Before Midnight

Cramer said he'd be right down, and arose. The dick left. Cramer addressed me. "Get your machine and type that talk with Assa. Bring it up and do it here so you can keep an eye on your boss. We don't want him humiliated again." He walked out.

I faced Wolfe and he faced me. I wouldn't have liked his look either if his expression of cold fury had been meant for me. "Any instructions?" I asked.

"Not at present. I may call on you any time during the night. I won't try to sleep. With a murderer roaming my house, and me empty-handed and empty-headed…"

"He's not roaming. You ought to squeeze in a nap, with your door locked of course. I'll stick around until the company leaves--and incidentally, what about refreshments? With the gate-crashers there won't be enough marinated mushrooms and almond balls. Sandwiches and coffee?"

"Yes." He shut his eyes. "Archie. Let me alone."

"Glad to."

I left him and went downstairs. Opening the door to the kitchen to tell Fritz sandwiches and coffee, I saw only Cramer and Rowcliff and Susan Tescher and Hibbard, and backed out. Three guests in uniform were in the hall, one in charge of the front door. The doors to the dining room and front room were closed. The one to the office was also closed, and I opened it and entered. The corpse was gone. Half a dozen scientists were still researching, and Purley Stebbins and a dick from the DA's office had Patrick O'Garro between them over by the refreshment table. That could last all night, bringing each one in separately to tell who was where and when. Fritz was still perched behind Wolfe's desk and I went to him.

"Nice party."

"It's nothing to joke about, Archie. Cochon!"

"I never joke. I'm relieving you. Evidently nothing in this room is available, including the refreshments, so I guess you'll have to produce sandwiches and coffee. You'll find characters in the kitchen, but ignore them. If they complain tell them you're under orders. Don't bother taking anything up to Mr. Wolfe. He's chewing nails and doesn't want to be disturbed."

Fritz said he should have some beer, and I said okay if he wanted to risk it, and he departed. As for me, I was relieving Fritz on guard duty, and furthermore, the day had not come for me to tell Purley that Cramer had ordered me to remove my typewriter to another room and would he kindly permit me to do so; and I didn't want to lug it up two flights anyway; and it would be interesting and instructive to watch trained detectives solving a crime.