Before Midnight

"But you're more apt to undo what you've already done. The police know now--they were told on your advice--that you have had a copy of the answers in your possession since last Wednesday. How far the discretion of the police can be trusted I don't know, but it's conceivable that one or more of the contestants have learned about it, and if so, God only knows what would happen at the meeting. You might even find yourself backed into a corner where you had to admit you had mailed the answers to them, and LBA would be responsible, and we'd be in a deeper hole than ever."

"You would indeed," Wolfe conceded. "But if that's your fear, dismiss it There will be no such admission by me."

"What will there be?"

"I couldn't tell you if I would. I have formed certain conjectures and I intend to explore them. That's what the meeting is for, and I shall not abandon it."

Assa regarded him in silence, steadily, for a full half a minute. At length he broke it. "When your man Goodwin came to our oflice on Friday and got the word for you to go ahead, he wanted it unanimous. He polled us, and I voted yes with the others. Now I don't, so it's no longer unanimous. I ask you to suspend operations until I have conferred with my associates--say until tomorrow noon. I not only ask you, I direct you."

Wolfe was shaking his head. "I'm afraid I can't oblige you, Mr. Assa. Time's important now, now that the spark has been struck and the fire started. It's too late."

"Too late for what?"

"To stop."

Assa's eyes dropped. He gazed at his right palm, saw nothing there to encourage him, tried the left, and there was nothing there either. "Very well," he said, and arose, in no haste, and started for the door. Considering the turn things had taken, I wouldn't have been astonished if Wolfe had told me to fasten onto him and lock him in the front room until nine o'clock, but he didn't, so I got up and followed the guest into the hall. I didn't resent his not thanking me for holding his topcoat and opening the door, since he was obviously preoccupied.

Back in the office, I stood and looked down at Wolfe. "I suppose," I observed, "it doesn't matter who struck the spark as long as it caught."

"Yes. Get Mr. Cramer."