Death of a Doxy (Crime Line)

"Very well, I'll consider it. But extend the hypothesis. Eliminate him too. Who then? Didn't you and Miss Kerr have many mutual friends?"

"Yes. If you want to call them friends to be polite. Sure we did."

"Suppose it was one of them. Which one?"

She pronounced a word which she should have kept to herself, since there was a lady present.

"Meaning?" Wolfe asked.

"Meaning I know them. You don't kill someone unless you have a reason, and even if you have a reason you've got to have the guts. They don't fit."

"Not one?"

"No."

"Will you give Mr. Goodwin or Mr. Panzer some of their names while he is showing you the orchids?"

"He can't show me the orchids. I have to be going."

"Perhaps tomorrow morning."

"He'd have to bring them to me in bed. Spread them all over me. I'd like that, but he wouldn't. In bed in the morning I'm no treat."

"Then the afternoon. Have you ever met a Dr. Gamm?"

"Teddy?" She laughed. "Yes, I know Teddy. I guess he's a pretty good doctor, but as a man you can have him. He got the idea he was going to make Isabel, and that was an idea. God knows what he'll do for an idea now."

"That one didn't work?"

"Certainly not."

"Have you ever met Miss Kerr's sister? Mrs. Fleming?"

She nodded. "That beetle. Now there's an idea. It's not funny, either. I honestly believe she thought Isabel would be better off dead. All right, if it wasn't Cather and it wasn't the lobster, it was her." She looked at the wall clock. "I've got to go." She left my chair. "Come along. Why not? You can have a front table and I'll spot you. I'll announce you big. I'll tell the suckers that Nero Wolfe in person is here and will take a bow. You can bow sitting down if you want to, they'll stand on their chairs to see you. It will be a feather in my bra. Come along. The beer will be on the house."

Wolfe's head was tilted back to squint up at her. "I decline your invitation, Miss Jackson," he said, "but I wish you well. I have the impression that your opinion of our fellow beings and their qualities is somewhat similar to mine." He got to his feet. He almost never stands for comers or goers, male or female. And he actually repeated it. "I wish you well, madam."

"Big man," she said. She turned. "You come, Archie. That Panzer's a rat."

Chapter 9