Before Midnight

"I prefer," O'Garro said, "to have this out with you here and now." His bluster was gone. He was being very careful and keeping his eyes straight at Wolfe. "I was here all yesterday afternoon. I saw Assa and spoke with him several times, but always with others present. Buff and I left together around half-past seven and met Assa at a restaurant. We ate something and went from there to your place--Buff and I did. Assa stopped off for an errand and came on alone."

"What was his errand?"

"I don't know. He didn't say."

"At the restaurant, what did he say about his visit to me?"

"Nothing. He didn't mention it. The first I heard of it was here from you."

"When did you make the appointment to meet him at the restaurant?"

"I didn't make it."

"Who did?"

O'Garro's jaw worked. His eyes hadn't left Wolfe. "I'll reserve that," he said.

"You preferred," Wolfe reminded him, "to have it out here and now."

"That will do," Hansen said, with authority. "As your counsel, Pat, I instruct you, and you too, Oliver, to answer no more questions. I said this man is treacherous and I repeat it. He was in your employ in a confidential capacity, and he is trying to put you in jeopardy on a capital charge. Don't answer him. – -If you have anything else to say, Wolfe, we're listening."

Wolfe ignored him and looked at Buff. "Fortunately, Mr. Buff, Mr. O'Garro has spared me the effort of persuading you to disobey your attorney, since he has told me that you left here with him around seven-thirty." His eyes moved. "I deny that I am treacherous. My client is a business entity called Lippert, Buff and Assa. Until the moment of Mr. Assa's death I devoted myself exclusively to my client's interests by working on the job that had been given me. Indeed, I am still doing so, but the circumstances have altered. The question is, what will best serve the interests of that business entity under these new circumstances? Its corollary is, how can I finish my job and learn who took the wallet without exposing the murderer? I can't."