Prisoner's Base

"Because he can say yes to this, and you can't."

He might have been disposed to debate it if he hadn't been late for another customer. He glanced at his wrist again, went to the phone, and got busy. Even for him, the assistant DA on the Eads and Fomos case, it proved to be a job, but after ten minutes on the phone he told me, "He's in a conference at the Commissioner's office. Go there and send your name in and wait."

I thanked him as he rushed out.

I had had no lunch, and on the way to Centre Street, which wasn't much of a walk, I bought four nice ripe bananas and took them to a soda fountain and washed them down with a pint of milk.

At the office of Police Commissioner Skinner things did not look too promising. Not because there was an assortment of citizens in the large and busy anteroom, which was only normal, but because I couldn't find out who Mandelbaum had spoken to and I couldn't even get anyone to admit that Cramer was within. The trouble was that there was another door out of Skinner's office, around a corner of the corridor, and covering them both wasn't easy. However, I tried. I went outside and to the corner of the corridor-and there, standing by the other door, was Sergeant Purley Stebbins. At sight of me he started growling automatically.

I went up to him. "When did I ever ask you for a favor?"

"Never." He was hoarse, but he always was. "You're not that dumb."

"Not until now. I'm going to jump Inspector Cramer when he comes out, and ask him for five minutes, and you will kindly keep your trap shut. You can spoil it if you want to, but why should you want to? I'm a citizen, I pay taxes, and I've only been in jail nine times."

"He's busy."

"So am I."

"What do you want to ask him?"

I had the reply ready but didn't get to use it. The door opened, and Cramer came through and was with us. He was going to move right on, so preoccupied that he didn't even see me, until I stepped to cut him off.

"You?" He didn't like it. He darted a glance at Purley. "What's this?"

I got in. "My idea, Inspector. I've got something to say. If there's a room nearby we can use, five minutes ought to do it."

"I haven't got time."

"Make it four minutes."

He was scowling. "Wolfe sent you."

"No. My idea."

"What is it? Right here will do."