The Mother Hunt (Rex Stout Library)

Mr. Wolfe would certainly like to get him, I said. So would I. But you're his client and you must understand that this changes the situation. On Ellen Tenzer we could claim that no connection had been established between her death and the job you hired Mr. Wolfe to do, and probably get away with it. Not on Carol Mardus. If we don't tell what we know about her, and the we' includes you, we are definitely withholding important evidence in a homicide case, and we couldn't claim we didn't know it was important evidence. Of course we know. So if we don't tell, and the cops dig it up themselves and get the murderer before we do, we're sunk. Mr. Wolfe and I would not only lose our licenses, we would also probably be sent up on a felony charge. You have no Archie, I don't Let me finish. You have no license to lose, but you would also be open to the felony charge. I doubt very much if they would press it, they probably wouldn't even charge you, but you would be wide open. I want to make that absolutely clear before you decide what to do.

But you mean… you would go to jail?

Probably.

All right.

All right what?

I'll turn loose.

Damn it, Lucy, you've twisted it all around. Or I have. We don't want you to turn loose. We positively don't. Mr. Wolfe is stiff with fury. He resented Ellen Tenzer being killed because he sent me to her, but that was nothing compared to this. If he doesn't nail the man who killed Carol Mardus he won't eat for a year. I merely had to make it plain what you might be in for if you stick.

But you'll go to jail.

That's my funeral. Also my business, I'm a detective. Leave that to us. The cops don't know there is any connection between Carol Mardus and Ellen Tenzer and you and us, and with any kind of a break they won't know until we've got the murderer, and then it won't matter. Have you mentioned Carol Mardus to anybody?

No.

Positive?

Yes. You ordered me not to.

So I did. I now order you to forget Mr. Wolfe and me and think only of yourself. Do you stick or let go?

She gripped my arm again. Her fingers were stronger than you would expect. Tell me honestly, Archie. Do you want me to stick? Thinking only of yourself?

Yes.

Then I stick. Kiss me.

That sounds like an order.

It is.