The Black Mountain Read Free Page A

substantial asset, and it was left to six of the men who work here, with the biggest shares going to the three men I have just inquired about. They were told of the terms of the will when it was altered a year ago. Mr. Vukcic had no close relatives, and none at all in this country.
    Cramer was eyeing Felix. What’s this place worth'
    Felix shrugged. I don’t know.
    Did you know that if Vukcic died you would be part owner of it'
    Certainly. You heard what Mr. Wolfe said.
    You hadn’t mentioned it.
    Good God! Felix was out of his chair, on his feet, quivering. He stood a moment, got the quivering stopped, sat down again, and leaned forward at Cramer.
    It takes time to mention things, officer. There is nothing about Marko and me,
    about him and us here, that I will not be glad to mention. He was hard about the work, hard and sometimes rough, and he could roar, but he was a great man.
    Listen, and I’ll tell you how I feel about him. Here I am. Here at my side is Marko. Felix tapped his elbow with a finger. A man appears and points a gun at him and is going to shoot. I jump to put myself in front of Marko. Because I am a big hero'No. I am no hero at all. Only because that’s how I feel about Marko.
    Ask Mr. Wolfe.
    Cramer grunted. He was just asking you where you’ve been since seven o’clock.
    What about Leo and Joe'How do they feel about Marko'
    Felix straightened up. They will tell you.
    How do you think they feel'
    Not like me because they are not of my temperament. But to suppose it possible they would try to hurt him - never. Joe would not jump in front of Marko to stop the bullet. He would jump for the man with the gun. Leo - I don’t know, but it is my opinion he would yell for help, for the police. I don’t sneer at that; it would take more than a coward to yell for help.
    It’s too bad one of you wasn’t there when it happened, Cramer observed. It seemed to me uncalled-for. Obviously he didn’t like Felix. And you say you have no knowledge whatever of anyone who might have wanted Vukcic dead'
    No, sir, I haven’t. Felix hesitated. Of course there is one thing - or I should say, more than one. There is women. Marko was a gallant man. Only one thing could ever take him away from his work here: a woman. I will not say that to him a woman was more important than a sauce - he could not be accused of ever neglecting a sauce - but he had a warm eye for women. After all, it was not essential for him to be in the kitchen when everything was planned and ready,
    and Joe and Leo and I are competent for the tables and service, so if Marko chose to enjoy dinner at his own table with a guest there was no feeling about it among us. But it might have caused feeling among others. I have no personal knowledge. Myself, I am married with four children and have no time, but everybody knows that women can arouse strong feelings.
    So he was a chaser, Sergeant Stebbins growled.
    Pfui! Wolfe growled back at him. Gallantry is not always a lackey for lust.
    Which was a fine sentiment with company present, but the fact remained that Wolfe had himself asked me about Marko’s relations with women.
    For the next three hours, there in Marko’s office, that subject came close to monopolizing the conversation. Felix was dismissed and told to send Joe up.
    Other Homicide dicks arrived, and an assistant district attorney, and waiters and cooks were brought up for sessions in the private dining rooms; and with each one, after a few personal questions, the emphasis was on the female guests who had eaten at Marko’s own table in the past year or so. By the time Wolfe was willing to call it a day and got himself erect and stretched, it was well after midnight and a respectable bulk of data had been collected, including the names of seven women, none of them notorious.
    Cramer rasped at Wolfe, You said you intend to see that the murderer is caught and brought to account with the least possible delay. I don’t want to butt in,
    but I’ll just