ere not known。 That was when an alarm was spread for you。 I had a phone call from my man an hour ago。 He had gone back to Wolfe's house and had been told that Wolfe was out of the city； and that was all he could get。〃
Archer made a hand into a fist； resting on the table。 〃I won't stand for it； Goodwin。 This is the toughest one I've had in my county since I took office； and I won't stand for it。 Whatever else he is； he's a fat conceited peacock and it's time somebody called him。 There's a phone you can use。 Two hours from now； unless he's here and talking to me； there'll be a warrant for his arrest as a material witness。 There's the phone。〃
〃I doubt if you could paste material witness on him。 He hasn't been anywhere near here。〃
〃Nuts；〃 Ben Dykes growled。 〃Don't be a sap。 She takes troubles to him Friday and gets murdered Saturday。〃
I decided to take the plunge。 The way I felt； it would have been a pleasure to let them go ahead with a warrant； but if I tried to stall I would need a very fancy excuse tomorrow when they saw the ad in the Gazette。 So I thought what the hell； now is as good a time as any； and told them。
〃I can't phone him because I don't know where he is。〃
〃Ha ha；〃 Dykes said。 〃Ha ha ha。〃
〃Yes；〃 I admitted； 〃it could be a gag。 But it isn't。 I don't know whether he's out of the city or not。 All I know is that he left the house last night； while I was up here； and he hasn't e back…no； that isn't true。 I also know that he called on a friend of his named Vukcic and arranged for his plants to be moved out and his cook to take another job。 And he gave Vukcic a power of attorney。 And he sent an ad to the Gazette announcing his retirement from the detective business。〃
Dykes did not ha…ha again。 He merely sat and frowned at me。 Archer； his lips puckered； had his eyes focused on me； but as if he was trying to see not me but through me。 That went on for seconds； and I got unfortable。 I can meet a pair of eyes all right； but not two pairs at once； one in front and one off to the left。
Finally Dykes turned his head to tell Archer； 〃This makes it nice。〃
Archer nodded； not taking his regard from me。 〃It's hard to believe； Goodwin。〃
〃I'll say it is。 For him to…〃
〃No； no。 It's hard to believe that Wolfe and you would try anything as fantastic as this。 Obviously he was absolutely pelled to。 You phoned him from Leed's place last night； as soon as you could get to a phone after Mrs。Rackham was murdered。 That was…〃
〃Excuse me；〃 I said firmly。 〃Not as soon as I could get to a phone after Mrs。 Rackham was murdered。 As soon as I could get to a phone after I found out she had been murdered。〃
〃Very well。 We're not in court。〃 He was leaning at me。 〃That was shortly after midnight。 What did you say to him？〃
〃I told him what had happened。 I reported； as fully as I could in the time I had； everything from my arrival here up to then。 If the operator listened in you can check with her。 I asked if I should limit my talk with the cops to events here and leave the rest for him to tell； and he said no； I should withhold nothing； including all details of Mrs。 Rackham's talk with him。 That was all。 As you know； I followed instructions。〃
〃Jesus；〃 Dykes said。 〃Son； it looks like your turn to sweat has e。〃
Archer ignored him。 〃And after telling you to withhold nothing from the police； Wolfe suddenly decides； in the middle of the night； that he has had enough of detective work； sends an ad to a newspaper announcing his retirement； calls on a friend to arrange for the care of his orchids…and what did he do then？ I was so engrossed I may have missed something。〃
〃I don't know what he did。 He walked out。 He disappeared。〃
I was aware； of course； of how it sounded。 It was pletely cuckoo。 It was all rayon and a yard wide。 I damn near made it even worse by telling them about the sausage and the tear gas； of course without letting on that we knew who had sent it； but realized in time how that would go over in the circumstances。 That would have made a hit。 But I had to say or do something； and decided to produce evidence； so I reached to my pocket for it。
〃He left notes on the table in his bedroom；〃 I said； 〃for Fritz and Theodore and me。 Here's mine。〃
I handed it to Archer。 He read it and passed it to Dykes； Dykes read it twice and returned it to Archer； who stuck it in his pocket。 〃Jesus；〃 Dykes said again； looking at me in a way I didn't like。 〃This is really something。 I've always thought Nero Wolfe had a lot on the ball； and you too in a way； but this is about the worst I ever saw。 Really。〃 He turned to Archer。 〃It's plain what happened。〃
〃It certainly is。〃 Archer made a fist。 〃Goodwin； I don't ask you to tell me。
I'll tell you。 When you found Mrs。 Rackham there dead； you and Leeds agreed on a tale about the visit to Nero Wolfe。 Leeds came here to break the news。 You went to his place to phone Wolfe and report； both the murder and the tale you and Leeds had agreed on…or maybe Wolfe knew that already； since you had pretended to investigate the dog poisoning。 In any case； Wolfe knew something that he didn't dare to try to cover and that； equally； he didn't dare to reveal。 What made it unbearably hot was the murder。 So he arranged to disappear； and we haven't got him； and it may take a day or a week to find him。 But we've got you。〃
The fist hit the table； not hard。 〃You know where Wolfe is。 You know what he knows that he had to run away from。 It is vital information required by me in my investigation of a murder。 Surely you must see that your position is untenable； you can't possibly get away with it。 Twenty Nero Wolfes couldn't bring you out of this with a whole skin。 Even if he's cooking up one of his flashy surprises； even if he walks into my office tomorrow with the murderer and the evidence to convict him； I will not stand for this。 There is no written record of what you said last night。 I'll get the stenographer back in here and we'll tear up his notebook and what he has typed； and you can start from scratch。〃
〃Better grab it； son；〃 Dykes said； perfectly friendly。 〃Loyalty to your employer is a fine thing； but not when he's got a screw loose。〃
I yawned。 〃My God； I'm sleepy。 I wouldn't mind this so much if I was helping out with a fix； good or bad； but it's a shame to get stuck with the truth。 Ask me tomorrow； ask me all summer； I refuse to tell a Be。 And I do not know where Mr。 Wolfe is。〃
Archer stood up。 〃Get a material witness warrant and lock him up；〃 he said； almost squeaking； and marched out。
8
THE jail at White Plains uses a gallon of strong disinfectant； diluting it； of course； every day including Sunday。 I can back that statement up with two pieces of evidence： the word of the turnkey on the second…floor cell block； whose name is Wilkes； given to me personally； and my sense of smell； which is above average。
I had no opportunity to make a tour of inspection during the twenty hours I was there； that Easter Sunday and the day following； but except for the smell I found nothing to write to the newspapers about； once you grant that society must protect itself against characters like me。 My cell…or rather； our cell； since I had a mate…was as clean as they e。 There was something about the blankets that made you keep them away from your chin； but that could have been just prejudice。 The light was nothing wonderful； but good enough to read by for thirty days。
I didn't really get acquainted with my surroundings or my mate until Monday； I was so darned sleepy when they finally finished with me down below and showed me up to my room。 They had been insistent but not ferocious。 I had been allowed to phone Fritz that I wouldn't be home； which was a good thing； as there was no telling what he would have done with no word from me ing on top of Wolfe's fadeout； and also to try to call Nathaniel Parker； the only lawyer Wolfe has ever been willing to invite to dinner； but that was no go because he was away for the weekend。 When at last I stretched out on the cot； I was dead to the world ten seconds after my head hit the pillow； consisting of my pants wrapped in my shirt。
It was the pants； or rather the coat and vest