Black Orchids

"Just ruin me. You know what I do. I do parties-"

"I know what you do," Wolfe said curtly.

"Very well. My clients are rich people and important people, at least they think they're important. Without going into that, they're important to me. So what do you suppose the effect would be-wait, I'll show it to you-"

She opened her handbag and dug into it like a terrier. A small bit of paper fluttered to the floor, and I stepped across to retrieve it for her, but she darted a glance at it and said, "Don't bother, wastebasket," and I disposed of it as indicated and returned to my chair.

Bess Huddleston handed an envelope to Wolfe. "Look at that. What do you think of that?"

Wolfe looked at the envelope, front and back, took from it a sheet of paper which he unfolded and looked at, and passed them over to me.

"This is confidential," Bess Huddleston said.

"So is Mr. Goodwin," Wolfe said dryly.

I examined the exhibits. The envelope, stamped and postmarked and slit open, was addressed on a typewriter:

Mrs. Jervis Horrocks

902 East 74th Street

New York City

The sheet of paper said, also typewritten:

Was it ignorance or something else that caused Dr.

Brady to prescribe the wrong medicine for your

daughter? Ask Bess Huddleston. She can tell you if

she will. She told me. |

There was no signature. I handed the sheet and envelope back to Wolfe.

Bess Huddleston used her handkerchief on her forehead and throat again. "There was another one," she said, looking at Wolfe but her eyes making me feel she was looking at me, "but I haven't got it. That one, as you see, is postmarked Tuesday, August 12th, six days ago. The other one was mailed a day earlier, Monday, the 11th, aweek ago today. Typewritten, just like that. I've seen it. It was sent to a very rich and prominent man, and it said- I'll repeat it. It said: 'Where and with whom does your wife spend most of her afternoons? If you knew you would be surprised. My authority for this is Bess Huddleston. Ask her.' The man showed it to me. His wife is one of my best-"

"Please." Wolfe wiggled a finger at her. "Are you consulting me or hiring me?"

"I'm hiring you. To find out who sent those things."

"It's a mean kind of a job. Often next to impossible. Nothing but greed could induce me to tackle it."

"Certainly." Bess Huddleston nodded impatiently. "I know how to charge too. I expect to get soaked. But where will I be if this isn't stopped and stopped quick?"

"Very well. Archie, your notebook."