In the Best Families

She sent him a glance. “He said he would try to find out something, but he hasn't.

We looked at Leeds. He upturned a palm.

“Well, he said, half apology and half protest, “I'm no trained detective. I asked him straight, and he just laughed at me. You didn't want anyone else to get a hint of it, that you were curious about money he wasn't getting from you, so I was pretty limited in my asking around. I did my best, Sarah, you know I did.

“It seems to me, Wolfe told her, “that Mr Leeds had one good idea-asking him.

Have you tried that yourself?

“Certainly. Long ago. He told me that an investment he had made was doing well.

“Maybe it was. Why not?

“Not with my husband. She was positive. “I know how he is with money. It isn't in him to make an investment. Another thing: he is away more now. I don't know where he is as much as I used to. I don't mean weeks or even days, just an afternoon or evening-and several times he has had an appointment that he couldn't break when I wanted him to-

Wolfe grunted, and she was at him. “I know! You think I feel that I've bought him and I own him! That's not it at all! All I really want is to be like a wife, just any wife-not beautiful and not ugly, not rich and not poor-just a wife! And hasn't a wife a right to know the source of her husband's income-isn't it her duty to know? If you had a wife wouldn't you want her to know?

Wolfe made a face. “I can tell you, madam, what I don't want. I don't want this job. I think you're gulling me. You suspect that your husband is swindling you, either emotionally or financially, and you want me to catch him at it. He turned to me. “Archie. You'll have to change that formula. Hereafter, when a request comes for an appointment, do not say merely that we will not undertake to get divorce or separation evidence. Make it clear that we will not engage to expose a husband for a wife, or a wife for a husband, under any camouflage. May

I ask what you are doing, Mrs Rackham?

She had opened her brown leather handbag and taken out a chequebook and a little gold fountain-pen. Resting the chequebook on the bag, she was writing in it with the pen. Wolfe's question got no reply until she had finished writing, torn out the cheque, returned the book and pen to the bag, and snapped the bag shut. Then she looked at him.