The Father Hunt

"I don't know. I never saw you at a loss for words. Is that straight? It has nothing to do with me?"

"Yes. It's my problem. And Mr. Goodwin's."

Ballou took a deep breath, settled back in the chair, turned to me, and said, "I could use a drink."

"Gin on the rocks with lemon peel?" I asked. "There's fresh mint if you want it."

"You remember? I'll be damned. No mint."

I didn't move; I didn't intend to miss the next five minutes. Wolfe, seeing I wasn't going, pushed a button, and when Fritz came gave him a triple order: gin for the guest, beer for him, and milk for me.

He squinted at Ballou. "It's difficult. I can't pretend that you are under any obligation to me. You paid me a substantial sum for the ticklish and knotty job I did for you. You did say that you had to be rescued from that predicament no matter what it cost, but that was merely the desperate squawk of a man under intolerable pressure. The account was settled. You owe me nothing. But the fact remains that Mr. Goodwin and I remain in possession of a secret which you still wish to protect at any cost, and we could support our knowledge with evidence. Then no matter what I say, how I put it, how can I ask you to help me on a problem without risking an indictment for extortion? For blackmail? Not by a jury; by you."

He compressed his lips and shook his head. "Confound it. Words won't do it. No words will erase or suspend your awareness that I could divulge that secret. There are no conceivable circumstances in which Mr. Goodwin or I would divulge it, but you know we could, and I can't open your skull and select those cells and remove them."

He shook his head some more. "I'll try another tack. I need your help. I presume to request it solely on the supposition that you may be willing to supply it not to meet any obligation, but to show your continued appreciation for the service I rendered you. If your appreciation has withered or vanished, I make no request."

"It hasn't." The sag was gone, and Ballou had even smiled a couple of times. "It's too bad you didn't know how to say it. I'm glad you're not going to open my skull, I appreciate that, too. What's your problem?"