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r Livsey is； but…well； is she actually a little batty？ What do you think？〃
Gwynne snorted。 I had told her she should give up snorting。 〃That girl batty？ I should say not！ What's she trying to put over on you？〃
〃That's just it；〃 I said in a puzzled tone。 〃I can't figure it that she's trying to put anything over。 I can't figure it at all。〃
〃I bet she is。 What's she done？〃
I hesitated。 I gazed seriously at the lovely blue eves。 〃This is very confidential； Gwynne darling。〃
〃Sure。〃
〃I've told Mr。 Wolfe； and he has given me permission to consult you。〃
〃For God's sake go on and spill it！〃
〃Well…I suppose…Hester Livsey told me this morning that she knows who killed Waldo Moore。 She said she has known for a long time。〃
Gwynne's fork； with a hunk of avocado； stopped halfway to her mouth。 〃She told you she knows？〃
〃Yep。〃
〃No！〃
〃So she told me。〃
〃Jesus！〃
The fork with the avocado slowly descended to the plate and rested there。
〃I don't wonder you're impressed； darling；〃 I said sympathetically。 〃So am I。 She was telling me when Hoff butted in and chased me。 I went to tell Mr。 Wolfe about it； and we're up a stump because we don't know her well enough。 He thought I should consult someone who is well informed and trustworthy and who knows all about her。 Obviously that meant you。 Is she batty or what？〃
The waiter came with the drinks。 Gwynne looked at her Martini as if it were a plication she was not prepared for； then picked it up and downed it in two gulps。
〃Is she batty？〃 I persisted。
〃She is certainly not。〃 Gwynne used her napkin。 〃My God； how awfully audacious！ Did she say who it was？〃
〃No。 She might have； I don't know； if Hoff hadn't interrupted us。 What do you…〃
〃Did she say the…the same one killed Naylor too？〃
〃Not in so many words； but it amounted to that。〃
〃Did she say how she knows？〃
〃No； but I think she will。 That's what I want to ask you about； how to handle her。 If she's not merely off her nut she must have…〃
〃I'm late；〃 Gwynne declared。 She pushed her plate away； upsetting the salt shaker。 〃I only have an hour and I've got to get…〃
〃No you don't；〃 I said firmly。 〃I need help。 I need advice； and I'm depending on you。〃 I glanced at my wrist。 〃You've got a good ten minutes。 What about her？ Would she say a thing like that just to get even with someone？ What's she like？〃
〃She's a snooty conceited bitch。〃
I kept her there the full ten minutes； but got no further useful information regarding Hester Livsey or anyone or anything else。 Gwynne didn't really put her mind on it。 She was too anxious to get back to her work。
Chapter Thirty…One
It wasn't essential to the build…up； I thought； for me to be seen upstairs returning from lunch with Gwynne； so I parted from her down in the lobby of the building。 After the elevator door had closed on her I walked past the cigar stand； gave a sign en route to a broad…shouldered man who was standing near by； and continued on out to the sidewalk and around the corner。 The broad…shouldered man caught up with me and I greeted him。
〃How's it going； Orrie？〃
〃Tedious as hell；〃 he grumbled。 〃She had lunch in an orangeade tavern and then back to work。 Trade jobs with me？〃
〃Next week maybe。 It may not be so tedious starting at five o'clock。 You're not sleepy？〃
〃I could follow her with my eyes shut。 Anything new？〃
〃Nothing； except that tonight's the night； or maybe tomorrow。 If you trip and hurt a finger…〃
〃I know； I know。 The name is Gather。 Orrie。〃
〃Okay； my brave fellow。〃
I returned to the building lobby； went to a phone booth； called Wolfe； and told him that the ball was rolling。 He had no new suggestions； nothing in fact but a grunt。 I took an elevator to the thirty…fourth floor； went to my little room…noting that the units of personnel had decided I was worth looking at again…sat at my desk； and inserted paper and carbons in the typewriter。
The headings were of course routine。 I got them down； then considered how to word it。 That might or might not be important； depending on whether the hoped…for reaction would e from the thirty…fourth floor or the thirty…sixth。 It should； I thought； be purely factual； without any suggestion of fireworks； to conform to the style of my other reports； but that could be overdone。 Finally I tapped the keys：
There is a development that looks promising。 At 9：40 this morning I called on Hester Livsey in her room。 As explained previously； she had refused to go to see Mr。 Wolfe again； and he wished to talk with her at length； as he has with others。 That has been reported。 Miss Livsey was extremely nervous。 At first she refused to speak with me； and when I persisted she suddenly blurted out that she didn't dare to go to talk with Wolfe again because she knows who murdered Waldo Moore。 She assumed； I believe； that she was telling me that in confidence； but there was no stated arrangement to that effect。 The implication was that she also knows that the same person murdered Naylor。 I think I would have got more from her； perhaps much more； if Mr。 Sumner Hoff had not suddenly entered the room and ordered me out。 There is no reason to think that he knew what she was saying to me； as our voices were not raised and the door was closed。
I went immediately to Mr。 Wolfe's office to report the incident to him。 It is his opinion that for the time being this matter should be left entirely to me； but that it would be improper to withhold the information from the client。 Any further developments will be reported without delay。
That was the way it finally came out。 There were a couple of things about the first draft I didn't like； so I did some editing and then typed it over。 I was still setting my trap in the cabinet with a second carbon of my reports； wiping the folder covers and deploying the tobacco crumbs； not with any strong hope of making a catch but to maintain the tradition。 After attending to that and putting the original and first carbon in my pocket； I opened my door wide； placed a chair so as to have a view of the door of Hester's room across the arena； and sat。
Her door was closed。
Within a minute the several dozen females inhabiting the segment of the arena overlooked from my post were aware of my open door and of me sitting there。 Eyes were ing at me； all the way from hasty quickly averted glances to marathon stares。 It was an interesting experience； or would have been if I had been in a frame of mind to explore all the possibilities。 Under the circumstances nothing came of it。 I did not actually expect someone to e rolling down the aisle in a stolen sedan； swerve and head for Hester's room and run the sedan over her。 I would have been surprised if anything at all had happened； but even so； during all the time that I sat there I did not yawn once； and there was no interval of more than three seconds when Hester's door could have opened without me seeing it。
It did in fact open； seven times。 At 2：35 she emerged； went to Rosenbaum's room； and returned to her own at 2：48。 At 3：02 she emerged again； went to the end of the arena where the women's room was； and returned