In the Best Families

“Then they understand why I wasn't much interested in anyone but Rackham. And you and Miss Darrow, of course, but that interest wasn't professional. It looks to me like a case that will probably never be solved by exhibits or testimony on facts. The cops have had plenty of good men on it, and if they had got anything usable on footprints or fingerprints, or getting the steak knife from the drawer, or alibis or time-tables, or something like shoes that had been worn in the woods, someone would have been arrested long ago. And they've had it for a month, so no kind of routine would be any good now, and that's all most detective work amounts to. Motive is no help, with four of you inheriting piles from two hundred grand up, and the other two possibly counting on marrying one of the piles. Only I must say, in the atmosphere here to-night, courtship doesn't seem to be on the programme.

“It isn't, Annabel asserted.

I glanced at Hammond and Pierce, but neither of them seemed to want the floor.

“So, I continued, “unless the cops have got a trap set that you don't know about, it's one of those things. You never can tell. It would be a waste of money to pay me to go over the ground the cops have covered-or any other detective except Nero Wolfe, and he's not around. There's only one way to use me, or anyhow only one way to start, and stand a chance of getting your money's worth, and that would be to give me a good eight or ten hours with each of you six people, each one separately. I have watched and listened to Nero Wolfe a good many years and I can now do a fair imitation. It might possibly turn out to be worth it to all of you-except one, as Mr Pierce would say.

I flipped a hand. “That's the best suggestion I can offer. With nothing like a guarantee.

Annabel said, “No one would tell you everything you asked. I haven't myself, to the police.

“Sure. I understand that. That's part of it.

“You would be working for me-for us. It would be confidential.

“Things that weren't used would be confidential. Nothing that was evidence would be.

Annabel sat and regarded me. She had had her fingers twisted tight together, and now she loosened them and then they twisted again. “I want to ask you something,

Mr Goodwin. Do you think one of us killed Mrs Rackham?

“I do now. I don't know what I would think after I had worked at it.

“Do you think you know which one?

“Nope. I'm impartial.

“All right. You can start with me. She turned her head. “Unless one of you would rather first?