In the Best Families

“That's irrelevant. Let us stick to the point, gentlemen. I want to make it clear that I do not actually care a damn where Rackham goes or what he does or who he sees. You are to hang on and report in full, since that's the proper way to handle a dry run, but I don't want anyone to get hurt. If he turns on you and starts throwing rocks, dodge and run. If you lose him, as of course you will, don't bark your shins trying to hurdle.

“You ought to have workmen's compensation insurance, Fred advised. “Then we could be serious about it.

“Do you mean, Saul Panzer asked, “that the purpose is to get on his nerves?

“No. Play it straight. I only mean it's not life and death-until further notice. I pushed my chair back and got up. “And now I wish to prove that being an employer hasn't changed me any. You may continue to call me Archie. You may come with me to Thirty-fifth Street, where we will find a poker deck, and Fritz will make five, and when we have finished I'll lend you car fare home.

For the record, I lost twelve dollars. Saul was the big winner. One hand, I had three nines and-but I'd better get on.

Rackham was living at the Churchill, in an air-conditioned suite in the tower.

During the first week we compiled quite a biography of him. He never stuck his nose outside before one o'clock, and once not until four. His ports of call included two banks, a law office, nine bars, two clubs, a barber shop, seven other shops and stores, three restaurants, three theatres, two night spots, and miscellaneous. He usually ate lunch with a man or men, and dinner with a woman.

Not the same woman; three different ones during the week. As described by my operatives, they were a credit to their sex, to the American way of life, and to the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.

I took on a little of it myself, but mostly I left it to the help. Not that I loafed. There were quite a few hours with Lily Rowan, off and on, both as a substitute for the trip to Norway, indefinitely postponed, and as a check on the soundness of the estimate of her I had given Wolfe. She caused me no qualms.

Once when we were dancing she sighed for Pete, and once at her apartment she said she would love to help some more with my work, but when I tactfully made it plain that the detective business was not on our agenda she took it nicely and let it lay.