〃You talk too much； Goodwin。〃
〃No；〃 I disagreed； 〃not too much； but too rrankly； maybe。 Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned a steak knife； but I was irritated。 I might name my client if you stuck needles under my nails or showed me a dollar bill； but your being so damn casual annoyed me。〃
〃I didn't kill my wife。〃
I smiled at him。 〃That's a straightforward categorical statement； and I appreciate it very much。 What else didn't you do？〃
He ignored it。 〃I know Annabel Prey thinks I did； and she would spend all the money my wife left her…well； say half of it…to prove it。 I don't mind your taking her money； that's your business； but I hate to see her waste it； and I don't like having someone always behind me。 There ought to be some way I can satisfy you and her that I didn't do it。 Can't you figure one out？ If it's arranged so you won't lose anything by it？〃
〃No；〃 I said flatly。
〃Why not？ I said satisfy you。〃
〃Because I'm getting irritated again。 You don't care a damn what Mrs。Frey thinks。 What's eating you is that you don't know who is curious enough about you to spend money on it； and you're trying to catch a fish without bait； which is unsportsmanlike。 I'll bet you a finif you can't worm it out of me。〃
He sat regarding me half a minute； then got up and crossed to a portable bar over by the wall and began assembling a drink。 He called to me； 〃Sure you won't have one？〃
I declined with thanks。 Soon he returned with a tall one； sat； took a couple of swallows； put the glass down； burped； and spoke。 〃A thousand dollars for the name。〃
〃Just the name； cold？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃It's a sale。〃 I extended a hand。 〃Gimme。〃
〃I like to get what I pay for； Goodwin。〃
〃Absolutely。 Guaranteed against defects。〃
He arose and left the room through a door toward the far end。 I decided I was thirsty and went to the bar for a glass of soda and ice； and was back in my chair when he re…entered and came to me。 I took his offering and counted it by flipping the edges： ten crackly new hundreds。
He picked up his glass； drank； and eyed me。 〃Well？〃
〃Arnold Zeck；〃 I said。
He made a little squeaking noise； went stiff for a short count； and hurled the tall glass against the wall； where it smacked into the middle of the glass of a picture； which improved the effect both for the ear and for the eye。
15
I ADMIT I was on my feet when it hit。 He was so slapdash that there was no certainty about his target； and a well…thrown heavy glass can make a bruise。
〃Now look what you've done；〃 I said reproachfully； and sat down again。
He glared at me a second； then went to the bar； and with slow precise movements of his hands mixed another long one。 I was pleased to note that the proportion of whisky was the same as before。 He returned to his chair and put the glass down without drinking。
〃I thought so； by God；〃 he said。
I merely nodded。
〃Who hired you？ Zeck himself？〃
〃Not in the contract；〃 I objected firmly。 〃You bought the name； and you've got it。〃
〃I'm in the market for more。 I'll take it all。〃
I frowned at him。 〃Now I guess I'll have to do some talking。 You fortable？〃 〃No。〃
〃Listen anyway。 I'm taking Zeck's money and I'm crossing him。 How do you know I won't cross you？〃
〃I don't。 But I'll top him。〃
〃That's the point exactly； you don't。 Who is Zeck and who are you？ You know the answer to that。 You were taking his money too； up to five months ago； and you know for what。 When your wife hired Nero Wolfe to take the lid off of you for a look； you yapped to Zeck and he took aim at Wolfe； and when your wife got it with that steak knife Wolfe took a powder； and for all I know he is now in Egypt； where he owns a house； talking it over with the Sphinx。 It was Zeck and you； between you； that broke up our happy home on Thirty…fifth Street； and you can have three guesses how I feel about it。 I may like it fine this way； with my own office and my time my own。 I may figure to work close to Zeck and get in the big dough； which would mean I'm poison to you； or I may be loving a chance to stick one between Zeck's ribs and incidentally get a nice helping from your pile； or I may even be kidding both of you along with the loony idea of trying to earn the ten grand your wife paid Nero Wolfe。 Zeck can guess and you can guess。 Do I make myself clear？〃
〃I don't know。 Are you just warning me not to trust you？ Is that it？〃
〃Well； yes。〃
〃Then save your breath。 I've never trusted anybody since I started shaving。 As for a nice helping from my pile； that depends。 How do you earn it？〃
I shrugged。 〃Maybe I don't want it。 Guess。 I got the impression that I have something you want。〃
〃I think you have。 Who hired you and what were you told to do？〃
〃I told you； Zeck。〃
〃Zeck himself？〃
〃I would be risking my neck and you know it。 Five grand now； and beyond that we can decide as we go along。〃
It was a mistake； though not fatal。 He was surprised。 I should have made it ten。 He said； 〃I haven't got that much here。〃
〃Nut。 Send downstairs for it。〃
He hesitated a moment； regarding me； then got up and went to a phone on a side table。 It occurred to me that it would be of no advantage for a clerk or assistant manager to see whose presence in Rackham's suite required the delivery of so much cash； so I asked where the bathroom was and went there。 After a sufficient interval I returned； and the delivery had been made。
〃I said I don't trust anybody；〃 Rackham told me； handing me the engravings。 〃But I don't like to be gypped。〃
It was used bills this time； Cs and five…hundreds； which didn't seem up to the Churchill's standard of elegance。 To show Rackham how vulgar it was not to trust people； I stowed it away without counting it。
〃What do you want？〃 I asked； sitting。 〃Words and pictures？〃
〃I can ask questions； can't I？〃
〃Sure； that's included。 I have not yet seen Zeck himself； but expect to。
I was first approached by Max Christy。 He…〃
〃That son of a bitch。〃
〃Yeah？ Of course you're prejudiced now。 He was merely scouting。 He didn't name Zeck and he didn't name you； but offered good pay for an expert tailing job。 I was interested enough to make a date to get picked up on the street that night by a man in a car。 He gave…〃
〃Not Zeck。 He wouldn't show like that。〃
〃I said I haven't seen Zeck。 He gave me the layout。 He said his name was Roeder…around fifty…〃
''Roeder？〃 Rackham frowned。
〃So he said。 He spelled it…R…o…e…d…e…r。 Around fifty； brown hair slicked back； face wrinkled and folded； sharp dark eyes； brown pointed beard with gray in it。〃
〃I don't know him。〃
〃He may be in a different department from the one you were in。 He did name Zeck。 He said…〃
〃He actually named Zeck？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃To you？ That's remarkable。 Why？〃
〃I don't know； but I can guess。 I had previously been tapped by Max Christy； some time ago； and I think they've got an idea that I may have it in me to work up to an executive job…now that Nero Wolfe is gone。 And they figure I must know that Christy plays with Brownie Costigan； and that Costigan is close to the top； so why not mention Zeck to me to make it glamorous？ Anyhow； Roeder did。 He said that what they wanted was a tail on you。 They wanted it good and tight。 They offered extra good pay。 I was to use as many men as necessary。 I took the job； got the men； and we started a week ago yesterday。 Christy es to my office every day for the reports。 You know what's been in them； you know where you've been and what you've done。〃
Rackham was still frowning。 〃That's all there is to it？〃
〃That's the job as I took it and as I've handled it。〃
〃You weren't told why？〃
〃In a way I was。 I gathered that they think you might be a bad influence on the District Attorney； and they want to be sure you don't start associating with him。 If you do they would probably make a plaint。 I suppose you know what their idea is of making a plaint。〃 The frown was going。 〃You say you gathered that？〃
〃I didn't put it right。 I was told that in so many words。〃
〃By Roeder？〃
〃Yes。〃
The frown was gone。 〃If this is straight； Goodwin； I've m