In the Best Families

“Yes. A pause, then her voice got more energetic. “I want you to come up here and talk with us. I don't want to go on like this, and I'm not going to. When people look at me I can see it in their eyes-was it me that killed my mother-in-law?-or in some of them I can see it, and that makes me think it's there with all of them. It's been nearly a month now, and all the police are doing-but you read the papers. She left me this place and a lot of money, and I wish I could hire Nero Wolfe. You must know where he is.

“Sorry. I don't.

“Then I want to hire you. You're a good detective, aren't you?

“Opinions vary. I rate myself close to the top, but you have to discount that for my bias.

“Could you come up here to-day? This evening?

“I couldn't make it to-day. My brain was having some exercise for the first time in weeks. “Look, Mrs Frey, I wouldn't be in a hurry about this. There's-

“A hurry? She sounded bitter. “It's been nearly a month!

“I know, and that's why another few days won't matter. There's nothing fresh about it, to get stale. Why don't you do this, let me do a little looking around, just on my own, and then you'll hear from me. After that you can decide whether you want to hire me or not.

“I've already decided.

“I haven't. I don't want your dough if there's no chance of earning it.

Since her mind had been made up before she called me, she didn't like it my way but finally settled for it.

I discovered when I hung up that my mind was made up too. It had made itself up while I was talking to her. I couldn't go on like this forever, nothing but a damn' caretaker with no telling from day to day how long it might last. Nor could I, while drawing pay as Wolfe's assistant, take a boat for Europe or run for Mayor of New York or buy an island and build up a harem, or any of the other things on my deferred list; and certainly, while taking his pay, I couldn't personally butt into a case that he had run away from.

But there was nothing to prevent me from taking advantage of the gratitude that was still felt, even after paying the fee, by certain former clients of ours, and I took up the phone again and got the president of one of the big realty outfits, and was glad to learn that I hadn't over-estimated his gratitude. When

I had explained my problem he said he would do all he could to help, starting right then.