Over My Dead Body

"Of course not. He might as well display an emblem on an armband. Archie and I don't like him. It's a pity my client's alibi depends on him; I would prefer to establish her innocence without that. Do you suppose the attack on Ludlow was the eagle clawing the lion?"

"I don't suppose. It was a human being murdering a man."

"Yes, it was that, all right." Wolfe glanced up at the clock. "It's well past midnight, and I want to have a little talk with Miss Tormic. Is there anything else you want to ask her?"

"She's an alien. I ought to have her under bond."

"She won't skip, at least not to-night, and we can arrange for the bond to-morrow if you insist on it."

Cramer grunted. "She's important. She had the murder weapon in her possession. I'd like to have her come to my office to-morrow morning at nine o'clock and see Lieutenant Rowcliff."

Wolfe frowned. "Mr Rowcliff is the officer who came here once with a warrant and searched my house."

"Yeah. You don't forget that, do you?"

"No, Neither do you- Come in… Yes, Fritz?" On account of the barricade of chairs, Fritz had to talk over the top of Neya Tormic's head. He was stiffly formal, as was his invariable custom when there were ladies present, not from any sense of propriety but from fear. Whenever any female, no matter what her age or appearance, got inside the house, he was apprehensive and ill at ease until she got out again.

"A gentleman to see you, sir. Mr Stahl. He was here this afternoon."

Wolfe said to show him in.

Chapter Eight

The G-man was wearing the same suit and the same manners, and the only visible change was that he had had his shoes shined. Cramer took one look at him, let out a grunt, and propped himself against the edge of my desk.

The G-man apologized in his educated voice. "I didn't know you were engaged, Mr Wolfe… I don't want to interrupt-"

"I'll be engaged for some time. Do you need to see me alone?"

That seemed to stump him. He frowned and took a quick survey of the crowd. "Perhaps not," he decided. "It's only… about that statute requiring the registration of agents of foreign principals."

"What about it?"

"Well-it is necessary to make sure that you understand the requirements."

"I think I do understand them."