Before Midnight

When, at four o'clock, Fritz and I heard Wolfe's elevator ascending to the roof, we went to the office and made some preliminary preparations. There would be ten of them, eleven if I got Frazee, so chairs had to be brought from the front room and dining room. Wolfe had said there should be refreshments, so a table had to be placed at the end of the couch, covered with a yellow linen cloth, with napkins and other accessories. Fritz had already started on canape's and other snacks and filling the vacuum bucket with ice cubes. There was no need to check the supply of liquids, since Wolfe does that himself at least once a week. He hates to have anybody, even a policeman or a woman, ask for something he hasn't got. When we had things under control Fritz returned to the kitchen and I went to my desk and got at the phone for another try for Frazee.

By gum, I got her, no trouble at all. Her own voice, and she admitted she remembered me. She was a little frosty, asking me what I wanted, but I overlooked it.

"I'm calling," I said, "to ask you to join us at a gathering at Mr. Wolfe's office at nine o'clock this evening. The other contestants will be here, and Mr. Heery, and members of the firm of Lippert, Buff and Assa."

"What's it for?"

"To discuss the situation as it stands now. Since the contestants have received a list of the answers from some unknown source, there must be-"

"I haven't received any answers from any source, known or unknown. I'm expecting word Wednesday morning from my friends at home, and I'll have my answers in by the deadline. I've heard enough of this trick."

She was gone.

I cradled the phone, sat and gave it a thought, buzzed the plant rooms on the house phone, and got Wolfe.

"Do you want Miss Frazee here tonight?" I asked him.

"I want all of them here. I said so."

"Yeah, I heard you. Then I'll have to go get her. She just told me on the phone that she hasn't received any answers and she's heard enough of this trick. And hung up. If she's clean, she tore up the envelope and paper and flushed them down the toilet, and she's standing pat. Do you want her?"

"Yes. Phone again?"

"No good. She's not in a mood to chat."

"Then you'll have to go."

I said okay, went to the kitchen to ask Fritz to come and bolt after me, got my hat and coat, and left.