The Mother Hunt (Rex Stout Library) by Rex Stout

Author:Rex Stout
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Private investigators, Mystery & Detective, Nero (Fictitious character), New York (N.Y.), Abandoned children, Political, Fiction, Wolfe, Mystery fiction, Private investigators - New York (State) - New York, Crime, General
ISBN: 9780553247374
Publisher: Crimeline
Published: 1993-04-01T05:00:26+00:00

C-A-R-O-L? M-A-R-D-I-S?

U-S.

Married?

No. As far as I know. She was married to Willis Krug, and divorced.

My brows went up. That's interesting. She wasn't on his list. Divorced how long ago?

I don't know exactly. I think four or five years. I only met her after I married Dick and Willis too.

I have to ask a question. If she's the mother, and now that's ten to one, how likely is it no, not likely.' How credible is it that Dick was the father?

I don't know. I've told you about Dick, Archie. I know he had been intimate with her years ago no, I don't know it, but someone told me. But if she's the mother Suddenly she was on her feet. I'm going to see her. I'm going to ask her.

Not right now. I started a hand for her arm but stopped it. Never mix personal relations with business relations unless you have to. I'm going to give you an order. I've made a few requests and suggestions, and I've talked you into a couple of things, but I've never given you an order. Now I do. You will mention Carol Mardus to no one, positively no one, until I say you can. And you won't see her or phone her. Right?

She smiled. No one has ever given me an order since my father died.

Then it's about time. Well?

Here. She put out a hand and I took it. The atmosphere was back to normal, but there was work to do. As a client, I said, you're the cream of the cream. I have to use the phone on business.

There was one in a cabinet at the end of the room, and I went and opened the door and dialed. I wouldn't have been surprised if Fritz had answered, they were so deep in literature, but it was Saul. I told him it would save time if Wolfe got on, and in a moment had his voice. Yes?

I'm at Mrs. Valdon's house. She knows the woman, not well. The name is Carol Mardus. I spelled it. She's the fiction editor of Distaff magazine. The Distaff Building is on Madison Avenue at Fifty-second Street. She was intimate with Valdon some years ago. Further details to follow. Congratulations again. If she isn't the mother she certainly knows who is. I'm on my way, to find out what she was doing in January.

No, Wolfe said. Saul will go.

Hold it. I slipped a cog. I turned to Lucy. You said you've seen her two or three times. Did you see her last winter?

She shook her head. I was just thinking. I haven't seen her since Dick died.

To the phone. Saul? Mrs. Valdon hasn't seen her since last September. Don't get too close to her, maybe she strangles the way she walks, straight and smooth. She was married to Willis Krug, but they were divorced four or five years ago. You might start with him, but you might not. He may not want to be reminded of her. She wasn't on his list.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.