Curtains for Three

by Rex Stout

  Brown had no use for his tongue. His face said no comment.

  “It’ll never be too late to give you hell,” Cramer assured him, “but I wanted to give you a chance first. For two months you’ve been on intimate terms with Cynthia Brown. She certainly must have mentioned an experience she had last October. A friend of hers named Doris Hatten was murdered—strangled. Cynthia Brown had information about the murderer which she kept to herself; if she had come out with it she’d be alive now. She must have mentioned that to you; you can’t tell me she didn’t. She must have told you all about it. Now you can tell me. If you do we can nail him for what he did here today, and it might even make things a little smoother for you. Well?”

  Brown had pursed his lips. They straightened out again, and his hand came up for a finger to scratch his cheek.

  “I’m sorry,” he said.

  “For what?”

  “I’m sorry I can’t help.”

  “Do you expect me to believe that during all those weeks she never mentioned the murder of her friend Doris Hatten?”

  “I’m sorry I can’t help.”

  Cramer got out another cigar and rolled it between his palms, which was wasted energy since he didn’t intend to draw smoke through it. Having seen him do

  Curtains for Three 189

  Is before, I knew what it meant. He still thought he lit get something from this customer and was tak

  : out to control himself. “I’m sorry too,” he said, trying not to make it a 1. “But she must have told you something of her evious career, didn’t she?” “I’m sorry.” Brown’s tone was firm and final. “Okay. We’ll move on to this afternoon. On that you I you’d answer fully and freely. Do you remember a ent when something about Cynthia Brown’s ap-nce—some movement she made or the expres-on her face—caused Mrs. Orwin to ask her what i the matter with her?”

  crease was showing on Brown’s forehead. “I a’t believe I do,” he stated.

  I’m asking you to try. Try hard.” s Silence. Brown pursed his lips and the crease in his deepened. Finally he said, “I may not have right there at the moment. In those aisles—in a Kke that—we weren’t rubbing elbows continuity.”

  roll do remember when she excused herself be she wasn’t feeling well?” | “Yes, of course.”

  ;“Well, this moment I’m asking about came shortly that. She exchanged looks with some man by, and it was her reaction to that that made Mrs. ask her what was the matter. What I’m inter l in is that exchange of looks. If you saw it and can aember it, and can describe the man she exchanged i with, I wouldn’t give a damn if you stripped Mrs.

  clean and ten more like her.” “I didn’t see it.” “You didn’t.” “No.”

  190 Rex Stoat

  “You didn’t say you’re sorry.”

  “I am, of course, if it would help—”

  “To hell with you!” Cramer banged his fist on the table so hard the trays danced. “Levy! Take him out and tell Stebbins to send him down and lock him up. Material witness. Put more men on him. He’s got a record somewhere. Find it!”

  “I wish to phone my attorney,” Brown said quietly but emphatically.

  “There’s a phone down where you’re going,” Levy told him. “If it’s not out of order. This way, Colonel.”

  As the door closed behind them Cramer glared at me as if daring me to say that I was sorry too. Letting my face show how bored I was, I remarked casually, “If I could get in the office I’d show you a swell book on disguises; I forget the name of it. The world record is sixteen years—a guy in Italy fooled a brother and two cousins who had known him well. So maybe you ought to—”

  Cramer turned from me rudely and said, “Gather up, Murphy. We’re leaving.” He shoved his chair back, stood up, and shook his ankles to get his pants legs down. Levy came back in, and Cramer addressed him. “We’re leaving. Everybody out. To my office. Tell Stebbins one man out front will be enough—no, 111 tell him—”

  “There’s one more, sir.”

  “One more what?”

  “In the front room. A man.”

  “Who?”

  “His name is Nicholson Morley. He’s a psychiatrist.”

  “Let him go. This is a goddam joke.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Levy went. The shorthand dick had collected note Curtains for Three 191

  and other papers and was putting them into a briefcase. Cramer looked at Wolfe. Wolfe back at him.

