The Rubber Band

Wolfe said, "I can't tell you. But I have other details for you. This afternoon Harlan Scovil came to this office. He told Mr. Goodwin that he came in advance of the time for the interview to see what kind of a man I was. At twenty-six minutes after five, while he was waiting to see me, he received a telephone call from a man. He left at once. You remember that shortly after you arrived this evening a caller came and you were asked to go to the front room. The caller was a city detective. He informed us of the murder, described the corpse, and said that in his pocket had been found a paper bearing my name and address, and also the names of Clara Fox, Hilda Lindquist, Michael Walsh, and the Marquis of Clivers. Scovil had been shot just nine minutes after he received that phone call here and left the house."

Clara Fox said, "I saw him write those names on the paper. He did it while he was eating lunch with me."

"Just so. Mr. Walsh. Did you telephone Scovil here at five-twenty-six?"

"Of course not. How could I? That's a damn fool question. I didn't know he was here."

"I suppose not. But I thought possibly Scovil had arranged to meet you here. When Scovil arrived it happened that there was another man in the office, one of my clients, and Scovil approached him and told him he wasn't Mike Walsh."

"Well, was he? I'm Mike Walsh, look at me. The only arrangement I had to meet him was at six o'clock, through Miss Fox. Shut up about it. I asked you where Harlan is. I want to see him."

"In time, sir. Miss Fox. Did you telephone Scovil here?"

She shook her head. "No. Oh, no. I thought you said it was a man."

"So it seemed. Fritz might possibly have been mistaken. Was it you who phoned. Miss Lindquist?"

"No. I haven't telephoned anyone in New York except Clara."

"Well." Wolfe sighed. "You see the little difficulty, of course. Whoever telephoned knew that Scovil was in New York and knew he was at this office. Who knew that except you three?"

Hilda Lindquist said, "The Marquis of Clivers knew it."

"How do you know that?"

"I don't know it. I see it. Clara had been to see him and he had threatened to have her arrested for annoying him. He had detectives follow her, and they saw her this noon with Harlan Scovil, and they followed Harlan Scovil here and then notified the Marquis of Clivers. Then he telephoned-"