Might as Well Be Dead

“Not exactly a question,” Purley rumbled. He was always a little hoarser than normal in Wolfe’s presence, from the strain of controlling his impulses. Or rather, one impulse, the one to find out how many clips it would take to make Wolfe incapable of speech. He continued. “Only I don’t believe it, that Wolfe’s laying off. I never saw him lay off yet. He’s got something he’s holding onto, and when we’ve got the edges trimmed by doing all the work that he’s too good for he’ll spring it. Why has he got that Molloy woman here? You remember the time we got a warrant and searched the whole damn house, and up in the plant rooms he had a woman stretched out in a box covered with moss or something and he was spraying it with water, which we found out later. I can go up and bring her down, or we can both go up. Goodwin won’t try stopping an officer of the law, and if he-”

He stopped and was on his feet, but I had already buzzed the South Room on the house phone and in a second was speaking.

“Archie Goodwin, Mrs. Molloy. Bolt your door, quick. Step on it. I’ll hold on.”

“It’s already bolted. What-”

“Fine. Sorry to bother you, but a character named Stebbins, a sort of a cop, is having trouble with his brain, and I thought he might go up and try to annoy you. Forget it, but don’t unbolt the door for anybody but me until further notice.”

I hung up and swiveled. “Sit down, Sergeant. Would you like a glass of water?”

The cord at the side of his big neck was tight. “We’re in the house,” he told Cramer, hoarser than ever, “and they’re obstructing justice. She recognized a corpse and denied it. She’s a fugitive. To hell with the bolt.”

He knew better, but he was upset. Cramer ignored him and demanded of Wolfe, “What does Mrs. Molloy know that you don’t want me to know?”

“Nothing whatever, to my knowledge.” Wolfe was unruffled. “Nor do I. She is my guest. It would be vain to submit her to your importunity even if you requested it civilly, and Mr. Stebbins should by now know the folly of trying to bully me. If you wish the identification confirmed, why not Mr. or Mrs. Irwin or a member of Ella Reyes’ family? The address is- Saul?”

“Three-oh-six East One-hundred-and-thirty-seventh Street.”