The Mother Hunt (Rex Stout Library)

But he wouldn't find me in the office, sitting there like patience in the hoosegow. I would be in the hall and he could take it standing up. I wouldn't poke, I would punch. So when the sound came of the elevator I went out and took position facing its door, and when it jolted to a stop and the door opened, and he stepped out, he found himself confronted. As I opened my mouth the doorbell rang, and we both turned our heads for a look through the one-way glass. It was Inspector Cramer.

Our heads jerked back and our eyes met. No words were needed, and no smoke signals. He muttered, Come, and started to the rear, and I followed. In the kitchen Fritz was at the sink, sprinkling watercress with ice water. He glanced around, saw the look on Wolfe's face, and whirled. Mr. Cramer is at the door, Wolfe said. Archie and I are leaving at the back and don't know when we'll return. Certainly not tonight. Don't admit him. Put the chain bolt on. Tell him we are not here and nothing else. Nothing. If he returns with a search warrant you'll have to admit him, but tell him nothing. You don't know when we left.

The doorbell rang.

You understand?

Yes, but Go.

Fritz went. Wolfe asked me, Pajamas and toothbrushes?

No time. If Stebbins is along he'll send him around to Thirty-fourth Street on the jump.

You have cash?

Not enough. I'll get some. I hopped. But Fritz was opening the front door to the crack the chain bolt allowed, so I tiptoed to the office, to the safe, got the lettuce from the cash drawer, shut the safe door and twirled the dial, and tiptoed back to the hall. Wolfe was there, starting down the stairs.At the bottom I took the lead, on out, up the four steps, and along the brick wall to the gate with its Hotchkiss lock. Then through the passage to the 34th Street sidewalk. There was no point in stopping for a look around; it wasn't likely that Cramer had put a man there in advance, but if he had we would soon know it. We turned left. You wouldn't suppose that a man who does as little walking as Wolfe could stretch his legs without straining, but he can.

He can even talk. Are we followed?

I doubt it. We've never done this before. Anyway we wouldn't be followed, we'd be stopped.

There was more sidewalk traffic than you would suppose on a July Saturday. We split to let a bee-line arm-swinger through and joined again. Wolfe asked, Must it be a hotel?