The Golden Spiders (Crime Line)

That was by no means a hard and fast rule. It had been relaxed not only for some men, but even for a few women, not necessarily prospective clients. Kuffner was frustrated and confused. A performance of a basic habit had been arbitrarily stopped, and also he had a problem. Taking a cigarette from a metal case with a clamp needs only a flick of a finger and thumb, but putting one back in is more complicated. He solved it by returning the case to his left side pocket and putting the cigarette in his right one. He was trying not to be flustered, but his voice showed it. “It was Miss Angela Wright.”

I met it like a man. “Miss Wright told you that?”

“Yes.”

“That I made her that offer?”

“Yes.”

I got up and made for my desk. Wolfe asked, “What are you doing?”

“Phoning Miss Wright to ask her. If she says yes, I’ll call her a purebred liar and offer her a pedigree certificate for five thousand bucks.”

“She’s not there,” Kuffner said.

“Where is she?”

“She was going to get a bite of lunch and then go to the chapel where the funeral will be held.”

“Did you,” Wolfe asked, “make Miss Wright an offer as described by Mr. Kuffner?”

“No, sir.”

“Did you say anything to her that could have been reasonably construed as such an offer?”

“No, sir.”

“Did anyone else hear your conversation with her?”

“Not unless that room is wired for sound.”

“Then sit at your desk, please.” Wolfe turned to the visitor. “If you have correctly reported what Miss Wright told you, it is an issue of veracity between her and Mr. Goodwin. I believe Mr. Goodwin. Other than what you have said, have you any evidence to impeach him?”

“No evidence, no.”

“Do you still believe Miss Wright?”

“I-yes. I do.”

“Then there we are. You realize, I suppose, that for me it is not exclusively a choice between Miss Wright and Mr. Goodwin as the liar, since I have no knowledge of what she told you except your own statement.”

Kuffner smiled. He had caught up now and was bland again. “We might as well make it unanimous, Mr. Wolfe. I didn’t mention this because it was only an inference by Miss Wright. It is her opinion that you sent Goodwin to her to make that offer. So for me too they are not the only alternatives.”