Triple Jeopardy (3 page)

Yes.

No, we havent.

Then I should think you would want to talk. Go ahead. Ill drink some beer and eavesdrop. Of course at least one of you will be on guard, but the others can speak freely. You might say something useful.

Carol Berk, now nearer me, let out a little snort. Fritz had brought a tray, and Wolfe opened a bottle, poured, waited for the foam to reach the right level, and drank. Nobody said a word.

Leddegard spoke. It doesnt seem to work. Did you expect it to'

We ought to make it work, Fifi declared. I think hes damn considerate even if he is fat, and we should help. Her head turned. Carol, lets talk.

Glad to, Carol agreed. You start. Shoot.

Well, hows this'We all knew Arthur was practically a commissar, I always called him comrade, and we knew his aunt and uncle hated it, and he was afraid he might lose his job and have to go on belief but he was so damn brave and honest he couldnt keep his mouth shut. We all knew that'

Of course.

Did you know this too'He told me - a week ago today, I think it was. His aunt put it to him, reform or out on the street, and he told her he was secretly working for the FBI, spying on the Commies, but he wasnt. He thought the FBI was practically the Gestapo. I told him he shouldnt -

Thats a lie! Mrs. Rackell didnt shout but she put lots of feeling in it.

All eyes went to her. Her husband got up and put a hand on her shoulder. There were murmurs.

Thats an infamous lie, she said. My nephew was a patriotic American. More than you are, all of you. All of you! She left her chair. Ive had enough of this. I shouldnt have come. Come, Ben, were going.

She marched out. Rackell muttered to Wolfe, A shock for her - a real shock -

Ill phone you - and trotted after her. I went to the hall to let them out,

but she had already opened the door and was on the stoop, and Rackell followed.

I shut the door and went back to the office.

They were buzzing. Fifi had started them talking, all right. Wolfe was refilling his glass, watching the foam rise. I crossed to Fifi and took her glass and went to the table to replenish it, thinking she had earned a little service. She was the center of the buzzing, supplying the details of her revelation. She was sure Arthur had not been stringing her; he had told her in strict confidence, at a place and time she declined to specify, that he had told his aunt a barefaced lie - that he was working for the FBI and it must not be known. No, she hadnt told the police. She didnt like the police, especially a Lieutenant Rowcliff,

who had questioned her three times and was a lout.

I looked and listened and tried to decide if Fifi was putting on an act. She was hard to tag. Was one of the others covering, and if so which one'I reached no conclusion and had no hunch. They were all interested and inquisitive, even Delia Devlin, though she didnt address Fifi directly. The only one who knew I was there was Carol Berk, who sent me a slanting glance and saw me catch it. I raised a brow at her. What is it, a pitchout'

You name it. She smiled, the way she might smile at a panhandler, humane but superior. Why, whos on base'

I decided it right then, she was worth looking at, if for nothing else, to find out what she was keeping back. Theyre loaded, I told her. Five of you. Its against the rules. The umpire wont allow it. Mr. Wolfe is the umpire.

He looks to me more like the backstop, she said indifferently.

I saw that it might be necessary, if events permitted, to find an opportunity to spend enough time with her to make it clear that I didnt like her.

All of a sudden Fifi Goheen let fly again. Returning from the bar with her second refill, she brought the bottle of Scotch along and poured a good three fingers in Wolfes beer glass.

She put the bottle on his desk, leaned over to stretch an arm and pat him on top of the head, straightened up, and grinned at him.

Get high, she said urgently.

He glared at her.

Do a flip, she commanded.

He glared.

Its a damn shame, she declared. The cops arent speaking to you, and here youre buying the drinks and were not even sociable. Why shouldnt we tell you what die cops have already found out'If theyre any good they have. Take Miss Devlin here. She waved a hand. Dozens of people will tell you that she would have got Hank Heath to make it legal long ago if Arthur hadnt told him something about her, God knows what. Any woman would kill a man for that. And -

Shut up, Fee! Leddegard barked at her.

Let her rave, Delia Devlin said, white-faced.

