If Death Ever Slept by Rex Stout Read Free Book Online Page A

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    On my way uptown, walking the thirty blocks to stretch my legs, I had to decide whether to give Wolfe a ring or not. If I did, and reported the development, that Trella said our client had made a pass at his daughter-in-law and had been looked off, and that therefore it seemed possible he had hired Wolfe and tried to suborn me only to cure an acute case of pique, I would certainly be instructed to pack and come home; and I preferred to hang on a while, at least long enough to expose myself to Susan once more and see how it affected my pulse and respiration. And if I rang Wolfe and didn't report the development, I had nothing to say, so I saved a dime.
    Mrs. Wyman Jarrell was out, Steck said, and so was Miss Jarrell. He also said that Mr. Foote had asked to be informed when I returned, and I said all right, inform him. Thinking it proper to make an appearance at my desk before nightfall, I left my hat and topcoat in the closet around the corner and went to the library. Nora Kent was at Jarrell's desk, using the red phone, and I moseyed over to the battery of filing cabinets and pulled out a drawer at random. The first folder was marked PAPER PRODUCTION BRAZIL, and I took it out for a look.
    I was fingering through it when Nora's voice came at my back. 'Did you want something, Mr. Green?'
    I turned. 'Nothing special. It would be nice to do something useful. If the secretary should be acquainted with these files I think I could manage it in two or three years.'
    'Oh, it won't take you that long. When Mr. Jarrell gets back he'll get you started.'
    'That's polite, and I appreciate it. You might have just told me to keep hands off.' I replaced the folder and closed the drawer. 'Can I help with anything'Like emptying a wastebasket or changing a desk blotter?'
    'No, thank you. It would be a little presumptuous of me to tell you to keep hands off since Mr. Jarrell has given you a key.'
    'So it would. I take it back. Have you heard from him?'
    'Yes, he phoned about an hour ago. He'll return tomorrow, probably soon after noon.'
    There was something about her, her tone and manner, that wasn't just right. Not that it didn't fit a stenographer speaking to a secretary; of course I had caught on that calling her a stenographer was like calling Willie Mays a bat boy. I can't very well tell you what it was, since I didn't know. I only felt that there was something between her and me, one-way, that I wasn't on to. I was thinking a little more conversation might give me an idea, when a phone buzzed.
    She lifted the receiver of the black one, spoke and listened briefly, and turned to me. 'For you. Mr. Foote.'
    I went and took it. 'Hello, Roger?' I call panhandlers by their first names. 'Alan.'
    'You're a hell of a secretary. Where have you been all day?'
    'Out and around. I'm here now.'
    'So I hear. I understand you're a gin player. Would you care to win a roll'Since Old Ironsides is away and you're not needed.'
    'Sure, why not'Where?'
    'My room. Come on up. From your room turn right, first left, and I'll be at my door.'
    'Right.' I hung up, told Nora I would be glad to run an errand if she had one, was assured that she hadn't, and left. So, I thought, Roger was on pumping terms with the butler. It was unlikely that Steck had volunteered the information that I had invited him to a friendly game.
    Foote's room was somewhat larger than mine, with three windows, and it was all his. The chairs were green leather, and the size and shape of one of them, over by a window, would have been approved even by Wolfe. Fastened to the walls with Scotch tape were pictures of horses, mostly in color, scores of them, all sizes. The biggest one was Native Dancer, from the side, with his head turned to see the camera.
    'Not one,' Roger said, 'that hasn't carried my money. Muscle. Beautiful. Beautiful! When I open my eyes in the morning there they are. Something to wake up to. That's all any man can expect, something to wake up to. You agree?'
    I did.
    I had