Death of a Doxy (Crime Line)

Ballou had been gone not more than three minutes, and already he had a situation created. Which I handled. I told Julie her breakfast couldn't be ready for half an hour and asked if she would consider having grapefruit juice and coffee in the office while Wolfe explained something to her. She asked why I couldn't explain it, and I said because Wolfe knew more words. She went to change, and I went down and thanked Fritz for helping out in a pinch, requested coffee for the guest, and poured a glass of grapefruit juice.

And after that handling, when I went to the office Wolfe said perhaps it would be better for him to discuss it with me, and then I would discuss it with her. I didn't try to talk him out of it; I just said no. I admit it was still in my gizzard that it was pure luck that she hadn't been ironed out while I was standing right by her. I'm all for luck, but you shouldn't crowd it. After what I had told her about lowering the blind and closing the drapes, I should have gone over for a look behind the wall before she got out of the taxi.

When she came down, not in the blue thing, in a dark green woolen dress, the tray was there on the stand by the red leather chair. She sat, picked up the glass and took a sip of juice, and said, "I'm all balled up. This will be the first time since I don't know when that I don't have breakfast in bed. It had better be good – I mean what you're going to explain."

Wolfe was regarding her, his lips tight. "I apologize. But we should lose no time. I say 'we' because I'm going to propose a collaboration. Have you all the money you want, Miss Jaquette?"

She had started the glass for her mouth but stopped it halfway. "Of all the dumb questions," she said.

"But not pointless. Nor impertinent. I need to know if a chance – a long one, but a chance – of making fifty thousand dollars would interest you. Would it?"

"That's even dumber."

"Would it?"

"You're asking me?"

"I am."

"Fifty grand in cash?"

"Yes."

"Less income tax."

"Not until you paid it. I suggest nothing; I state a fact: it would be in cash, and you would sign no receipt."

She sipped juice. "Do you know what I would do if I had fifty grand in one wad? I would go to school for four straight years. Or five." She sipped juice. "I suppose some college; I finished high school. I have a feeling there are a lot of things I ought to know that I don't know. I always have it. You say you're being serious?"