fee by knavery, and you eagerly acquiesced. Why'It was out of character and indeed preposterous. What you had said you wanted was the murderer of your nephew caught and punished, but apparently you were willing to spend a large sum of money, your own money, on a frame-up. Either that or you were excessively naive, and at least it justified speculation.
His gaze was straight at her, and she was meeting it. He went on, So I speculated. What if you had yourself killed your nephew'As for getting the poison, that was as feasible for you as for the others. As for opportunity, you said you had not entered your nephews room after Mrs. Kremp had been there and put the capsules in the pillbox, but could you prove it'There was nothing to my knowledge that excluded you.
Your harassment of the FBI and the police could have been for assurance that you were safe. It was your husband who insisted on coming to me, and naturally you would have wanted to be present. As for motive, that would have to be if explored, but for speculation there was material at hand, furnished by you. You were positive, with no real evidence for it, I that your nephew had been killed by a Communist who had discovered that he was betraying the cause; you got that in first thing when you called here Tuesday with your husband. Might it not be true and you yourself the Communist'
Rot! She snorted.
Wolfe shook his head. Not necessarily. I deplore the current tendency to accuse people of pro-communism irresponsibly and unjustly, but anybody could be one secretly, no matter what facade he presented. There was the question, if you were in fact a Communist or a sympathizer, why did you so badger your nephew that he had to pacify you by telling the lie that he was working for the FBI'
Why didnt you confide in him your own devotion to the cause'Of course you didnt dare. There would have been the danger that he might recant; he might have become an ex-Communist and told all he knew, as so many have done the past year or two; and to preserve your facade for your husband and friends you had to keep after him. It must have been a severe shock when you learned, or thought you did, that he was an agent of communisms implacable enemy. It made him an imminent threat, there in your own household.
Wolfe came forward in his chair. That was all speculation two days ago, but not now. Your meeting with Mr. Heath has made it a confident assumption. Why would you make a secret rendezvous with him'What could give him the right to demand that you withdraw the offer of money for Miss Devlin'Well. If you are secretly a Communist, almost certainly you have contributed substantial sums of money -
to the party of course, but also to the bail fund; and Mr. Heath is the trustee of the bail fund and is inviting a term in jail rather than disclose the names of the contributors. So, madam, my stratagem worked - with, I confess, a full share of luck. Mr. Goodwin and I have been under some strain. Until a few minutes ago, when he entered and told me you two were here, I wouldnt have wagered a nickel on it. Now its over, thank heaven. My assumptions are on rock.
Youre cooked.
Youre a conceited fool, Mrs. Rackell said flatly. For the first time I thought she was really impressive. He hadnt made a dent in her. She was still dead sure of herself. With your crazy assumptions, she said. I was resting on a park bench, and this Mr. Heath came along and spoke. She darted a contemptuous glance at Saul. Whatever lies that man tells about what he heard.
Wolfe nodded. That of course is your best position, and no doubt youre capable of defending it against all assault, so I wont try butting it. He looked at Heath. But yours is much weaker, and I dont see how you can hold it.
I have withstood better men than you, Heath declared. Men in positions of great power. Men who head the imperialist conspiracy to dominate the world.
No doubt, Wolfe conceded. But even if you appraise them correctly, which I question,
His gaze was straight at her, and she was meeting it. He went on, So I speculated. What if you had yourself killed your nephew'As for getting the poison, that was as feasible for you as for the others. As for opportunity, you said you had not entered your nephews room after Mrs. Kremp had been there and put the capsules in the pillbox, but could you prove it'There was nothing to my knowledge that excluded you.
Your harassment of the FBI and the police could have been for assurance that you were safe. It was your husband who insisted on coming to me, and naturally you would have wanted to be present. As for motive, that would have to be if explored, but for speculation there was material at hand, furnished by you. You were positive, with no real evidence for it, I that your nephew had been killed by a Communist who had discovered that he was betraying the cause; you got that in first thing when you called here Tuesday with your husband. Might it not be true and you yourself the Communist'
Rot! She snorted.
Wolfe shook his head. Not necessarily. I deplore the current tendency to accuse people of pro-communism irresponsibly and unjustly, but anybody could be one secretly, no matter what facade he presented. There was the question, if you were in fact a Communist or a sympathizer, why did you so badger your nephew that he had to pacify you by telling the lie that he was working for the FBI'
Why didnt you confide in him your own devotion to the cause'Of course you didnt dare. There would have been the danger that he might recant; he might have become an ex-Communist and told all he knew, as so many have done the past year or two; and to preserve your facade for your husband and friends you had to keep after him. It must have been a severe shock when you learned, or thought you did, that he was an agent of communisms implacable enemy. It made him an imminent threat, there in your own household.
Wolfe came forward in his chair. That was all speculation two days ago, but not now. Your meeting with Mr. Heath has made it a confident assumption. Why would you make a secret rendezvous with him'What could give him the right to demand that you withdraw the offer of money for Miss Devlin'Well. If you are secretly a Communist, almost certainly you have contributed substantial sums of money -
to the party of course, but also to the bail fund; and Mr. Heath is the trustee of the bail fund and is inviting a term in jail rather than disclose the names of the contributors. So, madam, my stratagem worked - with, I confess, a full share of luck. Mr. Goodwin and I have been under some strain. Until a few minutes ago, when he entered and told me you two were here, I wouldnt have wagered a nickel on it. Now its over, thank heaven. My assumptions are on rock.
Youre cooked.
Youre a conceited fool, Mrs. Rackell said flatly. For the first time I thought she was really impressive. He hadnt made a dent in her. She was still dead sure of herself. With your crazy assumptions, she said. I was resting on a park bench, and this Mr. Heath came along and spoke. She darted a contemptuous glance at Saul. Whatever lies that man tells about what he heard.
Wolfe nodded. That of course is your best position, and no doubt youre capable of defending it against all assault, so I wont try butting it. He looked at Heath. But yours is much weaker, and I dont see how you can hold it.
I have withstood better men than you, Heath declared. Men in positions of great power. Men who head the imperialist conspiracy to dominate the world.
No doubt, Wolfe conceded. But even if you appraise them correctly, which I question,
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