Fifi ignored them. And Mr. Leddegard, who is a dear friend of mine, with him its a question of his wife - dont be a fool, Leddy. Everybody knows it. Back to Wolfe. She went to South America with Arthur a couple of years ago and caught a disease and died there. I have no idea why Mr. Leddegard waited so long to kill him.

She drained her glass and put it on the desk. This Arthur Rackell, she said,

was quite a guy, of his kind. Carol Berk and I discovered only a month ago that he was driving double, by a little mischance Id rather not describe. It was quite embarrassing. I dont know how she felt about it, you can ask her, but I know about me. All I needed was the poison, and all you need is to find out how I got it. I understand that potassium cyanide is used for a lot of things and is easy to get if you really want it. Then theres Hank Heath. He thought Arthur had me taped, which was true in a way, but would a man kill another man just to get a woman, even one as pure and beautiful as me'You can ask him. No, Ill ask him.

She wheeled. Would you, Hank'She wheeled again to Wolfe. As you see, that was quite a dinner party Arthur got up, but he doesnt deserve all the credit. I dared him to. I wanted a good audience, one that would appreciate - hey, that hurts!

Heath was beside her, gripping her arm. She jerked away and bumped into Delia Devlin, also out of her chair. Carol Berk said something, and so did Leddegard.

Heath spoke to Wolfe. This is a joke, and its not funny.

Wolfes brows went up. Its not my joke, sir.

You asked us to come here. His voice was soft but very sour, and his glassy eyes looked about ready to pop out of his round pudgy face. Miss Goheen has been making a fool of you, and there -

I have not! Fifi was back, at his elbow. I wouldnt dream of it, she told Wolfe. You know, theres something about you, fat as you are. She reached to pick up the glass of beer and Scotch. Open your mouth and Ill - hey! Where you going'

She got no reply. Out of his chair and headed for the door, Wolfe kept on,

turning left in the hall, toward the kitchen.

That ended the party. They made remarks, especially Leddegard and Heath, and I was sympathetic as I wrangled them into the hall and on to the front. I went out and stood on the stoop as they descended to the sidewalk and headed for Tenth Avenue, just to see, but by the time they had gone fifty paces no furtive figures had sneaked out of areaways along the line, so I thought what the hell and went back in. A glance in the office showed me it was empty, and I went on to the kitchen.

Fritz was pouring something thick into a big stone jar. Wolfe stood watching him, a slice of sturgeon in one hand and a glass of beer in the other. His mouth was occupied.

I attacked head on. I admit, I said, that she was set to toss it at you, but I was there to help wipe it off. What good does it do to duck'There are at least eighty-six things you have to know before you can even start, and you had them there and didnt even try. My vacation starts next Monday. And what about your rule on not eating at bedtime'

He swallowed. He drank beer, put the glass and the sturgeon on the table,

reached to a shelf for a Bursatto melon, got a knife from the rack, cut the melon open, and began spooning the seeds onto a plate.

The precise moment, he said. Do you want some'

Certainly not, I said coldly. The peach-colored meat was so juicy there was a little pool in each half, and a breeze from the open window carried the smell to me. I reached for one of the halves, got a spoon, scooped out a bite - and another …

Wolfe never talks business during meals, but this was not a meal. In the middle of his melon he remarked, For us the past is impossible.

I darted my tongue to catch a drop of juice. Oh. It is'

Yes. It would take an army. The police and the FBI have already had four days for it. The source of the poison. Mrs. Kremp. Mrs. Rackells surmise of the motive. Mr. Heath is presumably a Communist, but what about the others'Anyone might be a Communist, just as anyone might have a hidden carcinoma.

He scooped a bite of melon and dealt with it. What of the motives suggested by that fantastic female buffoon'Are any of them authentic, and if so which one or ones'That alone would need a regiment. As for the police and the FBI, we have nothing to bargain with. Are they all Communists'Were they all in on it'Must we expose not one murderer but five'All those questions and others would have to be answered. How long would it take'

A year ought to do it.

I doubt it. The past is hopeless. Theres too much of it.

I raised my shoulders and let them drop. Okay, you dont have to rub it in. So we cross it off. Do I draw a check to Rack ell for his three grand tonight or wait till morning'

Have I asked you to draw a check'

No, sir.

