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d。
Zeck said； 〃Put Goodwin on the B list； Schwartz。〃
Roeder and I arose and headed for the door； him with his brief case under his arm。
Remembering how he had told me； tapping his chest； 〃I am a D； Archie；〃
I would have given a lot if I could have tapped my own bosom and announced； 〃I am a B； Mr。 Wolfe。〃
17
THERE was one chore Wolfe had given me which I haven't mentioned； because I didn't care to reveal the details…and still don't。 But the time will e when you will want to know where the gun at the bottom of the brief case came from； so I may as well say now that you aren't going to know。
Since filing the number from a gun has been made obsolete by the progress of science； the process of getting one that can't be traced has got more plicated and requires a little specialized knowledge。 One has to be acquainted with the right people。 I am。 But there is no reason why you should be； so I won't give their names and addresses。 I couldn't quite meet Wolfe's specifications…the size and weight of a 。22 and the punch of a 。45…but I did pretty well； a Carson Snub Thirty； an ugly little devil； but straight and powerful。 I tried it out one evening in the basement at 35th Street。 When I was through I collected the bullets and dumped them in the river。 We were taking enough chances without adding another； however slim。
The next evening after our conference with Zeck； a Monday； Wolfe and I collaborated on the false bottom for the brief case。 We did the job at 1019。 Since I was now a B and Roeder's lieutenant on his big operation； and he was supposed to keep in touch with me； there was no reason why he shouldn't e to 35th Street for an evening visit； but when I suggested it he pressed his lips and scowled at me with such ferocity that I quickly changed the subject。 We made the false bottom out of an old piece of leather that I picked up at a shoe hospital； and it wasn't bad at all。 Even if a sentinel removed all the papers for a close inspection； which wasn't likely with the status Roeder had reached； there was little chance of his suspecting the bottom； yet if you knew just where and how to pry you could have the Carson out before you could say Jackie Robinson。
However； something had happened before that： my second talk with Barry Rackham。 Wlien I got home late Sunday night the phone…answering service reported that he had been trying to reach me； both at 1019 and at the office； and I gave him a ring and made a date for Monday at three o'clock。
Usually I am on the dot for an appointment； but that day an errand took less time than I had allowed； and it was only twelve to three when I left the Churchill tower elevator at Rackham's floor and walked to his door。 I was lifting my hand to push the button； when the door opened and I had to step back so a woman wouldn't walk into me。 When she saw me she stopped； and we both stared。 It was Lina Darrow。 Her fine eyes were as fine as ever。
〃Well； hello；〃 I said appreciatively。
〃You're early； Goodwin；〃 Barry Rackham said。 He was standing in the doorway。
Lina's expression was not appreciative。 It didn't look like embarrassment； more like some kind of suspicion； though I had no notion what she could suspect me of so spontaneously。
〃How are you？〃 she asked； and then； to make it perfectly clear that she didn't give a damn； went by me toward the elevator。 Rackham moved aside； giving me enough space to enter； and I did so and kept going to the living room。 In a moment the door closed； and in another moment he joined me。
〃You're early；〃 he repeated； not reproachfully。
He looked as if； during the seventy hours since I had last seen him； he had had at least seventy drinks。 His face was molded； his eyes were bloodshot； and his left cheek was twitching。 Also his tie had a dot of egg yolk on it； and he needed a shave。
〃A week ago Saturday；〃 I said； 〃I think it was； one of my men described a girl you were out with； and it sounded like Miss Darrow； but I wasn't sure。 I'm not leading up to something； I'm just gossiping。〃
He wasn't interested one way or the other。 He asked what I would have to drink； and when I said nothing thank you he went to the bar and got himself a straight one； and then came and moved a chair around to sit facing me。
〃Hell；〃 I said； 〃you look even more scared than you did the other day。 And according to my men； either you've started sneaking out side doors or you've bee a homebody。 Who said boo？〃
Nothing I had to say interested him。 〃I said I wanted to see you every day；〃 he stated。 His voice was hoarse。
〃I know； but I've been busy。 Among other things； I spent an hour yesterday afternoon with Arnold Zeck。〃
That did interest him。 〃I think you're a goddam liar； Goodwin。〃
〃Then I must have dreamed it。 Driving into the garage； and being frisked； and the little vestibule； and fourteen steps down； and the two sentinels； and the soundproof door five inches thick； and the pinkish gray walls and chairs and rugs； and him sitting there drilling holes in things； including me； with his eyes； and…〃
〃When was this？ Yesterday？〃
〃Yeah。 I was driven up； but now I know how to get there myself。 I haven't got the password yet； but wait。〃
With an unsteady hand he put his glass down on a little table。 〃I told you before； Goodwin； I did not kill my wife。〃
〃Sure； that's out of the way。〃
〃How did it happen？ Your going to see him。〃
〃He sent Max Christy for me。〃
〃That son of a bitch。〃 Suddenly his mottled face got redder and he yelled at me； 〃Well； go on！ What did he say？〃
〃He said I may have a big career ahead of me。〃
〃What did he say about me？〃
I shook my head。 〃I'll tell you； Rackham。 I think it's about time I let my better judgment in on this。 I had never seen Zeck before； and he made quite an impression on me。〃 I reached to my breast pocket。 〃Here's your six thousand dollars。 I hate to let go of it； but…〃
〃Put that back in your pocket。〃
〃No； really； I…〃
〃Put it back。〃 He wasn't yelling now。 〃I don't blame you for being impressed by Zeck…God knows you're not the first。 But you're wrong if you think he can't ever miss and I'm all done。 There's one thing you ought to realize： I can't throw in my hand on this one； I've got to play it out； and I'm going to。 You've got me hooked； because I can't play it without you since you were there that night All right； name it。 How much？〃
I put the six grand on the little table。 〃My real worry；〃 I said； 〃is not Zeck。 He is nothing to sneer at and he does make a strong impression； but I have been impressed before and got over it。 What called my better judgment in was the New York statutes relating to accessories to murder。 Apparently Zeck has got evidence that will convict you。 If you…〃
〃He has not。 That's a Be。〃
〃He seems to think he has。 If you want to take dough from a murderer for helping him beat the rap you must be admitted to the bar； and I haven't been。 So with my sincere regret at my inability to assist you in your difficulty； there's your dough。〃
〃I'm not a murderer； Goodwin。〃
〃I didn't mean an actual murderer。 I meant a man against whom evidence has been produced in court to