The Mother Hunt (Rex Stout Library)

I don't ask if she's Wolfe's client, because that's obvious. If she wasn't you wouldn't have her lined up for your caper. As for it, the caper, I pass. No soap.

There's no catch in it, Lon. She'll sign a release.

He shook his head. That wouldn't help if someone throws a bomb. It's a good guess that Ellen Tenzer got murdered on account of that baby. That baby is hot, I don't know why, but it is. You're asking me to put a spotlight on it, not only where it lives, but where it can be seen outdoors twice a day. That would be sweet. The Gazette spots it, and the next day it gets snatched, or run over and killed, or God knows what. Nothing doing, Archie. Thank you for calling.

I can tell you, straight, that there's no such risk. None at all.

Not good enough.

I uncrossed my legs. Everything we have said is off the record.

Right.

Here's more off the record. One will get you a thousand that there will be no snatch or any other trouble. Mrs. Valdon hired Nero Wolfe five weeks ago today to find out who the baby's mother is. It had been left in the vestibule of her house, and she knew nothing about it and still knows nothing. We have spent a lot of her money and our time and energy trying to find the mother, and have got nowhere. We're still trying. This attempt is based on the theory that a woman who had a baby six months ago and ditched it, no matter why, would like to see what it looks like. She will see the page in the Gazette, go to Washington Square, recognize the nurse and carriage from the picture, and have a look.

Lon's head was cocked. What if she doesn't know the baby Mrs. Valdon has is hers?

She probably does. If she doesn't we're wasting some more time and energy and money.

The Gazette's circulation is nearly two million. If we ran that story there would be a mob of women around the carriage the next day. So?

I hope not a mob. There would be some, yes. The nurse will be a detective, the best female op around. You may have heard of her Sally Corbett.

Yeah.