He picked up the slice of sturgeon and took a bite. He never skimped on his chewing, and it took him a good four minutes to finish. Meanwhile I disposed of my melon.

Archie, he said.

Yes, sir.

How does Mr. Heath feel about Miss Goheen'

Well. I considered. There are different ways of putting it. I would say something like you would feel about a dish of stewed terrapin with sherry -

within your sight and smell - if you thought you knew how it would taste but had never had any.

He grunted. Dont be fanciful. Its a serious question in a field where you are qualified as an expert and Im not. Is his appetite deeply aroused'Would he take a risk for her'

I dont know how he is on risks, but I saw how he looked at her and how he reacted when she touched him. Also I saw Delia Devlin, and so did you. I would say he would try crossing a high shaky bridge with a wind blowing, but not unless it had rails.

That was the impression I got. Well have to try it.

Try what'

A shove. A dig in their ribs. If their past is too much for us, their future isnt, or shouldnt be. Well have to try it. If it doesnt work well try again. He was scowling. The best I can give it is one chance in twenty.

Confound it, it requires the cooperation of Mrs. Rackell, so Ill have to see her again; that cant be helped.

He scooped a bite of melon. Youll need some instructions. Finish this, and well go to the office.

He put the bite where it belonged and concentrated on his taste buds.

It didnt work out as scheduled. The program called for getting Mrs. Rackell to the office at eleven oclock the next morning, Thursday, but when I phoned a little before nine the maid said it was too early to disturb her. At ten she hadnt called back, and I tried again and got her. I explained that Wolfe had an important confidential question to put to her, and she said she would be at the office not later than eleven-thirty. Shortly before eleven she phoned again to say that she had called her husband at his office, and it had been decided if the question was important and confidential they should both be present to consider it. Her husband would free for an hour or so after lunch but had a four-oclock appointment he would have to keep. We finally settled for oclock,

and I called Rackell at his office and confirmed it.

Henry Jameson Heath was on the front page of the Gazette again that morning, not in connection with homicide.

Once more he had refused to disclose the names of contributors to the fund for bail for the indicted Communists and apparently he was going to stick to it no matter how much contempt he rolled up. The days installment on the Rackell murder was on page seven, and there wasnt enough meat in it to feed a cricket.

As for me, after an hour at the phone, locating Saul Panzer and Fred Durkin and Orrie Cather and passing them the word, I might as well have gone to the ball game. Wolfe had given me plenty of instructions, but I couldnt act on them until and unless the clients agreed to string along.

Mrs. Rackell arrived first, at six on the dot. A minute later Wolfe came down from the plant rooms, and she started in on him. She had the idea that he was responsible for Fifi Goheens slanderous lie about her dead nephew, since it had been uttered in his office, and what did he propose to do about it'Why didnt he have her arrested'Wolfe controlled himself fairly well, but his tone was beginning to get sharp when the doorbell rang and I beat it to the front to let Rackell in. He jogged past me to the office on his short legs, nodded at Wolfe,

kissed his wife on the cheek, dropped onto a chair, wiped his long narrow face with a handkerchief, and asked wearily, What is it'Did you get anywhere with them'

No. Wolfe was short. Not to any conclusion.

Whats this important question'

Its blunt and simple. I need to know whether you want the truth enough to pay for it, and if so how much.

Rackell looked at his wife. Whats he talking about'

We havent discussed it, Wolfe told him. Weve been considering a point your wife raised, which I regard as frivolous. This question of mine - perhaps I should call it a suggestion. I have one to offer.

What'

First Ill give you the basis for it. Wolfe leaned back and half closed his eyes. You heard me tell those five people yesterday why it is assumed that one of them substituted the pills.

On that assumption, after further talk with them, another: that it is highly improbable that the substitution could have been made, under the circumstances as lied, entirely unobserved. It would have required a ace of remarkable dexterity and uncommon luck, and not accept such a coincidence except on weighty evidence. So, assuming that the substitution was made in the it, I also assume,

for a test at least, that one of them saw it and knows who did it. In short,