The Mother Hunt (Rex Stout Library)

And came shortly after twelve. She had She came here? Leo Bingham. Yes, sir. She had learned that inquiries had been made about her and wanted to know why. I told her, and I asked questions, but she answered only three of them that she knew you, Mr. Bingham, and you, Mr. Haft, and that neither of you, nor Mr. Krug, her former husband, was the father of the baby. She sat there he pointed to Bingham in the red leather chair while I asked several other questions, but answered none of them, and rose abruptly and departed. And now she's dead.

No one spoke. Bingham was leaning forward, his elbows on the chair arms, his jaw clamped, his eyes fastened on Wolfe. Krug's eyes were closed. In profile his long bony face looked even longer. Haft's mouth was screwed up and he was blinking. From the side I could see his eyelashes flick behind the cheaters.

So that's why she… Krug said, and let it hang.

You've admitted you're a liar, Bingham said.

You say she didn't answer your questions, Haft said. Then she didn't say she was the mother of the baby.

In words, no. Implicitly, yes. I am being open. Since she is dead, and since Mr. Goodwin was present, we could give any account we pleased. I am reporting candidly. It is indubitable that Carol Mardus was the mother of the baby left in Mrs. Valdon's vestibule and that she was gravely disquieted to learn that I knew it and could demonstrate it. It is all but certain that some other person, X, was in some manner deeply involved, that she told X of her conversation with me, and that X, fearing that she would disclose his involvement, killed her. I am going to find X and expose him.

This is… fantastic, Krug said.

You may be candid, Haft said, but it seems to me what kind of involvement? He killed her just because he was involved in leaving a baby in a vestibule?

No. Does the name Ellen Tenzer mean anything to you, Mr. Haft?

No.

To you, Mr. Krug?

Ellen Tenzer? No.

Bingham asked, Wasn't that the name of the woman whose body was found in a car? Strangled? A few weeks ago?

It was. She was a retired nurse. She had boarded the baby that was left in Mrs. Valdon's vestibule, and Mr. Goodwin found her and spoke with her, and X killed her. The menace from Carol Mardus was not only that she would disclose his involvement with the baby, whatever it was, but that she knew he had murdered Ellen Tenzer.

How did she know that? Haft demanded.