Over My Dead Body

I made mine vigorous but musical. "Hello, Belinda?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Guess."

"I'm in no condition to guess."

"It's Archie. Archie the good-looking bum. I want to warn-"

"How did you get this number? It's private and it's not listed."

"I know, but I can read, can't I? I saw it on your phone when I used it. I want to say three things. First, that I think you're very very beautiful and if you ever ask me to come and read aloud to you I will. Second, I forgot to thank you for the drinks. Third, I want to warn you about Zorka. About a thousand cops are looking for her, and if they come and find her there it will get you in a lot of trouble, and I'd be glad to-"

"What are you talking about? How are they going to find her here when you took her away?"

"But she went back there."

"She did not. Where is she?"

"She started for your place about five o'clock."

"Well, she didn't get here."

"That's funny. What do you suppose happened to her?"

"I have no idea."

A click in my ear ended it. So much for that. It sounded very much as if Zorka had not returned to Madison Avenue. I wrote three more lines of the report and the door bell rang and I went to the front and opened up. It was Rudolph Faber.

I admit it was Wolfe's house and I was employed there, and courtesy is courtesy, but he hung up his coat himself. That was the effect that guy had on me. I let him precede me into the office because I didn't want him behind me, and he required no invitation to take a chair. I had explained in the hall that Mr Wolfe was never available in the morning until eleven o'clock, but I seated myself at my desk and rang up the plant rooms, and in a moment Wolfe answered.

I told him, "Mr Rudolph Faber is here."

"Indeed. What does he want?"

"To see you. He says he'll wait."

"I doubt if I can see him before lunch."

"I told him so."

"Well. Let's see." A pause. "Come up here. Better still, call on Mr Green. Before leaving, give him a good book to read, and see what happens."

"A really good book?"

"The best you can find."

I hung up and swivelled to face the caller. "Mr Wolfe needs me upstairs, and he suggested that I should give you a book to amuse yourself with while I'm gone."

I went to the shelves and got down United Yugoslavia and returned and handed it to him. "I think you'll find it very interesting, especially-"

He stood up and threw the book on the floor and started for the exit.