I wasnt much surprised, since I knew there had been a pointer for them if they were interested enough; and just as Laidlaws subconscious had made his decision in advance, mine had made mine. I went to the rack and got Laidlaws hat and coat, stepped back into the office, and told the client, Inspector Cramer is here looking for you. This way out. Come on, move
But how did
No matter how. The doorbell rang. Damn it, move!
He came, and followed me to the kitchen. Fritz was at the big table, doing something to a duck. I told him, Mr Laidlaw wants to leave the back way in a hurry, and I havent time because Cramer wants in. Show him quick, and you havent seen him.
Fritz headed for the back door, which opens on our private enclosed garden if you want to call it that, whose fence has a gate into the passage between buildings which leads to Thirty-fourth Street . As the door closed behind them and I turned, the doorbell rang. I went to the front, not in a hurry, put the chain bolt on, opened the door to the two-inch crack the chain allowed, and spoke through it politely.
I suppose you want me? Since you know Mr Wolfe wont be available until six oclock.
Open up, Goodwin.
Under conditions. You know damn well what my orders are: no callers admitted between four and six unless its just for me.
I know. Open up.
I took that for a commitment, and he knew I did. Also it was conceivable that some characterSergeant Stebbins, for instancewas on his way with a search warrant, and if so it would take the I edge off to admit Cramer without one. So I said, Okay, if its me you want, removed the bolt, and swung the door wide; and he stepped in, marched
down the hall, and entered the office.
I shut the door and went to join him, but by the time I arrived he wasnt there. The connecting door to the front room was open, and in a moment he came through and barked at me, Wheres Laidlaw?
I was hurt. I thought you wanted me. If I had
Wheres Laidlaw?
Search me. Theres lots of Laidlaws, but I havent got one. If you mean
He made for the door to the hall, passing within arms length of me en route.
The rules for dealing with officers of the law are contradictory. Whether you may restrain them by force or not depends. It was okay to restrain Cramer from entering the house by the force of the chain bolt. It would have been okay to restrain him from going upstairs if there had been a locked door there and I had refused to open it, but I couldnt restrain him by standing on the first step and not letting him by, no matter how careful I was not to hurt him. That may make sense to lawyers, but not to me.
But thats the rule, and it didnt matter that he had said he knew our rules before I let him in. So when he crossed the hall to the stairs I didnt waste my breath to yell at him; I saved it for climbing the three flights, which I did, right behind him. Since he was proving that in a pinch he had no honour and no manners, it would have been no surprise if he had turned left at the first landing to invade Wolfes room, or right at the second landing to invade mine, but he kept going to the top, and on in to the vestibule.
I dont know whether he is off orchids because Wolfe is on them, or is just colour blind, but on the few occasions that I have seen him in the plant rooms he has never shown the slightest sign that he realizes that the benches are occupied. Of course in that house his mind is always occupied or he wouldnt be there, and that could account for it. That day, in the cool room, long panicles of Odontoglossums, yellow, rose, white with spots, crowded the aisle on both sides; in the tropical room, Miltonia hybrids and Phalaenopsis splashed pinks and greens and browns clear to the glass above; and in the intermediate room the Cattleyas were grandstanding all over the place as always. Cramer might have been edging his way between rows of dried-up cornstalks.
The door from the intermediate room to the potting room was closed as usual. When Cramer opened it and I followed him in, I didnt stop to shut it but circled around him and raised my voice to announce, He said he came to see me. When I let him in he dashed past me to the office and then to the front room and started yapping, Wheres Laidlaw? and when I told him I had no Laidlaw he dashed past me again for the stairs. Apparently he has such a craving for someone named Laidlaw that his morals are shot.
Theodore Horstmann, at the sink washing pots, had twisted around for a look, but before I finished was twisted back again, washing pots. Wolfe, at the potting bench inspecting seedlings, had turned full around to glare. He had started the glare at me, but by the time I ended had transferred it to Cramer. Are you demented? he inquired icily.
Cramer stood in the middle of the room, returning the glare. Some day, he said, and stopped.
Some day what? You will recover your senses?
Cramer advanced two paces. So youre horning in again, he said. Goodwin turns a suicide into a murder, and here you are. Yesterday you had those girls here. This morning you had those men here. This afternoon Laidlaw is called downtown to show him something which he refuses to discuss, and when he leaves he heads for you. So I know he has been here. So I come