Rex Stout - In the Best Families

There was no time to draw a sketch and see how I liked it. All three of them were looking at me, and Archer was saying, “You can see, Goodwin, why I wanted you to read your statement and see if you left anything out.

“Yeah. I was regretful. “I can also see you holding your breath, and I don't blame you. If I now say that's right, I forgot, Wolfe did phone Mrs Rackham that

Friday evening and tell her that, you've got all you need and hallelujah. I would love to help out, but I like to stick to the truth as far as practical.

“The truth is all I'm asking for. Did you call on Rackham at his apartment yesterday afternoon?

That punch had of course been telegraphed. “Yes, I said.

“What for?

“On a job for a client. At first it was a tailing job, and then when Rackham spotted me my client thought I might learn something by chatting with him.

“Why is your client interested in Rackham?

“He didn't say.

“Who's the client?

I shook my head. “I don't think that would help you any. He's a man who came here recently from the West Coast, and I suspect he's connected with gambling or rackets or both, but my suspicions are no good at the bank. Let's table it for now.

“I want the name, Goodwin.

“And I want to protect my client within reason. You can't connect him up with the murder you're investigating. Go ahead and start the rigmarole. Charge me again as a material witness and I get released on bail. Meanwhile I'll be wanting my lawyer present and all that runaround. What will it get you in the long run?

Ben Dykes said in a nasty voice, “We don't want to be arbitrary about it. We wouldn't expect you to name a client if you haven't got one. West Coast, huh?

“Is Rackham your client? Archer asked.

“No…,.

“Have you done any work for him?

“No.

“Has he given you or paid you any money in the past week?

That was enough and to spare. I was hooked good, and if the best I could do was flop around trying to wriggle off, the outlook was damn' thin. “Oh, I said, “so that's it. I gave Lina Darrow an appreciative look and then transferred it to

Archer. “This narrows it down. I've collected for with-holding evidence against a murderer. That's bad, isn't it?

No one answered. They just looked at me.

So I went on. “First, I hereby state that I have no money from Rackham, and that's all on that for now. Second, I'm a little handicapped because although I know what Miss Darrow has in her mind, I don't know how it got there. She's framing Rackham for murder, or trying to, but I'm not sure whether it's her own idea or whether she has been nudged. I would have to find out about that first before I could decide how I stand. I know you've got to give me the works, and that's all right, it's your job, you've got all day and all night for it, but you can take your pick. Either I clam up as of now, and I mean clam, and you start prying at me, or first I am allowed to have a talk with Miss Darrow-with you here, of course. Then you can have the rest of the week with me. Well?

“No, Archer said emphatically.

“Okay. May I borrow some adhesive tape?

“We know everything Miss Darrow has to say.

“Sure you do. I want to catch up. I said with you here. You can always stop it if you get bored.

Archer looked at Dykes. I don't know whether he would have rather had Dykes nod his head or shake it, but he got neither. All Dykes did was concentrate.

“You gentlemen, I said, “want only one thing, to crack the case. It certainly won't help if I shut my trap and breathe through my nose. It certainly won't hurt if I converse with Miss Darrow in your presence.

“Let him, Lina said belligerently. “I knew he would deny it.

“What do you want to ask her? Archer demanded,

“The best way to find that out is to listen. I turned to Lina. “When I saw you yesterday afternoon, coming out of his apartment, I thought something was stirring. It was rude the way you went right by me.

She met my gaze but had no comment.

“Was it yesterday, I asked, “that he treated you badly?

“Not only yesterday, she said evenly. “But yesterday he refused definitely and finally to marry me.

“Is that so bad? I mean, a guy can't marry everyone.

“He had said he would-many times.

“But hadn't you been keeping your fingers crossed? After all, it was a kind of special situation. He knew that you knew something that would get him arrested for murder if you spilled it-not to mention other criminal things, whatever they were. Didn't it occur to you that he might be kidding you along for security reasons?

“Yes, I-yes, it did, but I didn't want to believe it. He said he loved me. He made love to me-and I wanted him for my husband. She decided that wasn't adequate and improved on it. “I wanted him so much! she exclaimed.

Til bet you did. I tried not to sound sarcastic. “How do you feel about it now?

Do you think he ever loved you?

“No, I don't! I think he was heartless and cruel. I think he was afraid of me.

He just wanted me not to tell what I knew. And I began to suspect-the way he acted-and yesterday I insisted that we must be married immediately, this week, and when I insisted he lost his temper and he was-he was hateful.

“I know he's got a temper. Was there any urgent reason for wanting to get married quick, like expecting a visitor from heaven, for instance a baby?

She flushed and appealed to Archer. “Do I have to let him insult me?

“I beg your pardon, I said stiffly, “but you seem to be pretty sensitive for a woman who was hell-bent to marry a murderer. Did-

“I didn't know he was a murderer! I only knew if I told about what Mrs Rackham told me and what he told me-I knew he would be suspected even more than he was.

“Uh-huh. When the blow-up came yesterday, did you threaten to tell what you knew?

“Yes.

I goggled at her. “You know, sister, I declared, “you should have spent more time thinking this through. You are unquestionably the bummest liar I have ever run across. I thought maybe-

Dykes broke in. “She says Rackham probably figured he wasn't in much danger, so many months had passed.

“Yeah? That's partly what I mean. Whatever she says, what about Rackham? He's not boob enough to figure like that. He would know damn' well that five months is nothing in the life of a murder. He has his choice between marrying this attractive specimen or having her run to you with the ink for his death warrant, and not only does he act heartless and cruel, he actually opens the door for her to go! This guy who had it in him to sneak into the woods at night with a knife to stab his wife to death and a fighting dog-he just opens the door for this poor pretty creature to tell the world about it! My God, you would buy that?

“You can't tell about people, Archer said. “And she has details. Take the detail of the phone call Wolfe made to Mrs Rackham and what he told her about her husband. Not even a good liar would have that detail, let alone a bum one.