Prisoner's Base

I went to her and squatted and tried to push the tongue back in, but it was too swollen. That and the eyes were plenty, but I picked a few fibers from the rug and put them over her nostrils and counted ten slowly. No. I got up and went to the living room and crossed to the table where the phone was. Yes, she had followed instructions; she had not rung off.

I picked up the receiver and cradled it, waited ten seconds, picked it up again, got the dial tone, and dialed a number. After only three rounds Wolfe's voice came. He was a sound sleeper, but it didn't take a sledgehammer to wake him.

"Hello?" He was as indignant as I had been.

"Archie. Get this, because we may be interrupted. Sarah Jaffee phoned me. Her keys were missing from her bag, and the elevator man had let her in. I said I would go up to her and told her what to do meanwhile. I came, and I'm phoning from her apartment. She did what I told her to, but she's here on the floor dead. Hit on the head and then strangled. The next time she's in danger she should phone someone else. I don't know when I'll be home."

"Archie."

"Yes, sir."

"I said it is vainglorious to reproach yourself for lack of omniscience. That is also true of omnipotence. Report in as you can."

"Right. Happy dreams."

I pressed the knob down and held it for a moment, let it up, and dialed WA 9-8241. There I got a break, and I never needed one more-Sergeant Purley Stebbins was on duty. I will not claim that Purley loves me, but at least he will listen sometimes. I got him.

"Yeah, Goodwin?" he growled.

"I have information for you," I told him, "but first I would appreciate an answer to one question. Have you got tails tonight on any of the suspects in the Eads case?"

"Who wants to know?"

"All right, skip it. Get this quick. There were ten people at our place tonight. The five from Softdown-Helmar, Brucker, Quest, Pitkin, and Miss Duday. Also Sarah Jaffee and her attorney, Parker. Also Eric Hagh-the ex-husband. He flew in today-"

"I know he did."