The Doorbell Rang (The Rex Stout Library)

I went to the safe and got it. As I returned Wolfe nodded at Wragg, and I handed it to him. I stood there, and when he had read it I put out a hand. He read it again, slower, and handed it over without looking up at me, and I went to my desk and put it in a drawer.

"Quite a document," he told Wolfe. "For the record, if there was any espionage of Mrs Bruner or her family or associates, which I am not admitting, it was in connection with a security check."

Wolfe nodded. "You say that, of course. A routine lie. I am describing the situation. Your men departed last night, leaving their credentials in my possession, because they dared not call on the police to rescue them. They knew that if a citizen charged them with the crime of entering his house illegally, and pushed the charge, the sympathy of the New York police and the District Attorney would be with the citizen. You know it too. You will not take legal steps to recover the credentials, so they will not be recovered. I shall keep them. I suggest an exchange. You engage to stop all surveillance of Mrs Bruner and her family and associates, including the tap on her telephone, and I-"

"I haven't conceded the surveillance."

"Bah. If you- No. It's simpler to rephrase it. Disregarding the past, you engage that from six o'clock today there will be by your bureau no surveillance of Mrs Bruner or her family or associates, or her house, which includes a wiretap, and no surveillance of Mr Goodwin or me, or my house. I engage to leave the credentials where they are, in my safe-deposit box, to take no action against your men for their invasion of my premises, and to make public no disclosure of it. That's the situation, and that's my offer."

"Do you mean engage in writing?"

"Not unless you prefer it."

"I don't. Nothing in writing. I'll agree to the surveillance part, but I must have the credentials."

"You won't get them." Wolfe pointed a finger at him. "Understand this, Mr Wragg. I'll surrender the credentials only if ordered to by a court, and I'll contest the order with all my resources and those of my client. You may-"

"Damn it, you have four witnesses!"