The Mother Hunt (Rex Stout Library)

The other development, the major one, was that the client came within an ace of quitting. She phoned at a quarter after four on Monday, July 2. Of course I had kept in touch with her; when you're spending more than three Cs a day of a client's money and getting nothing for it, the least you can do is give her a ring, or drop in and say hello, it's a fine day but I guess they need rain in the country. I had watched her feed the baby once, lunched with her once, dined with her twice, taught her to play pinochle, and listened to her playing the piano for a total of about six hours. Also we had done a little dancing, to records in the dining room, which wasn't carpeted. She was plenty good enough to spend an evening with at the Flamingo or Gillotti's, but that would have to wait, since it would have broken security. If you ask, would I have gone to so much trouble to keep a client patient if she had been cross-eyed or fat-ankled? the answer is no.

When I answered the phone at a quarter after four on July 2 and started the formula, Nero Wolfe's she broke in, Can you come, Archie? Right away?

I could, sure. Why?

A man was here, a policeman. He just left. He asked when I hired Nero Wolfe, and he asked about the baby. Will you come?

What did you tell him?

Nothing, of course. I said he had no right to ask about my private affairs. That's what you told me to say.

Right. Did you get his name?

He told me, but I was so I don't know.

Was it Cramer?

Cramer… no. Rowcliff?

No.

Stebbins?

That sounds like it. Stebbins. Yes, I think so.

Big and solid with a broad nose and a wide mouth and trying hard to be polite?

Yes.

Okay. My favorite cop. At ease. Play the piano. I can do it in twenty minutes since I won't have to bother about a tail.

You're coming?

Certainly.

I hung up, got the house phone, buzzed the plant rooms, and after a wait had Wolfe's voice: Yes?

Mrs. Valdon phoned. Purley Stebbins came and asked her about you and the baby. She told him nothing. She wants me to come and I'm leaving. Any instructions?

No. Confound it.

Yes, sir. Bring her?

Not unless you must. He hung up.

I went to the kitchen to tell Fritz the phone and the door were his until he saw me again, and was off. As I descended the stoop to the sidewalk and turned east I automatically glanced around, but actually I didn't give a damn, now, if I had a shadow or not. Almost certainly there was an eye on the Valdon house anyway.