dont like it that Im taking a hand in this. The entrance to my house has been under surveillance since this morning, when they learned that Mr. and Mrs. Rackell had consulted me. One or more of you were probably followed here this evening. But Mr. Rackell may properly hire me, I may properly work for him, and you may properly give me information if you feel like it.
We dont know whether we do or not. Leddegard shifted in his chair, stretching his lanky legs. At least I dont. I came as a courtesy to people in bereavement.
It is appreciated, Wolfe assured him. Now for how you stand. I talked with Mr. and Mrs. Rackell yesterday, and with Mrs. Rackell again this afternoon. It is characteristic of the newspapers to focus attention on you five people; its obvious and dramatic, and, after all, you were there when Arthur Rackell swallowed poison and died. But beyond the obvious, why you'Have the police been candid'
Thats a damn silly question, Heath declared. He had a flat but aggressive baritone. The police are never candid.
I knew a candid cop once, Fifi Goheen said helpfully.
It seems to me, Carol Berk told Wolfe, that youre being dramatic too,
getting us down here. It would have taken a sleight-of-hand artist to get the pillbox from his pocket and switch a capsule and put it back, without being seen. And while the box was on the table it was right under our eyes.
Wolfe grunted. You were all staring at it'For twelve minutes straight'
She didnt say we were staring at it, Leddegard blurted offensively.
Pfui. Wolfe was disgusted. A lummox could have managed it. Reaching for something - a roll, a cocktail glass dropping the hand onto the box, checking glances while withdrawing the hand, changing capsules beneath the table,
returning the box with another casual unnoticeable gesture. I would undertake it myself with thin inducement, and Im not Houdini.
Tell me something, Leddegard demanded. I may be thick, but why did it have to be done at the restaurant'Why not before'
Wolfe nodded. Thats not excluded, certainly. You five people were not the only ones intimate enough with Arthur Rackell to know about his pink vitamin capsules and that he took three a day, one before each meal. Nor did you have a monopoly of opportunity. However - His glance went left. Mrs. Rackell, will you repeat what you told me this afternoon'About Saturday evening'
She had been keeping her eyes at Wolfe but now moved her head to take the others in. Judging from her expression as she went down the line, apparently she was convinced not that one of them was a Commie and a murderer, but that they all were - excluding her husband, of course.
She returned to Wolfe. My husband and Arthur had spent the afternoon getting an important shipment released, I got home a little before six. They went to their rooms to a shower and change. While Arthur was in the shower cook and housekeeper, Mrs. Kremp, went to his room to things out for him, shirt and socks and underwear - shes that; shes been doing it for years. The articles he had from his pockets were on the bureau, and she looked in pillbox and saw it was empty, and she got three capsules the bottle in a drawer - it held a hundred and was half -and put them in the box. She did that too, every day. is a competent woman, but shes extremely sentimental.
And she had no reason, Wolfe inquired, for wishing nephew dead'
Certainly not!
She has of course told the police'
Of course.
Was there anyone in the apartment other than you four - you, your husband, your nephew, and Mrs. Kremp'
No. No one. The maid was away. My husband and I were helping to the country for the weekend.
After Mrs. Kremp put the capsules in the box, and before your nephew came from the shower to dress - did you enter your nephews room during that period'
No. I didnt enter it at all. v Did you, Mr. Rackell'
I did not. He sounded as mournful as he looked.
Wolfes eyes went left to right, from Carol Berk at one end to Leddegard at the other.
We dont know whether we do or not. Leddegard shifted in his chair, stretching his lanky legs. At least I dont. I came as a courtesy to people in bereavement.
It is appreciated, Wolfe assured him. Now for how you stand. I talked with Mr. and Mrs. Rackell yesterday, and with Mrs. Rackell again this afternoon. It is characteristic of the newspapers to focus attention on you five people; its obvious and dramatic, and, after all, you were there when Arthur Rackell swallowed poison and died. But beyond the obvious, why you'Have the police been candid'
Thats a damn silly question, Heath declared. He had a flat but aggressive baritone. The police are never candid.
I knew a candid cop once, Fifi Goheen said helpfully.
It seems to me, Carol Berk told Wolfe, that youre being dramatic too,
getting us down here. It would have taken a sleight-of-hand artist to get the pillbox from his pocket and switch a capsule and put it back, without being seen. And while the box was on the table it was right under our eyes.
Wolfe grunted. You were all staring at it'For twelve minutes straight'
She didnt say we were staring at it, Leddegard blurted offensively.
Pfui. Wolfe was disgusted. A lummox could have managed it. Reaching for something - a roll, a cocktail glass dropping the hand onto the box, checking glances while withdrawing the hand, changing capsules beneath the table,
returning the box with another casual unnoticeable gesture. I would undertake it myself with thin inducement, and Im not Houdini.
Tell me something, Leddegard demanded. I may be thick, but why did it have to be done at the restaurant'Why not before'
Wolfe nodded. Thats not excluded, certainly. You five people were not the only ones intimate enough with Arthur Rackell to know about his pink vitamin capsules and that he took three a day, one before each meal. Nor did you have a monopoly of opportunity. However - His glance went left. Mrs. Rackell, will you repeat what you told me this afternoon'About Saturday evening'
She had been keeping her eyes at Wolfe but now moved her head to take the others in. Judging from her expression as she went down the line, apparently she was convinced not that one of them was a Commie and a murderer, but that they all were - excluding her husband, of course.
She returned to Wolfe. My husband and Arthur had spent the afternoon getting an important shipment released, I got home a little before six. They went to their rooms to a shower and change. While Arthur was in the shower cook and housekeeper, Mrs. Kremp, went to his room to things out for him, shirt and socks and underwear - shes that; shes been doing it for years. The articles he had from his pockets were on the bureau, and she looked in pillbox and saw it was empty, and she got three capsules the bottle in a drawer - it held a hundred and was half -and put them in the box. She did that too, every day. is a competent woman, but shes extremely sentimental.
And she had no reason, Wolfe inquired, for wishing nephew dead'
Certainly not!
She has of course told the police'
Of course.
Was there anyone in the apartment other than you four - you, your husband, your nephew, and Mrs. Kremp'
No. No one. The maid was away. My husband and I were helping to the country for the weekend.
After Mrs. Kremp put the capsules in the box, and before your nephew came from the shower to dress - did you enter your nephews room during that period'
No. I didnt enter it at all. v Did you, Mr. Rackell'
I did not. He sounded as mournful as he looked.
Wolfes eyes went left to right, from Carol Berk at one end to Leddegard at the other.
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