an to the car and unlocked it and climbed in； started the engine； swung around the graveled space； and passed the house on my way out just as Leeds emerged through the side door。 I stepped on the brake； stuck my head through the window； yelled at him； 〃Got an errand to do； see you later！〃 and rolled on through the gate and into the highway； At that hour Sunday morning the roads were all mine； the bright new sun was at my left out of the way； and it would have been a pleasant drive if I had been in a mood to feel pleased。 Which I wasn't。 This was a totally different situation from the other two occasions when we had crossed Arnold Zeck's path and someone had got killed。 Then the corpses had been Zeck's men； and Zeck； Wolfe； and the public interest had all been on the same side。 This time Zeck's man； Barry Rackham； was the number one suspect； and Wolfe had either to return his dead client's ten grand； keep it without doing anything to earn it； or meet Zeck head on。 Knowing Wolfe as I did； I hit eighty…five that morning rolling south on the Sawmill River Parkway。
The dash clock said 7：18 as I left the West Side Highway at 46th Street。
I had to cross to Ninth Avenue to turn south。 It was as empty as the country roads had been。 Turning right on 35th； I went on across Tenth Avenue； on nearly to Eleventh； and pulled to the curb in front of Wolfe's old brownstone house。
Even before I killed the engine I saw something that made me goggle …a sight that had never greeted me before in the thousands of rimes I had braked a car to a stop there。
The front door was standing wide open。
6
MY HEART came up。 I swallowed it down； jumped out； ran across the sidewalk and up the seven steps to the stoop and on in。 Fritz and Theodore were there in the hall； ing to me。 Their faces were enough to make a guy's heart pop right out of his mouth。 〃Airing the house？〃 I demanded。
〃He's gone；〃 Fritz said。
〃Gone where？〃
〃I don't know。 During the night。 When I saw the door was open…〃
〃What's that in your hand？〃
〃He left them on the table in his room…for Theodore and me； and one for you…〃
I snatched the pieces of paper from his trembling hand and looked at the one on top。 The writing on it was Wolfe's。
Dear Fritz；
Marko Vukcic will want your services。 He should pay you at least 2000 a month。
My best regards。 。 。Nero Wolfe。
I looked at the next one。
Dear Theodore：
Mr。 Hewitt will take the plants and will need your help with them。 He should pay you around 200 weekly。
My regards。 。 。Nero Wolfe。
I looked at the third one。
AG；
Do not look for me。
My very best regards and wishes。 。 。NW
I went through them again； watching each word； told Fritz and Theodore； 〃e and sit down；〃 went to the office； and sat at my desk。 They moved chairs to face me； 〃He's gone；〃 Fritz said； trying to convince himself。
〃So it seems；〃 I said aggressively。
〃You know where he is；〃 Theodore told me accusingly。 〃It won't be easy to move some of the plants without damage。 I don't like working on Long Island； not for two hundred dollars a week。 When is he ing back？〃
〃Look； Theodore；〃 I said； 〃I don't give a good goddam what you like or don't like。 Mr。 Wolfe has always pampered you because you're the best orchid nurse alive。 This is as good a time as any to tell you that you remind me of sour milk。 I do not know where Mr。 Wolfe is nor if or when he's ing back。 To you he sent his regards。 To me he sent his very best regards and wishes。 Now shut up。〃
I shifted to Fritz。 〃He thinks Marko Vukcic should pay you twice as much as he does。 That's like him； huh？ You can see I'm sore as hell； his doing it like this； but I'm not surprised。 To show you how well I know him； this is what happened： not long after I phoned him last night he simply wrote these notes to us and walked out of the house； leaving the door open…you said you found it open…to show anyone who might be curious that there was no longer anyone or anything of any importance inside。 You got up at your usual time； six…thirty； saw the open door； went up to his room； found his bed empty and the notes on the table。 After going up to the plant rooms to call Theodore； you returned to his room； looked around； and discovered that he had taken nothing with him。 Then you and Theodore stared at each other until I arrived。 Have you anything to add to that？〃
〃I don't want to work on Long Island；〃 Theodore stated。
Fritz only said； 〃Find him； Archie。〃
〃He told me not to。〃
〃Yes…but find him！ Where will he sleep？ What will he eat？〃
I got up and went to the safe and opened it； and looked in the cash drawer； where we always kept a supply for emergency expenses。 There should have been a little over four thousand bucks； there was a little over a thousand。 I closed the safe door and twirled the knob； and told Fritz； 〃He'll sleep and eat。 Was my report accurate？〃
〃Not quite。 One of his bags is gone； and pajamas； toothbrush； razor； three shirts； and ten pairs of socks。〃
〃Did he take a walking stick？〃
〃No。 The old gray topcoat and the old gray hat。〃
〃Were there any visitors？〃
〃No。〃
〃Any phone calls besides mine？〃
〃I don't know about yours。 His extension and mine were both plugged in； but you know I don't answer when you're out unless he tells me to。 It rang only once； at eight minutes after twelve。〃
〃Your clock's wrong。 That was me。 It was five after。〃 I went and gave him a pat on the shoulder。 〃Okay。 I hope you like your new job。 How's chances for some breakfast？〃
〃But Archie！ His breakfast 。 。 。〃
〃I could eat that too。 I drove forty miles on an empty stomach。〃 I patted him again。 〃Look； Fritz。 Right now I'm sore at him； damn sore。 After some griddle cakes and broiled ham and eight or ten eggs in black butter and a quart of coffee； we'll see。 I think I'll be even sorer than I am now； but we'll see。 Is there any of his favorite honey left that you haven't been giving me lately？ The thyme honey？〃
〃Yes…some。 Four jars。〃
〃Good。 I'll finish off with that on a couple of hot cakes。 Then we'll see how I feel。〃
〃I would never have thought…〃 Fritz's voice had a quaver； and he stopped and started over again。 〃I would never have thought this could happen。 What is it； Archie？〃 He was practically wailing。 〃What is it？ His appetite has been good。〃
〃We were going to repot some Miltonias today；〃 Theodore said dismally。
I snorted。 〃Go ahead and pot 'em。 He was no help anyhow。 Beat it and let me alone。 I've got to think。 Also I'm hungry。 Beat it！〃
Theodore； mumbling； shuffled out。 Fritz； following him； turned at the door。 〃That's it； Archie。 Think。 Think where he is while I get your breakfast。〃
He left me； and I sat down at my desk to do the thinking； but the cogs wouldn't catch。 I was too mad to think。 〃Don't look for me。〃 That was him to a T。 He knew damn well that if I should ever e home to find he had vanished； the one activity that would make any sense at all would be to start looking for him； and here I was stopped cold at the take…off。 Not that I had no notion at all。 That was why I had left Leed's place without notice and stepped it up to eighty…five getting back： I did have a notion。 Two years had passed since Wolfe had told me； 〃Archie； you are to forget that you know that man's name。 If ever； in the course of my business； I find that I am mitted against him and must destroy him； I shall leave this house； find a place where I can work…and sleep and eat if there is time for it…and stay there until I have finished。〃
So that part was okay； but what about me？ On another occasion； a year later； he bad said to five members of a family named Sperling； in my presence； 〃In that event he will know it is a mortal encounter； and so will I； and I shall move to a base of operations which will be known only to Mr。 Goodwin and perhaps two others。〃 Okay。 There was no argument with the mortal encounter or about the move。 But I was the Mr。 Goodwin referred to； and here I was staring at it…〃Don't look for me。〃 Where did that leave me？ Certainly the two others he had had in mind were Saul Panzer and Marko Vukcic； and I didn't even