Rex Stout - Where There's a Will

“Merely told the truth, Mrs. Dunn? Oh, no. You lied. Don’t take me for a fool. You shouldn’t even take Mr. Cramer for a fool. Mrs. Hawthorne didn’t invent that story. The fact is, you should have told me about it yourself, since you were hiring me for this job. And you’ll tell me the truth now, or you’ll get out of my office and take the job with you. I’m not being high-handed just for the devil of it. It’s important, it may even be vital, that I have a statement from you, your husband and your son, that that cornflower was found there and all three of you saw it. Well?”

“It’s a trick,” May snapped.

“Pfui!” Wolfe made a face at her. “This thing is turning you into a dunce. I don’t play tricks on clients.” He looked at June. “Well?”

Dunn demanded, “Do you have any basis for your assertion that April is not in danger?”

“I do. I’m not disclosing it, but I have it. You’d better either acquire some confidence in me, sir, or fire me.”

“All right. Andy found a cornflower there and showed it to my wife and me.”

“Tuesday evening, as Mrs. Hawthorne said?”

“Yes.”

“What did you do with it?”

“I threw it in the fireplace.”

“Do you confirm that, Mrs. Dunn?”

June hesitated a second and then said firmly, “Yes.”

“Good.” Wolfe frowned at her. “You’ll have to eat your denial to the police, but that’s your fault. You had hired me and you should have consulted me. Next: Your sister’s masquerade as Mrs. Hawthorne. Mr. Goodwin saw her there with Miss Karn, came straight to the library, and saw Mrs. Hawthorne with me. He ascertained that the one in the library was the real Mrs. Hawthorne by trying to lift her veil. You heard her scream. We concluded that the counterfeit downstairs must be April, the accomplished actress. Did Mrs. Hawthorne give that to the police too?”

“Yes,” June replied.

“How did she know about it?”

“Turner told her. The butler. I happened to be in the entrance hall when Miss Karn arrived and said she wanted to see Mrs. Hawthorne. I told Turner to put Miss Karn in the living room and I would attend to it. On my way upstairs I had an idea. Daisy was in the library with you. The idea was for April to get a dress and veil from Daisy’s room and see Miss Karn and find out what she had to say. I found her in May’s room and suggested it, and they approved. Mr. Stauffer was there too, and he—”

“I didn’t,” Stauffer put in curtly. “I mean I didn’t approve. I strongly disapproved. I went down and entered the bar from the rear and stayed there behind the curtain as a protection for April. Goodwin saw me there.”

“And Turner?” Wolfe asked June.

“I don’t think he suspected anything when he saw April come downstairs. She was perfect. She always is. But he knew Daisy was in the library at a moment when she was also in the living room, for he saw her there when he went to tell you that one of your men had arrived. He couldn’t tell his mistress about it at once, for he didn’t know which one was her, but he told her later.”

“And now she has told the police.”

“Yes.”

“And you have all been questioned.”

“Yes.”

“And you have, I hope — except Mr. Stauffer — told it just as it happened.”

“Of course not. We denied it.”

“Good heavens.” Wolfe sighed and compressed his lips. “You have denied the whole thing?”

“Yes.”

“April too?”

“Yes.”

“And Turner presumably is a mealymouthed liar?”

“No. He must — we merely said — he must be mistaken.”

“God bless you.” Wolfe was disgusted. “He’d better. You merely said! It’s a wonder you’re not all locked up! Was Prescott in on this?”

“No. No one knew of it except April and May and me — and Mr. Stauffer. Not even my husband, until this morning.” June fluttered a hand at him. “And I appeal to you, Mr. Wolfe, to — to understand. Ordinarily I’m not a fool, none of us is. But we’ve been so shocked and bewildered and helpless — all the sense we had was knocked out of us. For my husband and me this came at the end of months of frightful strain — you must understand—”

She faltered to a stop. Wolfe said gruffly, “My understanding wouldn’t help you any. You can get that anywhere. Tell me what Miss Karn said to your sister disguised as Mrs. Hawthorne.”

“She wanted a million dollars.”

“You mean she offered to sign over all but a million?”

“Yes. She said the offer you had made her was ridiculous, but she would be satisfied with a million. April left soon after Mr. Goodwin saw her there, because she knew he would see Daisy in the library. She told Miss Karn she was going upstairs to consult with us about her offer, but she went straight to Daisy’s room and got rid of the dress and veil.”

“And you, Mr. Stauffer? How long did you stay behind the curtain?”

“I stayed a while because I thought April might come back. Then when Goodwin looked in and saw me, I realized that she wouldn’t. I left a few seconds after that, by the rear.”

“Miss Karn was there sitting on a chair when you left?”

“I suppose she was. I didn’t see her.”

Wolfe’s gaze swept the faces. “Here’s a question for all of you. When Mr. Goodwin left the living room after a brief conversation with Miss Karn, it was ten minutes past three. Has anyone admitted seeing her there, alive, after that?”

They all shook their heads. Dunn said, “Prescott tells me that Davis said Miss Karn was not in the living room when he entered it a little before five o’clock.”

“Did Turner take Davis to the living room?”

“No. They let me read Turner’s statement. Davis entered the living room alone and Turner went upstairs to find Prescott.”

“Does Davis admit that?”

“He hasn’t admitted anything. They can’t find him. At least they hadn’t found him at noon today.”

“Indeed.” Wolfe’s eyes half closed. “Do you know where he is?”

“Of course not. How could I?”

“I don’t know, I’m asking. I should think Prescott might know. Davis bolted out of the library yesterday at a quarter to six, and Prescott went after him a moment later. What about that?”

“Prescott says he reached the entrance hall just as Davis was opening the front door to leave. He called to him, but Davis went on out without answering. Turner was there and his statement verifies that. Stauffer and I were in the living room with that police lieutenant and Ritchie of the Cosmopolitan Trust. I myself heard Prescott’s voice calling Davis’s name, and went to the hall and asked him to join us in the living room. A few minutes later we sent Turner upstairs to ask you to come down.” Dunn’s voice was better, and a gleam of life, even intelligence, was showing itself in his eyes. He fixed them on Wolfe, calculating, and suddenly demanded, “What about Davis?”

Wolfe shook his head. “Nothing much. Curiosity. The fact that he can’t be found—”

“I don’t believe it.” Dunn’s voice was getting obstreperous. “Your man was telling you something about Davis yesterday — about finding him somewhere drunk. If you expect me to have confidence in you, at least you can give me an idea of what—”

“No, I can’t!” Wolfe cut him off. “What good will an idea do you? I’ll give you something much better than an idea, as soon as I can, and I’ll let you know when it’s ready. You ought to eat something.” He looked around. “All of you. Eat something and take off your shoes and lie down a while.”

“My Lord,” May Hawthorne said. “If you’re a humbug you’re a good one. It’s four o’clock and you’re going upstairs to your orchids.”