Over My Dead Body

I sat down and took it. "Office of Nero Wolfe. Archie Goodwin speaking."

"Ah, Meesturrr Gudwinnnn? Zees ees Madame Zorrrka."

"Oh, yeah." I passed Wolfe the sign to listen in on his phone. "I saw you up there this afternoon."

"Yes. Zat ees why I phone. What happen zis afternoon, eet ees terrible!"

"Right. Awful."

"Yes. Zee police, zey kestion me long time. I tell zem everyzing but one sing. I deed not tell zem how I see Mees Tormic put somesing in your pocket."

"No?"

"But no. I sink eet ees not my beesiness, and I do not want any tr-r-rouble. But I am worried. Now I sink eet ees a mur-r-rder, and I owe a duty. I must now tell zee police or I cannot sleep. I am duty bound."

"Sure, I see. Duty bound."

"Yes. But also I sink eet ees only fair I tell you before I tell zee police. Now I tell you. Now I tell zee police."

"Wait a minute, please. Let me get this straight. You're going to phone the police now?"

"Yes."

"And exactly what are you going to tell them?"

"Zat I see Mees Tormic put somesing in your pocket in zee coat hanging on zee rack and trying not to have anybody see. Zen pretty soon you take zee coat and go."

"Now, listen." I tried to laugh. "You sure are seeing things. Where are you now?"

"Zey let me go home. I am at my apartment, 78th Street. 542 East."

"Well, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll get hold of Miss Tormic and we'll drop in to see you. If you think we're murderers, which we're not-"

"Oh, I'm not afraid. But I am worried."

"Don't you worry for a minute. We'll be there in less than an hour. You're sure you'll be there?"

"Certainly I will."

"The police can wait that long."

"But not longer, Meesturr Gudwinnnn."

"Okay. Absolutely."

I shoved back the phone and stood up.

"There," I said, with no feeling because my feelings were too deep. "There you are. What else could I say?"

"Nothing," Wolfe muttered. "Now be quiet."

He shut his eyes and his lips began to push in and out. That went on for ten minutes. I sat and tried to figure out something milder than kidnapping, but my brain wouldn't work because I was too damn disgruntled. Finally he said quietly:

"Get Mr Cramer."

That took a little doing, because the saps Cramer had left up at Miltan's studio had to go into a huddle before they would even admit he wasn't there. Next I tried his office at headquarters, and got him; apparently the base of operations had been moved down there. Wolfe took it: