The Rubber Band

I heard the click of Wolfe banging up. Perry was sputtering, but I hung up too. I tossed the notebook away and got up and stuck my hands in my pockets and walked around. Perhaps I was muttering. I was thinking to myself, if Wolfe takes that pot with nothing but a dirty deuce he's a better man than he thinks he is, if that was possible. On the face of it, it certainly looked as if his crazy conceit had invaded the higher centers of his brain and stopped his mental processes completely; but there was one thing that made such a supposition unlikely, namely, that he was spending money. He had four expensive men riding around in taxis and he had got London on the phone as if it had been a delicatessen shop. It was a thousand to one he was going to get it back.

Still another expenditure was imminent, as I learned when the phone rang again. I sat down to get it, half hoping it was Perry calling back to offer a truce. But what I heard was Fred Durkin's low growl, and he sounded peeved.

"That you, Archie?"

"Right. What have you got?"

"Nothing. Less than that. Look here. I'm talking from the Forty-seventh Street Station."

"The… what? What for?"

"What the hell do you suppose for? I got arrested a little."

I made a face and took a breath. "Good for you," I said grimly. "That's a big help. Men like you are the backbone of the country. Go on."

His growl went plaintive. "Could I help it? They bopped me at the garage when I went there to ask questions. They say I committed something when I took that car last night. I think they're getting ready to send me somewhere, I suppose Centre Street. What the hell could I do, run and let him tag me? I wouldn't be phoning now if it hadn't happened that a friend of mine is on the desk here."

"Okay. If they take you to the DA's office keep your ears open and stick to the little you know. We'll get after it."

Tou'd better. If I- hey! Will you phone the missis?"

I assured him he would see the missis as soon as she was expecting him, and hung up. I sat and scratched my nose a minute and then made for the stairs. It was looking as if being confined to the house wasn't going to deprive me of my exercise.

Wolfe was still in the tropical room. He kept on snipping stems and listened without looking around. I reported the development. He said, "These interruptions are abominable."

I said, "All right, let him rot in a dungeon."

Wolfe sighed. "Phone Mr. Barber. Can you pick Keems up? No, you can't. When you hear from him let me talk to him."