Death of a Doxy (Crime Line)

Even through the one-way glass, as I approached the door, she took the eye. She was two inches taller than Saul, and if the coat was real sable it must have taken at least a hundred sables. As she entered she gave me a dazzling three-inch smile, and another one when I turned after hanging her coat up. Saul was trying not to grin. She took my arm and asked, "Where is he, Archie?" in a rich cuddly voice, and she kept the arm down the hall and into the office, but then she broke away, danced to the middle of the room and faced Wolfe's desk, let her handbag fall to the floor, and burst into song:

"Big man, go-go,

Big man, go big,

Talk big, act big,

Lo-o-o-o-o-o-ove big!

Go-go-go-go-go-go,

Big man, big man,

Be big, do big,

Lo-o-o-o-o-o-ove big,

Go!"

She extended two long, bare, well-shaped arms to him and said, "Now the orchids. Show me!"

It was impressive. So, I admit, was Wolfe. He was giving her exactly the same scowl I have often seen him give a crossword puzzle that had him stumped. He switched the scowl to me and demanded, "Did you suggest this?"

"No," she said. "Nobody ever suggests anything to me; they don't have to. Now the orchids, big man. Go!"

"Miss Jackson," he said.

"Not here," she said. "I'm Julie Jaquette."

"Not here," he said. "It's conceivable that long ago, in different circumstances, I might have appreciated your performance, but not here and -"

"It's not a performance, man, it's me."

"I don't believe it. The creature who pranced in here and mouthed that doggerel couldn't possibly eat or sleep or read or write – or love. Are you capable of love?"

"Ha! Am I!"

Wolfe nodded. "You see? One minute ago you would have said, 'Am I, man.' We're making progress. As for your wish to see my orchids, that can easily be gratified. Either Mr. Panzer or Mr. Goodwin can take you to them at a suitable hour, perhaps tomorrow. Now we have other business, and little time. Do you want the man who killed Isabel Kerr to be exposed and punished?"

"Yes, damn him, I do. I do, man."

Wolfe made a face. "Don't revert. I too want him exposed, because that's the only feasible way to get a man who is in custody released. Orrie Cather. Miss Kerr may have told you of him."

She stared down at him from her five feet nine. "Are you sick?" she demanded.

"No. I am sour, but I'm not sick. If you think Mr. Cather killed her, you're wrong, he didn't, and I'm going to find out who did. Did you?"

Saul and I were standing between her and the door. She turned to us and said distinctly, "You rat."