Before Midnight

"Carol Wheelock, Richmond, Virginia, before midnight April nineteenth.

"Philip Younger, Chicago, Illinois, before midnight April nineteenth.

"Harold Rollins, Burlington, Iowa, before midnight April nineteenth.

"Gertrude Frazee, Los Angeles, California, before midnight April twentieth."

He returned the paper to his pocket and slid back in the chair, which was a relief. "That's the postmark deadline for their answers, staggered as I said. It favors Miss Frazee, who was going to take a plane, but she held out for it. Since they're being held in New York they might agree on an extension, but what if Miss Tescher, who lives here, refused? What if she went ahead and sent in her answers before her deadline? Where would we be?"

Wolfe grunted. "In a pickle."

"We certainly would. There's only one possible way out, to learn who got that paper, today or tomorrow if possible, but absolutely before midnight April twentieth, the last deadline. With proof of that we'll have them licked. We can say to them, One of you--and we name him--stole the answers. That makes it impossible to proceed with those verses. Surrender them or not, as you please, but we're going to give you five new verses and new deadlines, and award the prizes on the basis of your answers to them. They'll have to take it. Under those circumstances they would have no alternative. Would they?"

"No," Wolfe conceded. "But the one exposed as the purloiner of the answers wouldn't have much opportunity for research. He would be jailed on a charge of murder."

"That's his lookout."

"True. Also your guile would be disclosed. The police would know you had lied when you told them that you thought Dahlmann's display of that paper last night was only a joke."

"That can't be helped. Anyway, they'll have the murderer."

"True again. Also," Wolfe persisted, "you're taking an excessive risk in assuming that I will find the thief, with evidence, within a week. I may not. If I don't, you're not in a pickle, you're sunk. Before midnight April Twentieth? I have only this"-he tapped his forehead--"and Mr. Goodwin and a few men I can rely on. Whereas the police have thousands of men and vast resources and connections. I must suggest that you consider taking your problem to them just as you have brought it to me."