The Doorbell Rang (The Rex Stout Library)

"Then we're up a stump." I turned a palm up. "Look, Mrs Bruner. Mr Wolfe couldn't possibly tackle it without something in writing. What if it got so hot you wanted out, leaving him in? What if you tried to hedge on what you hired him to do and wanted the retainer back?"

"I wouldn't do that. I'm not a hedger, Mr Goodwin."

"Good. Then go ahead and sign it."

She looked at it, at me, back at it, and at Miss Dacos. "Here, Sarah," she said, "make a copy of it."

"I have a carbon," I said, and handed it to her. By gum, she read it through. Well trained by her husband, or by the lawyers after he died. She took a pen from a stand and signed the original, and I reached for it.

"So that's why Mr Wolfe wanted you to come this morning," she said.

I nodded. "Partly. He wanted me to ask Miss Dacos a few questions about being tailed, and I have. I saw your tail yesterday. When you left a car followed you, close, with two men in it, and I got the license number. They were FBI. They want you to know. From here on we probably won't have anything to ask you or tell you unless and until there's a break, but we might, and there should be an arrangement. Since you have read that book, you know what 'bugged' means. Do you know if this room is bugged?"

"No, I don't. Of course I've thought about it, and we have examined it several times. I'm not sure. They have to get in, don't they? Put something in it?"

"Yes. Unless electronics has come up with something that isn't being mentioned, and I doubt it. I don't want to overplay it, Mrs Bruner, but I don't think any part of this house is a good place to talk. It's cold out, but a little fresh air will do you good. If you'll get a coat?"

She nodded. "You see, Mr Goodwin. In my own house. All right." She got up. "Wait here." She went.

Sarah Dacos was smiling at me. "You could have gone upstairs," she said. "I can't hear through walls or even though keyholes."

"No?" I looked her up and down, glad to have an excuse. She was very lookable. "You may be wired for sound, and there would be only one way to make sure, and you wouldn't enjoy it."

The hazel eyes laughed. "How do you know I wouldn't?"

"My knowledge of human nature. You're the squeamish type. You haven't walked up to your tail and said what's your name and what do you want."

"Why, do you think I should?"

"No. But you haven't. May I ask, do you dance?"

"Sometimes."