Death of a Doxy (Crime Line)

"Terrible. You called me Mr. Goodwin and then Archie. He'll think you don't know your own mind."

"I think you don't know yours. I thought the idea was to fox him into killing me."

"Into trying to. It sounds better, now that I've got acquainted with you."

"All right, you've hashed it. I knew damn well you should have stayed in the other room. Now he knows he'd have to kill you too."

"He does not. Didn't I explain that? Sit down." I patted the couch, and she sat. "It's simple. He thinks they can't get him for the murder without you because you're the only one who can supply the motive. Of course you wouldn't go on the stand and swear that Isabel told you she was going to tell him that she was going to tell Stella about the blackmail, but he thinks you would. He also thinks you will tell Stella, not before Monday, but soon after, and apparently that bites him even deeper, I don't know why; he must see more in her than I do. So you're a double-breasted danger, but I'm not. I'm only hearsay. As he sees it, I can only tell what you told me, but you can tell what Isabel told you herself. That's equally true for the witness stand and for Stella. She would probably believe you, but not me. We haven't got a single item of evidence to connect him with either the blackmail or the murder, but if he hands you five thousand bucks' worth of currency, that would be evidence. He never will. So you'll have to be removed, but I'm just a nuisance. Sorry."

"Huh. You have dealt me in."

"Up to your neck. I apologize for one thing. I should have made it clear that once you were in you couldn't get out. I apologize."

"I don't want out. I think he killed her."

"Certainly he did."

"What do we do now?"

"Whatever you had on your program, if there's room for company. It's three o'clock Saturday afternoon. If you go out, Saul Panzer is downstairs and we'll escort you. If you stay in, I'll be in the hall."

"Do you play gin?"