Death Times Three SSC

Death Times Three SSC by Rex Stout Read Free Book Online Page A

Book: Death Times Three SSC by Rex Stout Read Free Book Online
Authors: Rex Stout
Tags: Mystery & Crime
left Amy on the sidewalk and leaped aside as a figure hurled itself at me. When I side-stepped he lost balance, but recovered and tore at me again. I feinted with my left and he grabbed for it, and my right took him on the button.

    He went down and didn't bounce. I dashed back to the stone steps and closed the door, returned, and opened the rear door of the car and lifted Amy in, and wheeled as he regained his feet, started for me, and yelled for help and police, all at once. He obviously knew as much about physical combat as I did about pearl diving, so I turned him around and from behind locked his arms with my left one and choked his throat with my right, and barked into his ear, "One more squawk and out go the lights! You have one chance to live. Behave yourself and do what I tell you to." I made sure he had no gun before I loosened the hook on his neck. He didn't vocalize, so I released him. "Open that car door--"

    I meant the front door, but before I could stop him he had the rear one open and most of himself inside and was bleating like a goat, "Amy! Good God, she's Amy--"

    I reached in for a shoulder and yanked him out and banged the door and opened the front one. "She's alive," I said, "but you won't be in five seconds. Get in there and fold yourself under the dash. I'm taking her to a doctor and you're going along."

    He got in. I pushed him down and forward, disregarding his sputtering, wriggled back of him to the driver's seat, pulled the door to, and started the car. In two minutes we were at 35th Street, and in another two we rolled to the curb in front of Wolfe's house. I let him come up for air.

    "The program," I said, "is as follows: I'll carry her, and you precede me up those steps to that door. If you cut and run I'll drop her--"

    He glared at me. His spirit was 'way ahead of his flesh. "I'm not going to cut and run--"

    "Okay. Me out first."

    He helped me get her out and he wanted to carry her, but I shooed him on ahead through the rain and told him to push the button. When the door opened Wolfe, himself, stood there. At sight of the stranger his colossal frame blocked the way, but when he saw me he fell back and made room for us to enter.

    The stranger began, "Are you a doc--'

    "Shut up!" I told him. I faced Wolfe, and observed that he was sustaining his reputation for being impervious to startlement. "I suppose you recognize Miss Duncan. She's been hit on the head. If you will please phone Doc Vollmer? I'll take her up to the south room." I made for the elevator, and when the stranger tagged along I let him. In the south room, two flights up, we got her onto the bed and covered up.

    The stranger was still standing by the bed staring down at her when Doc Vollmer arrived. After feeling her pulse and glancing under her eyelid, Doc said he thought it would be a long time till the funeral and we wouldn't be needed for a while, so I told the stranger to come on. He left the room with me and kindly permitted me to close the door, but then announced that he was going to stay right there outside the door until the doctor had brought her to.

    "You,"I said, "might as well learn to face facts. You know damn' well I could throw you downstairs. If I do you'll have to go to bed, too. March!"

    He marched, but he sure hated it. I followed him down, and into the office. Wolfe was there at his desk, looking imperturbable, but when he saw us he started rubbing his chin, which meant he was boiling inside.

    "Sit down," I told the stranger. "This is Mr. Nero Wolfe. What's your name?"

    "None of your damned business!" he informed me. "This is the most outrageous--!"

    "You bet it is. When you rushed me from behind, you must have come from inside the building. Didn't you?"

    "That's none of your business, either!"

    "You're wrong, brother. But I'll try again. Why did you kill Arthur Tingley?"

    He gawked at me. "Are you crazy?"

    "Not a bit. Stop me if you've heard it before. I went there to get Tingley and bring him

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