right now you have to appraise me. I head no conspiracy to dominate anything, but Ive got you in a hole you cant scramble out of. Must I spell it out for you'Youre a trustee of that Communist bail fund, amounting to nearly a million dollars, and at great personal risk you are determined to keep the names of the contributors secret. Court orders havent budged you. Obviously you prefer any alternative to disclosure of the names. But youre going to disclose one of them to me now: Mrs. Benjamin Rackell. And the amounts and dates of her contributions. Well'
No comment.
Pfui. I say you cant hold it. Consider whats going to happen. I am convinced that Mrs. Rackell murdered her nephew because she thought he was spying on Communists for the FBI, and therefore, of course, her own secret was in danger.
The FBI and the police will now share that conviction.
Whether it takes a day or a year, do you think theres any chance we wont get her'Knowing she had the poison, do you think we wont discover where and how she got it'
Wolfe shook his head. No. Youll have to ditch her. Shes too hot to hold. The police will put it to you - have you any knowledge or evidence that she has been in sympathy with the Communist cause'You say no or refuse to answer.
Subsequently they get such evidence, with proof that you were aware of it; it is easily possible that, through some process which you cannot avert, they will get the whole list of contributors. And instead of a brief commitment for contempt of court youll get a considerable term for withholding vital evidence in a murder case. Besides, what of the cause youre devoted to'You know the opinion of communism held by most Americans, including me. To the odium already attached to it would you add the stigma of shielding a murderer'
Wolfe raised his brows. Really, Mr. Heath. There are plenty of precedents to guide you. This will be by no means the first time that an act of misguided zeal by a Communist has come home to roost. In the countries they rule the jails are full - let alone the graves - of former comrades who were indiscreet. In America, where you dont rule and I hope you never will, can you afford the luxury of shielding a murderer'No. Shes too much for you. How much has she contributed and when'
Heaths face was really something. If he hadnt inherited money he could have piled it up playing poker. From looking at him no one could have got the faintest notion how to bet.
He stood up. Ill let you know tomorrow, he said.
Wolfe grunted. Oh no. I want to phone the police to come for her. Theyll want a statement from you. Archie'
I got up and moved and was between the company and the door. Heath moved too.
Im going, he said, and came. When I stood pat he swerved to circle around me.
It would have been a pleasure to plug him, but I refrained and merely got his shoulder, whirled him, and propelled him a little. He stumbled but stayed upright.
This is assault, he told Wolfe, not me. And illegal restraint. Youll regret this.
Bosh. Wolfe suddenly blew up. Confound it, do you think Im going to let you walk out to call a meeting of your Politburo'Do you think I dont know when Ive got you hooked'You cant possibly hang onto her. Talk sense! Can you'
No, he said.
Are you ready to disclose the facts'
Not to you. To the police, yes.
Mrs. Rackell snapped at him, Have you gone mad, you fool'
He stared at her. Ive heard a lot of phony cracks in that office, of all kinds and shapes, but that one by Henry Jameson Heath took the cake. Staring at her,
he said calmly, I must do my duty as a citizen, Mrs. Rackell.
Wolfe spoke. Archie, get Mr. Cramer.
I stepped to my desk and dialed.
Saturday noon, the next day, Wengert and Cramer stood there in the office, at the end of Wolfes desk. They were standing because, having been there nearly an hour and covered all the points, they were ready to leave. They had not admitted in so many words that Wolfe had done the American people, including them, a favor, but
No comment.
Pfui. I say you cant hold it. Consider whats going to happen. I am convinced that Mrs. Rackell murdered her nephew because she thought he was spying on Communists for the FBI, and therefore, of course, her own secret was in danger.
The FBI and the police will now share that conviction.
Whether it takes a day or a year, do you think theres any chance we wont get her'Knowing she had the poison, do you think we wont discover where and how she got it'
Wolfe shook his head. No. Youll have to ditch her. Shes too hot to hold. The police will put it to you - have you any knowledge or evidence that she has been in sympathy with the Communist cause'You say no or refuse to answer.
Subsequently they get such evidence, with proof that you were aware of it; it is easily possible that, through some process which you cannot avert, they will get the whole list of contributors. And instead of a brief commitment for contempt of court youll get a considerable term for withholding vital evidence in a murder case. Besides, what of the cause youre devoted to'You know the opinion of communism held by most Americans, including me. To the odium already attached to it would you add the stigma of shielding a murderer'
Wolfe raised his brows. Really, Mr. Heath. There are plenty of precedents to guide you. This will be by no means the first time that an act of misguided zeal by a Communist has come home to roost. In the countries they rule the jails are full - let alone the graves - of former comrades who were indiscreet. In America, where you dont rule and I hope you never will, can you afford the luxury of shielding a murderer'No. Shes too much for you. How much has she contributed and when'
Heaths face was really something. If he hadnt inherited money he could have piled it up playing poker. From looking at him no one could have got the faintest notion how to bet.
He stood up. Ill let you know tomorrow, he said.
Wolfe grunted. Oh no. I want to phone the police to come for her. Theyll want a statement from you. Archie'
I got up and moved and was between the company and the door. Heath moved too.
Im going, he said, and came. When I stood pat he swerved to circle around me.
It would have been a pleasure to plug him, but I refrained and merely got his shoulder, whirled him, and propelled him a little. He stumbled but stayed upright.
This is assault, he told Wolfe, not me. And illegal restraint. Youll regret this.
Bosh. Wolfe suddenly blew up. Confound it, do you think Im going to let you walk out to call a meeting of your Politburo'Do you think I dont know when Ive got you hooked'You cant possibly hang onto her. Talk sense! Can you'
No, he said.
Are you ready to disclose the facts'
Not to you. To the police, yes.
Mrs. Rackell snapped at him, Have you gone mad, you fool'
He stared at her. Ive heard a lot of phony cracks in that office, of all kinds and shapes, but that one by Henry Jameson Heath took the cake. Staring at her,
he said calmly, I must do my duty as a citizen, Mrs. Rackell.
Wolfe spoke. Archie, get Mr. Cramer.
I stepped to my desk and dialed.
Saturday noon, the next day, Wengert and Cramer stood there in the office, at the end of Wolfes desk. They were standing because, having been there nearly an hour and covered all the points, they were ready to leave. They had not admitted in so many words that Wolfe had done the American people, including them, a favor, but
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