Triple Jeopardy: A Nero Wolfe Threesome by Rex Stout

Author:Rex Stout [Stout, Rex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Detective and Mystery Stories; American, Private Investigators, Wolfe; Nero (Fictitious Character)
Publisher: Viking Press
Published: 1951-12-31T07:00:00+00:00

V

THE crowd of spectators ganged up in the corridor outside the Goldenrod Barber Shop was twice as big as it had been before, for two reasons. It was just past five o’clock, and home-goers were flocking through for the subway; and inside the shop there was a fine assortment of cops and dicks to look at. The corridor sported not one flatfoot, but three, keeping people away from the entrance and moving. I told one of them my name and errand and was ordered to wait, and in a minute Purley came and escorted me in.

I darted a glance around. The barber chairs were all empty. Fickler and three of the barbers, Jimmie, Ed, and Philip, were seated along the row of waiting chairs, in their white jackets, each with a dick beside him. Tom was not in view. Other city employees were scattered around.

Purley had guided me to the corner by the cash register. “How long have you known that Janet Stahl?” he demanded.

I shook my head reproachfully. “Not that way. You said I was needed, and I came on the run. If you merely want my biography, call at the office any time during hours. If you call me Archie, even after hours.”

“Cut the comedy. How long have you know her?”

“No, sir. I know a lawyer. Lay a foundation.”

Purley’s right shoulder twitched. It was only a reflex of his impulse to sock me, beyond his control and therefore nothing to resent. “Some day,” he said, setting his jaw and then releasing it. “She was found on the floor of her booth, out from a blow on her head. We brought her to, and she can talk but she won’t. She won’t tell us anything. She says she don’t know us. She says she won’t talk to anybody except her friend Archie Goodwin. How long have you known her?”

“I’m touched,” I said with emotion. “Until today I’ve merely leered at her, with no conversation or bodily contact of any kind. The only chat I’ve ever had with her was here today under your eye, but look what it did to her. Is it any wonder my opinion of myself is what it is?”

“Listen, Goodwin, we’re after a murderer.”

“I know you are. I’m all for it.”

“You’ve never seen her outside this shop?”

“No.”

“That can be checked maybe. Right now we want you to get her to talk. Goddam her, she’s stopped us dead. Come on.” He moved.

I caught his elbow. “Hold it. If she sticks to it that she’ll only talk with me I’ll have to think up questions. I ought to know what happened.”

“Yeah.” Purley wanted no more delay, but obviously I had a point. “There were only three of us left, me here at the front, and Joffe and Sullivan there on chairs. The barbers were all working on customers. Fickler was moving around. I was on the phone half the time. We had squeezed out everything we could here, for the present anyhow, and it was a letdown, you know how that is.

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