The Mother Hunt (Rex Stout Library)

Not wanting her to know I had spotted it, I headed for the door she had left by and went through to the kitchen. At the sink with the faucet running, she filled a glass and offered it, and I took it and drank. Good water, I said. A deep well?

She didn't answer. Probably she hadn't heard my question, since she had one of her own on her mind. She asked it: How did you find out I make buttons?

Worded wrong and too late. If she had asked it sooner, and if I hadn't seen the object on the table, I would have had to answer it as I had intended. I emptied the glass and put it down and said, Thank you very much. Wonderful water. How I found out is kind of complicated, and it doesn't matter, does it? May I see some of them?

I told you, I only have seventeen.

I know, but if you don't mind…

What did you say your name is?

Goodwin. Archie Goodwin.

All right, you've had your drink of water, now you can go.

But Miss Tenzer, I've driven sixty miles just to I don't care if you've driven six hundred miles. I'm not going to show you any buttons and I'm not going to talk about them.

That suited me fine, but I didn't say so. Some time in the future, the near future, I hoped, developments would persuade her to talk about buttons at length, but it would be a mistake to try to crowd her until I knew more. For the sake of appearances I insisted a little, but she didn't listen. I thanked her again for the water and left. As I got the Heron turned around and headed out I was thinking that if I had the equipment in the car, and if it was dark, and if I was willing to risk doing a stretch, I would tap her telephone, quick.

A telephone was what I wanted, quick, and I had noticed one, an outdoor booth, as I had passed a filling station after turning right at the church. Within five minutes after leaving Ellen Tenzer I was in it and was giving the operator a number I didn't have to get from my notebook. It was after eleven, so Wolfe would probably answer it himself.

He did. Yes? He has never answered a telephone right and never will.

Me. From a booth in Mahopac. Has Saul phoned in?

No.

Then he will around noon. I suggest that you send him up here. The niece can wait. The aunt knows who put the overalls on the baby.

Indeed. She told you so?