"We do, Mr Barrett. We haven't much native subtlety, but a long experience has taught us things-for instance, never to toss ammunition to the enemy except under compulsion or in exchange for something better " Wolfe's tone was a soothing purr, which made me wonder when and why he was getting ready to pounce. He went on with it: "By the way, I don't suppose you happened to meet Miss Tormic on your way down here just now?"
"No, I didn't. Why? Where was she?"
"She was here for a little talk. She and her friend, Miss Lovchen. They left shortly before you arrived, and I wondered if by any chance you had seen them."
"No "
"Have you had an opportunity to talk this thing over with her in much detail?"
"Not much of one. You might say none, really. They questioned the men first up there, and they let me go around eight o'clock. She was still there. I don't know how long they kept her "
"Indeed. Since you are a sufficiently good friend of hers to bother to come down here, it might be thought that you wouldn't have gone off and left her there."
"I couldn't get at her The place was full of cops and there was one for everybody. Anyway, that's my business. Meaning it's none of yours. You know?"
"Yes, excuse me. You're quite right." Then Wolfe pounced. As usual, there was no change whatever in his tone as his forefinger traced a tiny circle on the polished mahogany of his chair arm. "But I think you'll have to concede that this is my business: Where have you hidden Madame Zorka?"
Chapter Ten
Donald Barrett wasn't especially good; not much above the average man when he is suddenly and abruptly faced with a question which he isn't supposed to know the answer to but does. His jaw loosened, his eyes widened, and his breathing stopped. The first two may be the result of innocent surprise, but not the third. But he was fairly quick on the recovery. He stared at Wolfe and made folds in his smooth handsome brow and demanded:
"Where have I hid who?"
"Madame Zorka."
He shook his head. "If it's a joke, you'll have to explain it to me. I don't get it."
Wolfe said patiently, "I'll explain it. Madame Zorka phoned here this evening and said she saw Miss Tormic put something in Mr Goodwin's pocket and she was going to report it to the police immediately."
"The devil she did!"
"Please don't interrupt. It's wasted. Mr Goodwin persuaded her to postpone informing the police until he could take Miss Tormic to Madame Zorka's apartment for a discussion of the matter. When he and Miss Tormic arrived some time later, they found the apartment empty; and they learned that Madame Zorka had departed fifteen minutes previously, in a hurry, with a bag and suitcase. Mr Goodwin then brought Miss Tormic and Miss Lovchen here to see me."
"Well, that-"
"Please. The two young ladies have a talk with me and leave. Soon you arrive. You reveal that you possess knowledge of three facts: that someone says that Miss Tormic was seen putting something in Mr Goodwin's pocket, that that information has not yet reached the police, and that it has reached me. The first two you might have got hold of in several conceivable ways, but not the third. You couldn't possibly have known that the information had reached me unless Madame Zorka communicated with you after she phoned here."
Barrett was standing up, apparently with the idea that it was time to go. "Rubbish," he snorted. "If that's the kind of deduction-"
Wolfe shook his head, and his tone got sharp. "I won't have it, sir. I won't spend an hour working it into your skull that I know what I know. Madame Zorka told you what she had told me. Don't try dodging; you'll only annoy me."
"It would be too damn bad if I annoyed you." He looked and sounded nasty. "What if Zorka did tell me about it? What if that's why I came down here? What's wrong with that?"
"Did she?"
"What if she did?"
"Did she?"
"Yes!"
"On the telephone?"
"Yes."
"And you, being a friend of Miss Tormic, saw that the only way to make sure that her story would not reach the police was to hustle her away somewhere-and you somehow persuaded her. Then you thought of the possibility that I might pass it on to the police, and came here to plug that hole. Where is Madame Zorka, Mr Barrett?"
"I don't know. I supposed she was at home until you said Goodwin was told she had gone with her bag and suitcase. I'll tell you something. I don't like the way you're handling this and I'm going to tell Miss Tormic so. She ought to have a good lawyer, anyway, and I'll see that she gets one. If she lets you out, how much cash will you take not to peddle this fairy tale to the police about her putting something in Goodwin's pocket?"
I got up and took a step towards him, but Wolfe shook his head at me. "No, Archie. Let me-"
I said, "Excuse me. There are times when you get mad and there are times when I get mad. I'll make a concession. I was going to hit him and then talk, but I'll talk first."
I put my face fourteen inches from Barrett's. "You. I am restraining myself. You have implied that this office has a stooling department. What evidence have you got to back that up? Talk like a man whether you are one or not. I warn you I'm mad. Have you got any evidence?"
"I. I didn't mean-"
"Have you?"
"No."
"Are you sorry you said it?"
"Yes."
"Don't say it to oblige me. I'd rather you refused to say it. You are sorry?"
"Yes."
"Marshmallows," I muttered, and went back to my chair.
Wolfe said, "You'll have to learn to control that, Archie. Physical duress, unless carried to an intolerable extreme, is a miserable weapon." He wiggled a finger at Barrett. "Not that I object to duress when it's necessary, as it is now. It doesn't matter what it was that moved Madame Zorka to tell you about her phone call to me; the fact is that she did so; nor does it matter what form of persuasion you used on her. It's obvious that you hid her, or at least you know where she is, since it was you who got her to pack up and go-"
Barrett started off. I circled around him on the lope to head him off at the door. Wolfe snapped at his back:
"Come back here! Unless you want everyone sniffing on the trail of Bosnian forest concessions and Yugoslav credits-"
I admit that Wolfe's form of duress was more effective than mine. Mine had made him eat a bite of crow, but Wolfe's apparently drained him of his blood. Three steps from the door he stopped and stiffened, and his cheeks went pasty. He turned slowly then, to face Wolfe. I went back to my chair and sat and enjoyed looking at him.
He wet his lips with his tongue, twice. Then he moved, clear to the corner of Wolfe's desk, and squeaked down at him: "What are you talking about? Do you know what you're talking about?"
"Certainly. About banditry. A euphemism for it is international finance. In this case represented by the well-known firm of Barrett amp; De Russy."
"And what about it?"
Wolfe shook his head. "I furnish no details, Mr Barrett. You know them better than I do. The precise amount of the credits held by your firm, for instance, and the extent of its relations with the Donevitch gang. I don't need to supply details in order to blackmail you, which is all I'm after. I merely want to see Madame Zorka, and I'm sure you'll help me on that rather than have this Yugoslav foray exposed to a lot of disconcerting curiosity."
Barrett, motionless and silent, gazed at him. South-west of his ear, above the edge of his starched white collar, I could see the tendons on his neck standing out. Finally he squeaked again:
"Who are you working for?"
"For Miss Tormic."
"I ask you, who are you working for? Rome?"
"I am working on a murder case. My client is Neya Tormic. My only interest-"
"Oh, skip it. Do you think I'm a boob?" The international financier put the tips of eight fingers on the desk and gave them some weight. "Look here, I understand perfectly that no matter who you're working for, you wouldn't be tipping me off just for your health. If you'll put this damn pet gorilla of yours on a leash, I'm quite willing to discuss details and terms-subject, of course, to consultation with my associates-"