Over My Dead Body

"Hvala Bogu," I declared. "I like Montenegrin girls, but it's time to go to bed. They're all right. I offered to take them home and they refused to let me. In spite of which, I have to run up to 48th Street before I turn in, to get the damn roadster I left there. This is a very peculiar case. I've got a feeling in my bones that there is going to be a strange romantic twist to it by the time we get through. I have an inner conviction that when the full moon comes I'll be standing right here in this office asking you formally for the hand of your daughter in marriage. You've got something there, gospodar. Only you'll have to help me break her of lying."

"Shut up."

"Shall I go up for the roadster?"

"I suppose you'll have to." Wolfe shuddered. Out into the night like that. "What time will Saul be here in the morning?"

"Nine o'clock."

"Phone him and tell him to bring that envelope."

"Yes, sir. Are you really going to hand it over to her?"

"I am. I want to see what she is going to do with it. Will Fred and Orrie also be here at nine?"

"Yes, sir. Who do you want to tail whom?"

"Tailing may not be necessary. On the other hand, it may be, for her protection. Mr Faber wanted that paper."

"Not only did he want it, he knew where to look for it," I yawned. "And since Carla put it there, did she tell him about it? Or did he learn it from a member of your family?"

"I have no family."

"A daughter is commonly considered to be a member of one's family. In this case it would hardly be too much to say that a daughter is a family." I made my voice grave and respectful. "When I marry her, I guess it will be unavoidable for me to call you Dad."

"Archie, I swear by all-"

"And I would be your heir in case you die. I would be the beneficiary on your life insurance. We could play in father and son golf tournaments. Later on you could hold the baby. Babies. When the time comes for the divorce-now what the hell!"

The doorbell was ringing.

Chapter Nine

At half past one in the morning, with me yawning my head off and an outside errand still to do, the doorbell should ring.

I went to the front and unlocked, leaving the chain bolt on so that the door only opened to a five-inch crack, and peered through at the male figure standing there.

"Well?"

"I want to see Nero Wolfe."

"Name, please?"

"Open the door!" He was a bit peremptory.

"Tut-tut," I said. "It's after office hours. If you don't like your own name, make up one. But it had better be a good one, at this time of night."

"My name is Donald Barrett."