Over My Dead Body

"Then please back up. I'm not comfortable with my head tilted. Now listen. Get it out of your head that I represent any interest, either friendly or hostile to you, in your Balkan enterprise. I don't. Then, you wonder, how did I learn of it? What's the difference? I did. Next, you must somehow manage to believe that I do not want a slice of the loot. Incredible and even immoral as that must seem to a man of your instinct and training, I don't. I want just one thing. I want you to conduct Mr Goodwin to Madame Zorka, wherever you have put her, and he will bring her here. That's all. Unless you do that, I shall send information at once, to three different quarters, of your firm's projected raid on the property of the people of Yugoslavia. You know better than I do the sort of hullabaloo that would start. Don't complicate matters by assuming for me a cupidity and corruption beyond the limits I have set for myself. You're suffering from an occupational disease. When an international financier is confronted by a hold-up man with a gun, he automatically hands over not only his money and jewellery, but also his shirt and pants, because it doesn't occur to him that a robber might draw the line somewhere. I beg you, understand that I want Madame Zorka and nothing else. Beyond that I do not and shall not represent any threat to you-unless, of course, it should turn out that it was you who murdered Percy Ludlow."

Wolfe shifted his eyes to me. "Archie, I'm afraid there's no help for it. Mr Barrett will take you to Madame Zorka. You will bring her here."

"What if she's skipped town?"

"I doubt it. She can't have got far. Take the roadster and go after her. Hang on to Mr Barrett."

"That's the part I don't like, hanging on to Barrett."

"I know. You'll have to put up with it. It may be only-" He switched to Barrett. "Where is she? How far away?"

The financier was standing there trying to concentrate, with his gaze fastened on Wolfe and his lips working. He made them function: "Damn you, if you let this out-"

Wolfe said curtly, "I've told you what I want, and that's all I want. Where is she?"

"She's-I think-not far away."

"In the city?"

"I think so."

"Good. Don't try any tricks with Mr Goodwin. They make him lose his temper."

"I'm coming back with them. I want to talk-"

"No. Not to-night. To-morrow, perhaps. Don't let him in, Archie."

"Okay." I was on my feet. "For God's sake, let's step on it, or my bed will think I'm having an affair with the couch. I only wish I was."