Read Online The Scarlet Letters by Ellery Queen - Free Book Online Page B

her–”
    â€œWe’ll have to do it in spite of her.”
    Ellery threw up his hands. “Every time I make a constructive suggestion–!”
    â€œLook, dear,” said Nikki, “I know women and you don’t. If I told Martha what we know and pleaded with her to stop before something drastic happens, she’d deny the whole thing. She’d deny it because she thinks she’s madly in love. Besides making up some embarrassing fairy tale to explain why she’s meeting this Harrison man in hotel rooms, she’d hate me for knowing it, I’d have to leave, and that would be that.”
    Ellery grumbled something.
    â€œIf Martha were ready to come clean, Ellery, she’d have walked into that hotel room a free woman instead of sneaking in like a tart. The fact is, she’s decided to have an affair while maintaining the fiction that she’s trying to save her marriage.”
    â€œBut that’s illogical!”
    â€œWhen a good woman falls, Mr. Queen, you can throw your logic down the johnny. Ellery, I’m sorry I dragged you into this. Why don’t you just forget it and let me blunder along in my own way?”
    â€œVery clever,” snarled Ellery. “All right, we try to save them in spite of themselves. And we’ll wind up right where we belong, behind the nearest eight-ball!”
    Nikki pressed his hand below the table. “You darling,” she said tenderly.
    So after they had eaten the salad that was not on the menu, Ellery complained further: “The thing that bothers me most is that we can’t plan ahead. There’s nothing to plan. It’s like being asked to watch for a firebug loose in an ammunition dump on a moonless night. All I can do is stumble after Martha in the dark and hope I’ll be there to step on the match before everything goes boom.”
    â€œI know, dear heart …”
    â€œYou hijack that next letter, Nik. You’ll have to read it this time before Martha does–she won’t be so obliging as to drop it on the kitchen floor again. It will probably be in a business envelope, too. It’s a good dodge and the kind of pattern that, once established, is pretty sure to be followed.”
    â€œBut he wouldn’t use the envelope of that air-conditioner company again,” objected Nikki. “That would be dangerous.”
    â€œIt would,” said Ellery, “therefore the second note will come in an altogether different envelope.”
    â€œBut how will I know which one?”
    â€œI can’t help you. You may have to steam open every business letter addressed to Martha. And, since we’ve agreed to play blindman’s buff all around, I suppose I’d better warn you not to get caught at it, even by the maid.”
    Nikki gulped. “I’ll try to be careful.”
    â€œYes,” said Ellery without mercy. “Louis! Where’s our tetrazzini?”
    Nikki called the Queen apartment late Saturday afternoon to say that she was free for the evening, if anybody was interested. Inspector Queen, who took the message, had to have it translated.
    â€œIt means she’s got something,” said Ellery with excitement. “Give me that phone! Nikki, well?”
    â€œWell, what?” said Nikki’s voice. “Do we have a date, or don’t we?”
    â€œCan’t talk?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThe apartment. Any time you can make it.”
    â€œWhat’s going on here?” demanded his father when Ellery hung up. “What are you two up to?”
    â€œNothing good,” said Ellery.
    â€œAnything in my line?”
    â€œHeaven forbid.”
    â€œYou’ll get around to me yet,” said the Inspector cheerfully. “You always do.”
    Nikki showed up a few minutes past nine, looking more dead than alive.
    â€œExcuse us?” said Ellery politely, and he shut the study door on the Inspector, who was watching Sid Caesar in the