Prisoner's Base

"Yes. I will say that I was not enthusiastic about it. Important matters, trade secrets and plans for future operations, are discussed at directors' meetings, and if Margaret attended them naturally she would hear everything. Priscilla trusted her completely, and I had no reason to doubt her, but I wanted to know more about her relations with her husband. Women who are reliably discreet in all other respects will blab anything and everything to their husbands. That was why I went to Margaret's home one evening last week, to meet her husband and talk with both of them and see how they were together. There was nothing secret-"

"No!" Andy was loose again. He came tearing over, declaiming en route. I met him. He decided to come right on through me, and I had either to dive to keep from being trampled or dispose of him, and, choosing the latter, I overestimated his momentum and weight. The result was that my arm twist and hip lift not only repulsed him, they tumbled him and sent him rolling. By the time he got up and started for me I had a chair between us and was displaying the silencer in my hand.

"Hold it, Junior," I told him. "I don't want to bust a knuckle on you, but I think it's time for your nap. Sit down and stay sat, or else." Keeping a corner of an eye on him, I asked Wolfe, "Do you want to let him recite?"

"Not now. We'll see later. Go on, Miss Duday."

She waited for Fomos to return to his chair, then resumed. "My call on Margaret Fomos and my talk with her had no significance whatever other than what I have said. I was talking about motive. Should I deal further with that?"

"Whatever you think might help."

"It will be difficult without giving a false impression, but I'll try. I don't want to give the impression that I think it probable that one of my business associates is a murderer, but facts are facts. Although Priscilla was not fond of me personally, she had great confidence in my intelligence and ability. Also she thought that women should have more positions of power in all fields. And in addition, when she decided some eighteen months ago to take an interest in the affairs of Softdown and learn the ropes, she resented it that the men-and especially the four men present here-treated her with what she regarded as servility but did not conceal-"

Two of them made noises. She halted. Wolfe darted a glance at them. They subsided.