The Father Hunt

Wolfe's head retreated to the chair's high back and his eyes closed. Often, when some visitor gives him a tough one, he looks at me, but that wouldn't help with that one. It was too simple. Stalling wouldn't help. Maneuvering might do it, just possibly, but with that buck probably not. And after all, telling him wouldn't hurt either the job or the client. I figured it like that in about ten seconds, and so did he. He opened his eyes, moved his head, and said, "I would have told you that yesterday if you had asked. A young woman has engaged me to learn who her father was. Or is. I have reason to suppose that it would be relevant to know who had those checks drawn. To tell you my client's name would violate a confidence, and I-"

He stopped because he had lost his audience. Ballou's head was back and he was laughing good and loud. Wolfe looked at me and I put my palms and my brows up. Bal-lou finished his laugh, gave both of us a broad smile, and said, "Wonderful. By God, this is good. He shelled out for twenty-two years? I'll be damned."

"Evidently you know him."

"I certainly do. Does it help to know that the checks were endorsed by Elinor Denovo?"

"It doesn't hurt. That isn't the name of my client, but it's pertinent. Since you know him… Mr. Ballou. There should be no misunderstanding. If you name him, and I hope you will, I can't engage to regard it as a confidence. I'll use it as required in the interest of my client."

"I would expect you to." Ballou was enjoying himself. The laugh was still in his eyes. "A couple of hours ago I

didn't think I was going to name him; I was going to phone you that the information you wanted wasn't available, but I decided to come and find out why you wanted it. Now that you've told me I will name him. Provided- you're not stringing me? It's just that, a woman wants to know who her father was? Is."

"Yes. It's just that. The name of the endorser, Elinor Denovo, makes it certain that the name you know is the one I need."

"I'll be damned. Wonderful. How old is the woman?"

"Twenty-two. The first check came two weeks after she was born."