but I’m not a famous detective so I don’t get pointed out.” He wheeled to his aunt. “I had that dinner date, but I broke away as soon as I could. I thought something might be stirring when I heard about Nero Wolfe. Was it you,
or Dan'Or Uncle Matt'Brief me, huh?”
A fine moment for a six-foot big-mouth to break in. If I had been his aunt or uncle and he had been living under my roof I would have trimmed him down to size long ago. But Anna Blount only said, no protest, “It was a mistake, Mort - about Nero Wolfe. I was explaining to Mr. Goodwin. I’ll tell you about it later.” Her eyes came to me. “So you see, Mr. Goodwin, it was just a - a mistake. A misunderstanding. I’m sorry, we regret it very much, and Mr. Kalmus will tell the newspaper. As for the money, please tell Nero Wolfe- -“
She stopped, sending her eyes past me, and I turned. There had been a sound of a gong off somewhere, and through the arch I caught a glimpse of a maid’s uniform passing in the foyer. In a moment a man’s voice came, and in another moment the man appeared. He halted to dart a glance around, then came on, and Mrs. Blount took three steps to meet him. As he took her hand he said something so low I didn’t catch it, and she said, “Mr. Wolfe didn’t come, but Mr. Goodwin is here and I’ve been explaining to him.”
I hadn’t sat down again after rising to shake with Morton Farrow, and so was on my feet when the newcomer, nodding to Sally and Farrow, faced me, extended a hand, and said, “I’m Dan Kalmus. In a case one of my partners tried a couple of years ago he had to cross-examine you and he hasn’t forgotten it.”
I might or might not have known him from the picture the Gazette had had. In the flesh he didn’t have much flesh, just bones and skin-felt on his hand and seen on his jaw and cheeks. With no wrinkles or creases and his full share of hair with no gray, he didn’t look the fifty-one years Sally had given him.
“I’m afraid I have,” I said. “So he must have made a monkey of me.”
“He did not. On the contrary.” He was squinting at me. “Mrs. Blount says she has explained the situation to you, but can I add anything'Do you want to ask me anything?”
“Yes. What’s the fact that is known only to you and Mr. Blount?”
His eyes widened for a second, then squinted again. “You know,” he said, “that might be a good question if Wolfe were on the case. But since he isn’t, since Mrs. Blount has explained, it’s out of order. You know?”
I decided to pass the buck to Sally, since it really depended on her. If she hung on with Kalmus present, after the fur I had started flying, that would settle it for good as far as I was concerned. “That would be a good answer,” I said, “if Mr. Wolfe were out of the case. But as far as I know, he isn’t. Let’s ask Miss Blount, she hired him.” I turned to her. “What about it'Do you want out?”
“No.” It came out a croak, and she repeated it. “No.”
“Do you want Mr. Wolfe to go on with it'And me?”
“Yes.”
“Then I have a sugges -“
“Now come off it, Sally.” Kalmus had turned to face her. “You stubborn little imp. If your dad were here - anyway he is, by proxy.” He tapped his chest. “Me.
It’s an order, from him, by him, and for him. You can’t disobey an order from your dad.”
“Yes I can.” She had drawn back when he stepped close. “I would even if he were here and told me himself. He trusts you and I don’t.”
“Nonsense. You’re not qualified to judge my professional competence. You don’t even -“
“It’s not just your professional competence. I don’t trust you. Tell him,
Archie.”
I told his back, “Miss Blount considers that if her father is convicted and sentenced you can make a set at his wife, and she thinks that that may be affecting your judgment. It was on account of that -“
He had whirled and pulled a fist back, his right, and was starting it for my face. Anna
or Dan'Or Uncle Matt'Brief me, huh?”
A fine moment for a six-foot big-mouth to break in. If I had been his aunt or uncle and he had been living under my roof I would have trimmed him down to size long ago. But Anna Blount only said, no protest, “It was a mistake, Mort - about Nero Wolfe. I was explaining to Mr. Goodwin. I’ll tell you about it later.” Her eyes came to me. “So you see, Mr. Goodwin, it was just a - a mistake. A misunderstanding. I’m sorry, we regret it very much, and Mr. Kalmus will tell the newspaper. As for the money, please tell Nero Wolfe- -“
She stopped, sending her eyes past me, and I turned. There had been a sound of a gong off somewhere, and through the arch I caught a glimpse of a maid’s uniform passing in the foyer. In a moment a man’s voice came, and in another moment the man appeared. He halted to dart a glance around, then came on, and Mrs. Blount took three steps to meet him. As he took her hand he said something so low I didn’t catch it, and she said, “Mr. Wolfe didn’t come, but Mr. Goodwin is here and I’ve been explaining to him.”
I hadn’t sat down again after rising to shake with Morton Farrow, and so was on my feet when the newcomer, nodding to Sally and Farrow, faced me, extended a hand, and said, “I’m Dan Kalmus. In a case one of my partners tried a couple of years ago he had to cross-examine you and he hasn’t forgotten it.”
I might or might not have known him from the picture the Gazette had had. In the flesh he didn’t have much flesh, just bones and skin-felt on his hand and seen on his jaw and cheeks. With no wrinkles or creases and his full share of hair with no gray, he didn’t look the fifty-one years Sally had given him.
“I’m afraid I have,” I said. “So he must have made a monkey of me.”
“He did not. On the contrary.” He was squinting at me. “Mrs. Blount says she has explained the situation to you, but can I add anything'Do you want to ask me anything?”
“Yes. What’s the fact that is known only to you and Mr. Blount?”
His eyes widened for a second, then squinted again. “You know,” he said, “that might be a good question if Wolfe were on the case. But since he isn’t, since Mrs. Blount has explained, it’s out of order. You know?”
I decided to pass the buck to Sally, since it really depended on her. If she hung on with Kalmus present, after the fur I had started flying, that would settle it for good as far as I was concerned. “That would be a good answer,” I said, “if Mr. Wolfe were out of the case. But as far as I know, he isn’t. Let’s ask Miss Blount, she hired him.” I turned to her. “What about it'Do you want out?”
“No.” It came out a croak, and she repeated it. “No.”
“Do you want Mr. Wolfe to go on with it'And me?”
“Yes.”
“Then I have a sugges -“
“Now come off it, Sally.” Kalmus had turned to face her. “You stubborn little imp. If your dad were here - anyway he is, by proxy.” He tapped his chest. “Me.
It’s an order, from him, by him, and for him. You can’t disobey an order from your dad.”
“Yes I can.” She had drawn back when he stepped close. “I would even if he were here and told me himself. He trusts you and I don’t.”
“Nonsense. You’re not qualified to judge my professional competence. You don’t even -“
“It’s not just your professional competence. I don’t trust you. Tell him,
Archie.”
I told his back, “Miss Blount considers that if her father is convicted and sentenced you can make a set at his wife, and she thinks that that may be affecting your judgment. It was on account of that -“
He had whirled and pulled a fist back, his right, and was starting it for my face. Anna
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