The Rubber Band

"Mr. Donvaag? This is Nero Wolfe… That's it. You remember I talked to you this afternoon and you were good enough to go after Mr. Lindquist for a conversation with me… Yes, sir. I have to ask another favor of you. Can you hear me well? Good. It will be necessary for you to go again to Mr. Lindquist tonight or the first thing tomorrow morning- Tell him there is reason to suspect that someone means him injury and may attempt it… Yes. We don't know how. Tell him to be circumspect- to be careful. Does he eat candy? He might receive a box of poisoned candy in the mail. Even, possibly, a bomb. Anything. He might receive a telegram saying his daughter has died- with results expected from the shock to him… No, indeed. His daughter is well and there is nothing to fear for her… Well, this is a peculiar situation; doubtless you will hear all about it later. Tell him to be careful and to suspect anything at all unusual… You can go at once? Good. You are a good neighbor, sir. Good night."

Wolfe rang off and pushed the button for beer. He sighed. "That desperate fool has a good deal to answer for. Another four dollars. Three? Oh, the night rate. Bring another, Fritz. Archie, give Saul the necessary facts regarding Mr. Muir and send him out. We want to know where he was from six to eight this evening."

I went to the kitchen and did that. Johnny Keems was helping Fritz with the dishes and Saul was in my breakfast comer with the remainder of the dish of ripe olives. He didn't write anything down; he never had to. He pointed his long nose at me and absorbed the dope, nodded, took a twenty for expenses, gathered up the last of the olives into a handful, and departed. I let him out.

Back in the office, I asked Wolfe if he wanted me to try for Cramer again. He shook his head. He was leaning back with his eyes closed, and the faint movement of his lips in and out informed me that he was in conference with himself. I sat down and put my feet on my desk. In a few minutes I got up again and went to the cabinet and poured myself a shot of bourbon, smelled it, and poured it back into the bottle. It wasn't whisky I wanted. I went to the kitchen and asked Johnny some more questions about the layout up at?5th Street, and drank a glass of milk.