  “A while ago,” Cramer rasped, “you said something occurred to you.” I^Did I?” Wolfe inquired coldly. |Their eyes went on clashing until Cramer broke the tion by turning to go. I restrained an impulse to |ck their heads together. They were both being sh. If Wolfe really had something, anything at all, new damn well Cramer would gladly trade the on the office doors for it sight unseen. And ner knew damn well he could make the deal him* with nothing to lose. But they were both too sore ^stubborn to show any horse sense.

  amer had circled the end of the table on his way I when Levy re-entered to report, “That man Morllnsists on seeing you. He says it’s vital.” ICramer halted, glowering. “What is he, a screw

  r”

  pi don’t know, sir. He may be.” gf Oh, bring him in.” Cramer came back around the to his chair.

  VII

  was my first really good look at the middle-aged with the mop of black hair. His quick-darting i were fully as black as his hair, and the appearance chin and jowls made it evident that his beard have been likewise if he gave it half a chance. ; down and was telling Cramer who and what he

  192 Rex Stout

  Cramer nodded impatiently. “I know. You have something to say, Dr. Morley?”

  “I have. Something vital.”

  “Let’s hear it.”

  Morley got better settled in his chair. “First, I assume that no arrest has been made. Is that correct?”

  “Yes—if you mean an arrest with a charge of murder.” “Have you a definite object of suspicion, with or without evidence in support?”

  “If you mean am I ready to name the murderer, no. Are you?”

  “I think I may be.”

  Cramer’s chin went up. “Well? I’m in charge here.”

  Dr. Morley smiled. “Not quite so fast. The suggestion I have to offer is sound only with certain assumptions.” He placed the tip of his right forefinger on the tip of his left little finger. “One: that you have no idea who committed this murder, and apparently you haven’t.” He moved over a finger. “Two: that this was not a commonplace crime with a commonplace discoverable motive.” To the middle finger. “Three: that nothing is known to discredit the hypothesis that this girl—I understand from Mrs. Orwin that her name was Cynthia Brown—that she was strangled by the man who strangled Doris Hatten on October seventh last year. May I make those assumptions?”

  “You can try. Why do you want to?”

  Morley shook his head. “Not that I want to. That if I am permitted to, I have a suggestion. I wish to make it clear that I have great respect for the competence of the police, within proper limits. If the man who murdered Doris Hatten had been vulnerable to police techniques and resources, he would almost certainly have been caught. But he wasn’t. You failed utterly. Why?”

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  |“You’re telling me.”

  |;“Because he was out of bounds for you. Because exploration of motive is restricted by your onceptions.” Morley’s black eyes gleamed. “You’re Syman, so I won’t use technical terms. The most Irerful motives on earth are motives of the personal |vwhich cannot be exposed by any purely objective stigation. If the personality is twisted, distorted, is with a psychotic, then the motives are twisted | As a psychiatrist I was deeply interested in the shed reports of the murder of Doris Hatten—es ally the detail that she was strangled with her own f. When your efforts to find the culprit—thorough, Poubt, and even brilliant—ended in complete fail I would have been glad to come forward with a sstion, but I was as helpless as you.” et down to it,�
� Cramer muttered. fes.” Morley put his elbows on the table and all his fingertips. “Now today. On the basis of |assumptions I began with, it is a tenable theory, fry to be tested, that this was the same man. If so made a mistake. Apparently no one got in here without having his name checked; the man at the was most efficient. So it is no longer a question of ig him among thousands or millions; it’s a mere or so, and I am willing to contribute my ser I don’t think there are more than three or four t in New York qualified for such a job, and I am one item. You can verify that.” tie black eyes flashed. “I admit that for a psychia- this is a rare opportunity. Nothing could be more atic than a psychosis exploding into murder. I i’t pretend that my suggestion is entirely unselfish, ju have to do is to have them brought to my office ae at a time, of course. With some of them ten min 194 Rex Stout

  utes will be enough, but with others it may take hours. When I have—”

  “Wait a minute,” Cramer put in. “Are you suggesting that we deliver everyone that was here today to your office for you to work on?”

  “No, not everyone, only the men. When I have finished I may have nothing that can be used as evidence, but there’s an excellent chance that I can tell you who the strangler is, and when you once know that—”

  “Excuse me,” Cramer said. He was on his feet. “Sorry to cut you off, Doctor, but I must get downtown.” He was on his way. “I’m afraid your suggestion wouldn’t work. I’ll let you know—”

  He went, and Levy and Murphy with him.

