What's the matter？〃
〃Nothing。 Not a thing。 But what I start I like to finish； and this may take weeks。 There are one or two other little matters that need attention around here； and there's a bare possibility that you may find it slightly inconvenient when you buzz me or call me or grunt at me； as you do on an average of ten times an hour； and I'm not here。 Or； perhaps； that hadn't occurred to me； perhaps you're figuring on a replacement？〃
〃Archie；〃 he murmured。 His murmur is Wolfe at his worst。 〃I agree with someone； I forget who； that no man is indispensable。 By the way； you may have noticed that I suggested the same salary as you receive from me。 You can either endorse their checks over to me for deposit in my bank； and take my checks weekly as usual； or just keep their checks as your pay； whichever is simpler for your bookkeeping。〃
〃Thank you very much。〃 I made no attempt to speak further。 His deliberate use of the plural； checks； instead of check； three times； therefore got exactly the effect he intended it to。 I got out paper and carbon and inserted them； and started on the typewriter in a way that left no possible doubt whether it was noiseless or not。
Coolness。
Chapter Six
I started work as a personnel expert for Naylor…Kerr； Inc。； the next day； Wednesday morning； March 19； the next to last day of winter。
I knew just what I had known after my first call on Pine； and no more。 Tuesday afternoon； when I took him Wolfe's letter； he was co…operative about letting me ask questions； but he couldn't supply many answers。 He liked Wolfe's idea on procedure； and proved he was a good executive by starting immediately to execute。 That was simple。 All he had to do was call in an assistant vice…president； introduce me； tell him about me； and instruct him to put me on the payroll and present me personally to all heads of departments。 That was acplished Tuesday afternoon； the presentations being made in the office of the assistant vice…president； to which the department heads were summoned。 I found an opportunity to drop the remark that after looking over the reports and records I thought I would start in the stock department。
Wednesday morning I was on the job in the stock