The Doorbell Rang (The Rex Stout Library)

"You can't. Of course some of their jobs are public knowledge, like the jewel snatch at the Natural History Museum and the bank truck at that church in Jersey-half a million in small bills. But some of them are far from public. You read that book. Of course there's talk, there's always talk, not for print. Would that help?"

"It might, especially if it was of something questionable, possibly extralegal. Is it?"

"Certainly. It's no fun talking about something that isn't questionable." He glanced at his watch. "I have twenty minutes. If I may have another small ration of brandy, and if it is understood that this is private, and if you're headed where you seem to be, I'll be glad to chip in." He looked at me. "You'll need your notebook, Archie."

Twenty minutes later his brandy glass was empty again, I had filled five pages of my notebook, and he was gone. I won't report on the contents of the five pages because very little of it was ever used, and also because some of the people named wouldn't appreciate it. At the time, as I returned to the office after seeing Lon out, my mind was on Wolfe, not the notebook. Was he actually considering it? No. Impossible. He had merely been passing the time, and of course trying to get a rise out of me. The question was how to handle it. He would be expecting me to blow my top. So I walked in and to my desk, grinned at him, said, "That was fun," yanked the five pages from the notebook, tore them in half, and was going to tear again but he bellowed, "Stop that!"

I raised one eyebrow, something he can't do. "Sorry," I said, perfectly friendly. "A souvenir?"

"No. Please sit down."

I sat. "Have I missed something?"

"I doubt it. You seldom do. A hypothetical question: If I told you that I have decided to keep that hundred thousand dollars, what would you say?"

"What you said. Preposterous."

"That's understood. But go on."

"In full?"

"Yes."

"I would say that you should sell the house and contents and go live in a nursing home, since you're obviously cracked. Unless you intend to gyp her, just sit on it."

"No."