The Second Confesion

Even with her eyes closed for the sun she seemed to know where I was looking, for she said complacently, “I expand three inches. If that's not your type I'll smoke more and get it down. Is it true that you were driving the car when it ran over Louis?” “Nope. Not guilty.” “Then who was?” “I don't know yet. Ask me tomorrow and keep on asking me. Call my secretary and make appointments so you can keep on asking me. She expands four inches,” “Who, your secretary?” “Yes, ma'am.” “Bring her up here. We'll do a contest and the winner gets you. What would you advise me to do?” Her eyes, opened from force of habit, blinked in the sun and went shut again. I asked, “You mean to train for the contest?” “Certainly not. I won't have to. I mean when the District Attorney comes to ask more questions. You know he's coming?” “Yeah, I heard about it.” “All right, what shall I do? Shall I tell him that I may have a suspicion that I might have an idea about someone using your car?” “You might take a notion that you might try it. Shall we make it up together?

Who shall we pick on?” “I don't want to pick on anybody. That's the trouble. Why should anyone pay a penalty for accidentally killing Louis Rony?” “Maybe they shouldn't.” I patted her round brown soft firm shoulder to see if it was dry yet. There I'm right with you, ma'am. But the hell of it-” “Why do you keep on calling me ma'am?” “To make you want me to call you something else. Watch and see if it don't work.

It always does. The hell of it is that both the DA and Nero Wolfe insist on knowing, and the sooner they find out the sooner we can go on to other things like athletic contests. Knowing how good you are at dare-base, I suppose you do have an idea about someone using my car. What gave it to you?” She sat up, said, “I guess my front's dry,” turned over on to a fresh spot, and stretched out again, face down. The temptation to pat was now stronger than before, but I resisted it.

“What gave it to you?” I asked as if it didn't matter much.