Noel Ferris twisted his lip. "Lochinvar Hannah," he drawled. "These sex maniacs are damn clever. Of course getting in wasn't much, he could have a bag of assorted keys, but getting the knife from the kitchen was a real stroke. We know he did because you identi- fied it."
"You keep harping on that." Hannah's cheeks were pinker. "Certainly I identified it, with that nick in it. I supposed you all would. I knew Hattie would."
"I did." Martha said.
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Ferris turned a hand over. "Then I should have too. I was too sentimental, I always am. I had a vague notion that it would be better to leave it plausible that the knife was a stranger. Also I am too sensitive. I couldn't bear the thought that the knife I had sliced ham with had been…" He finished it with a gesture, an actor's gesture.
Raymond Dell snorted. "Adolescent imbeciles! All three of you! We came here to serve a friend in whose debt we are, not to prattle. Tammy Baxter was new in that house, not yet of us. For all we know, Hattie may have had reason to fear her beyond endurance. In a frenzy of fear, in the panic of desperation, she killed her. That is quite possible. We know that Hattie was not herself. We thought her incapable of guile, but she brought this man Goodwin, a professional detective- she brought him there and presented him to Martha and me in false colors."
Ferris's brows were up. "But you came here to serve her?"
"I did." Dell's boom would have carried to the gallery if there had been one. "Whether she killed or not, whether she was wise to trust her fate to this man Wolfe and this man Goodwin-we are not to judge. We can only ask, what can we do or say to help her?" His deep-set blue-gray eyes focused on Wolfe. "And we can only ask you."
Martha Kirk put in, "Hattie said we should tell him everything we told the cops."
Wolfe shook his head. "That may not be necessary. I hope not." He cleared his throat. "It has already been of some slight help to sit and listen to you; that is inherent in the situation. When four people are conversing in my presence and I know that one of them committed mur- der less than twelve hours ago, I would be a dolt to get no inkling at all. Look at you now-your reaction to what I just said. You are all staring at me. One of you opened his mouth to interrupt, but closed it. None of you glances at the others, or at any other. But I know that one of you is feeling the pinch. He is asking himself,
182 Rex Stout
are my eyes all right, how about my mouth, should I say something? He is aware, of course, that it will take more than an inkling to undo him, but an inkling can give me a start."
It wasn't giving me one. They all kept their stares at him. Martha's lips were parted, and Ferris's were twisted. Paul Hannah's jaw was working. Dell's chin was up and he was frowning. Ferris demanded, "You know it was one of us? How?"
"Not by an inkling, Mr. Ferris. There is the knife, and there is my conviction, on grounds that satisfy me, that Miss Annis didn't use it, but that isn't all. I prefer not to disclose why she took Mr. Goodwin to her house in masquerade; though one of you has certainly guessed why I'll leave it a guess." He flattened his palms on the chair arms. "And now we may proceed. Three of you came here to help a friend, and one of you came because he didn't dare to refuse; nor will he dare to refuse to answer my questions; and I expect him to expose him- self. If he has already exposed himself to the police we are wasting our time, but I'll proceed on the assumption that he hasn't. If I fail, it will be because I haven't asked the right questions, and I don't intend to fail."
His head turned. "Mr. Dell. Have you paid your room rent for the past three months?"
Chapter 6
Raymond Dell's chin lifted another quarter of an inch. "We could all refuse," he said. Wolfe nodded. "You could indeed. If you think that would serve your friend in whose debt you are. Shall I try the others?"
"No. As for that question, if Hattie is your client you could ask her. Perhaps you already have. I have paid no room rent for three years and she has asked for none."
Wolfe's head moved. "Miss Kirk?"
She was still staring at him. "The cops didn't ask me that," she said.
Wolfe grunted. "They have their technique and I have mine. That question applies to the problem as I see it. Does it embarrass you?"
"No. I have lived there nearly a year and I have paid five dollars every week."
"From current income?"
"I haven't any current income. I get a check from my father every month."
"I trust it doesn't embarrass him. Mr. Ferris?"
Noel Ferris passed his tongue over his lips. "How this applies is beyond me," he said, "but I don't dare to refuse to answer. I haven't figured how I stand on rent, but you can. I've had a room there for eighteen months. Last summer I was on television for thirteen weeks and I gave Hattie a hundred and fifty dollars. A show I was in flopped in November, and since then it has been television crumbs. Two weeks ago I gave her sixty dollars. You figure it."
"You're a hundred and eighty dollars short. Mr. Hannah?"
Paul Hannah was looking determined. "I'm not tak-
184 Rex Stout
ing any dare," he blurted. "You may think your ques- tion applies, but I don't. You say you know one of us killed Tammy Baxter, but I don't believe it. I know damn well I didn't. You don't kill someone without a reason, and what was it? She had only been there three weeks and we barely knew her. The knife doesn't prove anything. Whoever killed her got in the house some- how, and if he was in the house he could have got the knife. I'm not taking any dare."
Wolfe shook his head. "Your spunk is impressive, Mr. Hannah, but it bounces off. If you are innocent the question whether you'll take a dare doesn't arise; the question is, what are you here for? To oblige a friend or parade your conceit?"
"I'm here because of what Hattie said to Martha and I wanted to hear what you had to say. And you asked if I've paid my room rent, for God's sake. All right, I have. I've been there four months and I've paid every week. That proves something?"
"Obviously. That you are not a pauper. You have an income?"
"No. I have money that I saved."
"So. That point is covered." Wolfe's eyes went to Martha. "Now, Miss Kirk, for what you have told the police-at least one detail. Your movements this mom- ing, say from ten-thirty until one o'clock. Where were you?"
"I was in my room," she said, "until about a quarter after twelve. The police wanted to know exactly, but I couldn't tell them. I got in late last night, and I always do exercises for an hour when I get up. About a quarter after twelve I went down to the kitchen. There were no oranges and I went out and got some. I wasn't gone more than ten minutes. I was cooking bacon and eggs when Mr. Dell came in, and Hattie with Mr. Goodwin, and Hattie said he was going to do a piece for a maga- zine, and they went-"
"That's far enough. Which room is yours?"
"The third floor front, above Hattie's."
"And the others? Their rooms?"
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"Ray's is the second floor rear-Raymond Dell's. The rear room on my floor, the third, is Tammy Baxter's. The one above mine, on the fourth floor, is Noel Fer- ris's, and the rear one on that floor is Paul Hannah's."