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Rosenbaum chuckled。 〃That's a good approach；〃 he said appreciatively。 He spoke to his secretary。 〃Since he thought that all up just for you； Hester； the least you can do is let him buy you a sandwich。〃
She asked him； in a voice that could have been a pleasure to listen to if there had been any lift to it； 〃Do I owe it to anybody？〃
〃Not to me；〃 he declared； 〃but maybe to yourself。 Mr。 Truett sounds as if he might be capable of making you smile。 Even if only a wan and feeble smile； why not let him try？〃
She turned to me and said politely； 〃Thank you； I think not。〃
There was certainly something about her； and I frankly admit I was getting a good start at being jealous of Waldo Wilmot Moore； even dead。 He had found some way of propagandizing this wren to the point of agreeing to marry him。
Her eyes were back on her notebook。 Rosenbaum； his lips bunched； was gazing at her and shaking his head philosophically。 I might as well not have been there； so I removed myself。 My hand was on the knob； with my back to them； when her voice came：
〃Why did you ask one of the girls if she had heard any gossip about Mr。 Moore？〃
Talk about grapevine。 Less than two hours had gone by！ I turned。
〃There； see？ Didn't I say I didn't want to interfere with your work？ You could have asked me that over anything from roast duckling to a maple sundae。〃
〃All right； I will。 I go at one o'clock。 We can meet in the lobby； William Street side； near the mailbox。〃
〃That's the girl。 Save a smile for it。〃 I went。
So I had it all glued on； a lunch date with Hester Livsey； but it peeled off…though it wasn't her fault or mine either。 I returned to my own little room； put the folders back in the cabinet and locked it； and stood at the window to look at the river and sort things out。 All I got out of that was the realization that so far there was nothing to sort。 Of course； I thought sarcastically； if I was Nero Wolfe I would have finished up here by noon and gone home to drink beer； but as it is； about all I've acplished is to start the grapevine rustling。 That really got me。 In short hours； and with no meal period for opportunity！ Where it branches out from； I thought； is the restroom。 If I could borrow a skirt and blouse and spend thirty minutes in the restroom I would have all I needed for a final report。 Out on the river two tugboats nearly hit and one of them scooted off like a ripple skipper。
When the buzz sounded I jerked around； startled； it was so loud in the little room。 I wasn't sure what it was； but the best guess was the phone； so I went to the desk and took it up and said hello； and came within an ace of adding； 〃Archie Goodwin speaking。〃 I bit it off； and a tenor voice asked my ear：
〃Hello； Mr。 Truett？〃
〃Right。 Speaking。〃
〃This is Kerr Naylor。 I'd like you to lunch with me if that's convenient。 Could you step down to my office？〃
I told him I'd be glad to； and hung up。 A glance at my wrist showed me ten to one。 I lifted the phone again； and when I got a voice I asked to be connected with Miss Hester Livsey； Stock Department； Structural Metals Section。 In a second the voice said； 〃Extension six…eight…eight please ask by extension number whenever possible；〃 and after a short wait another voice said； 〃Miss Livsey speaking。〃
〃Peter Truett；〃 I told her。 〃This is the unluckiest day I've had since my rich uncle changed doctors。 Mr。 Kerr Naylor just phoned me to have lunch with him。 I can meet you as arranged and e back after lunch and quit my job。〃
〃I don't want you to quit your job；〃 she declared。 〃I've been thinking about you。 Go with Mr。 Naylor； of course。 My room is next to Mr。 Rosenbaum's； the one on the left。〃
But it didn't set me up any； on account of the motive； which I was fully aware of。 I got my hat and coat and went along to the corner office； where Naylor met me at the door。 I took my hat and coat because； although the assistant vice…president had told me I would rate eating lunch in the executives' section of the Naylor…Kerr cafeteria on the thirty…sixth floor； my hunch was that the son of the founder didn't patronize it。 The hunch was right。 He had his hat on and his topcoat over his arm。 We went to an elevator； and from the lobby on the ground floor he steered us out the back way； down a block and around a corner； and to a door which had painted on it in green lettering； FOUNTAIN OF HEALTH。 That could mean only one thing； and I grimly told my stomach it was in the line of duty as we entered； made our way to a table against the wall； got seated； and accepted menus from a waitress。 There it was； roots and leaves and coarse fodder； with such names as EPICURE'S BOWL and BRAN AND CARROT PUDDING。 My reaction was so strong that I was barely aware that Naylor was talking。 With the waitress there waiting for us to name it； he was saying something like：
〃。。。so I tried it once about five years ago； and I've been lunching here ever since。 I find it makes an enormous difference； physically； mentally…and even spiritually。 There's a purity about it。 It keeps a man light and clean。 What will you select； Mr； Goodwin？〃
I heard that all right。
Chapter Nine
It was like the tricky little squirt to choose that moment for it； with the waitress； who knew him； there by us； making it as awkward as possible for me。 So he thought。 But I merely elevated the menu so it came between his eyes and my face； to get a little privacy； and turned my brain loose on the problem。 Manifestly there was no point in trying to make a grab for the cat。 After an interval； not a long one； I handed the menu to the waitress and told her to bring me three apples and a glass of milk。 Then I asked him politely：
〃Were you saying something？ I'm afraid I wasn't listening。〃
He gave the waitress his order and let her go。
〃I was speaking of diet；〃 he snapped； 〃and you heard me。 It isn't to be expected； Mr。 Truett； that you'll like this food at first。 No one does。 But after a while you will wonder how you ever liked anything else。〃
〃Yeah。 When I like it I'll whinny。 You ought to make up your mind who you're Seating to lunch； though。 Goodwin or Truett？〃
〃I much prefer Goodwin。〃 He smiled at me。 〃That was my chief reason for inviting you to lunch； to tell you that the only way to deal with me is directly and forthrightly。 Also to give you a message for Mr。 Nero Wolfe。 Tell him； please； that you have badly bungled this job。 This morning； when I mentioned the murder of a former employee of my department； you should have displayed no interest in the matter。〃
〃I see。 Much obliged。 So that aroused your suspicion and you investigated。〃 I looked at him admiringly。 〃You certainly stepped on it。 Where did you start from？〃
〃Now； now；〃 he scolded me and shook his head。 〃You're extraordinarily transparent； Mr。 Goodwin； and I must say it's a surprise to me…and a disappointment。 It would have been gratifying to find a good man； a good mind； starting to work on that murder。 I would have watched you with the keenest interest and expectation…Those aren't the best apples。〃 He frowned at the waitress。 〃Haven't you any Stayman Winesaps？〃
It seemed they hadn't。 When she had