The Doorbell Rang (The Rex Stout Library)

He was regarding her without enthusiasm. The trouble was, a new year had just started, and it seemed likely that he was going to have to go to work. In a November or December, when he was already in a tax bracket that would take three-quarters-more, formerly-of any additional income, turning down jobs was practically automatic, but January was different, and this was the fifth of January, and this woman was stacked. He didn't like it. "Mr Goodwin named you," he said coldly, "and I read newspapers."

She nodded. "I know you do. I know a great deal about you, that's why I'm here. I want you to do something that perhaps no other man alive could do. You read books too. Have you read one entitled The FBI Nobody Knows?"

"Yes."

"Then I don't need to tell you about it. Did it impress you?"

"Yes."

"Favorably?"

"Yes."

"My goodness, you're curt."

"I answered your questions, madam."

"I know you did. I can be curt too. That book impressed me. It impressed me so strongly that I bought ten thousand copies of it and sent them to people all over the country."

"Indeed." Wolfe's brow was up an eighth of an inch.

"Yes. I sent them to the members of the cabinet, the Supreme Court justices, governors of all the states, all senators and representatives, members of state legislatures, publishers of newspapers and magazines, and editors, heads of corporations and banks, network executives and broadcasters, columnists, district attorneys, educators, and others-oh yes, chiefs of police. Do I need to explain why I did that?"

"Not to me."

There was a flash in the brown-black eyes. "I don't like your tone. I want you to do something, and I'll pay you the limit and beyond the limit, there is no limit, but there's no point in going on unless- You said that book impressed you favorably. Do you mean you agree with the author's opinion of the FBI?"

"With some minor qualifications, yes.

"And of J. Edgar Hoover?"

"Yes."

"Then it won't surprise you to hear that I am being followed day and night. I believe 'tailed' is the word. So is my son, and my daughter, and my secretary, and my brother. My telephones are tapped, and my son thinks his is-he's married and has an apartment. Some of the employees at the Bruner Corporation have been questioned. It occupies two floors of the Bruner Building and there are more than a hundred employees. Does that surprise you?"

"No." Wolfe grunted. "Did you send letters with the books?"

"Not letters. My personal card with a brief message."

"Then you shouldn't be surprised."