The Second Confesion

I wouldn't have been surprised if he had had me take him home as soon as the library party was over, but neither was I surprised that he was staying. The show that he had put on for them hadn't been a show at all. He had meant every word of it, and I had meant it along with him. That being so, it was no wonder that he wanted the answer as soon as it was available, and besides, he would be needed if Gwenn had questions to ask or conditions to offer. Not only that, if Gwenn said nothing doing I don't think he would have gone home at all. There would have been a lot of arranging to do with Sperling, and when we finally got away from Stony Acres we wouldn't have been headed for Thirty-fifth Street but for a foxhole.

At nine o'clock, after admiring Wolfe's yawn, I looked around for an excuse to loosen up my muscles, saw the coffee tray, which had been left behind when the rest of the dinner remains had been called for, and decided that would do. I got it and took it downstairs. When I delivered it to the kitchen there was no one around and, feeling in need of a little social contact, I did a casual reconnoitre. I tried the library first. The door to it was open and Sperling was there, at his desk, looking over some papers. When I entered he honoured me with a glance but no words.

After I had stood a moment I informed him, “We're upstairs hanging on.” “I know it,” he said without looking up.

He seemed to think that completed the conversation, so I retired. The living-room was uninhabited, and when I stepped out to the west terrace no one was to be seen or heard. The gamesroom, which was down a flight, was dark, and the lights I turned on disclosed no fellow beings. So I went back upstairs and reported to Wolfe.

“The joint is deserted, except for Sperling, and I think he's going over his will. You scared 'em so that they all scrammed.” “What time is it?” “Nine twenty-two.” “She said before bedtime. Call Fritz.” We had talked with Fritz only an hour ago, but what the hell, it was on the house, so I went to the instrument on the table between the beds and got him.

There was nothing new. Andy Krasicki was up on the roof with five men, still working, and had reported that enough glass and slats were in place for the morning's weather, whatever it might be. Theodore was still far from cheerful, but had had a good appetite for dinner, and so on.