  Dr. Morley pivoted his head to watch them go, kept it that way a moment, and then came back to us. He looked disappointed but not beaten. The black eyes, after resting on me briefly, darted to Wolfe.

  “You,” he said, “are intelligent and literate. I should have had you more in mind. May I count on you to explain to that policeman why my suggestion is the only hope for him?”

  “No,” Wolfe said curtly.

  “He’s had a hard day,” I told Morley. “So have I. Would you mind closing the door after you?”

  He looked as if he had a notion to start on me as a last resort, so I got up and circled around to the door, which had been left open, and remarked to him, ‘This way, please.”

  He arose and walked out without a word. I shut the door, had a good stretch and yawn, crossed to open a window and stick my head out for a breath of air, closed the window, and looked at my wrist watch.

  “Twenty minutes to ten,” I announced.

  Wolfe muttered, “Go look at the office door.”

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  “I just did, as I let Morley out. It’s sealed. Malefic e.”

  “See if they’re gone and bolt the door. Send Saul ae and tell him to come at nine in the morning. Tell I want beer.”

  obeyed. The hall and front room were uninhab , Saul, whom I found in the kitchen with Fritz, said made a complete tour upstairs and everything in order. I stayed for a little chat with him while took a tray to the dining room. When I left him went back Wolfe, removing the cap from a bottle er with the opener Fritz had brought on the tray, naking a face, which I understood. The opener he ays used, a gold item that a satisfied client had him years ago, was in the drawer of his desk in ffice. I sat and watched him pour beer.

  isn’t a bad room to sit in,” I said brightly, i! I want to ask you something.” Shoot.”

  I want your opinion of this. Assume that we ac without reservation the story Miss Brown told By the way, do you?” In view of what happened, yes.” lien assume it. Assume also that the man she had i, knowing she had recognized him, followed ^downstairs and saw her enter the office; that he I that she intended to consult me; that he post1 joining her in the office either because he knew in there with her or for some other reason; She saw you come out and go upstairs; that he took tunity to enter the office unobserved, got her I, killed her, got out unobserved, and returned s. All of those assumptions seem to be required, we discard all that and dig elsewhere.” take it that way.”

  196 Rex Stout

  “Very well. Then we have significant indications of his character. Consider it. He has killed her and is back upstairs, knowing that she was in the office talking with you for some time. He would like to know what she said to you. Specifically, he would like to know whether she told you about him, and if so how much. Had she or had she not named or described him in his current guise? With that question unanswered, would a man of his character as indicated leave the house? Or would he prefer the challenge and risk of remaining until the body had been discovered, to see what you would do? And I too, of course, after you had talked with me, and the police?”

  “Yeah.” I chewed my lip. There was a long silence. “So that’s how your mind’s working. I could offer a guess.”

  “I prefer a calculation to a guess. For that a basis is needed, and we have it. We know the situation as we have assumed it, and we know something of his character.”

  “Okay,” I conceded, “a calculation. I’ll be damned. The answer I get, he would stick around until the body was found, and if he did, then he is one of the bunch Cramer has been talking with. So that’s what occurred to you, huh?”

  “No. By no means. That’s a different matter. This is merely a tentative calculation for a starting point. If it is sound, I know who the murderer is.”

  I gave him a look. Sometimes I can tell how much he is putting on and sometimes I can’t. I decided to buy it. With the office sealed up by the crabbed and envious mind of Inspector Cramer, he was certainly in no condition to entertain himself by trying to string me.

  “That’s interesting,” I said admiringly. “If you

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  at me to get him on the phone I’ll have to use the I in the kitchen.”

  |“I want to test the calculation.” |“So do I.”

  |^But there’s a difficulty. The test I have in mind, only one I can contrive to my satisfaction—only can make it. And in doing so you would have to

  i yourself to great personal risk.” ”or God’s sake.” I gawked at him. “This is a i-new one. The errands you’ve sent me on! Since i have you flinched or faltered in the face of dan >me?”

  lis danger is extreme.”

  > is the fix you’re in. The office is sealed, and hi it : the book you’re reading and the television set. i hear the test. Describe it. All I ask is ninety-nine aces in a hundred.”

  /ery well.” He turned a hand over. ‘The decision |be yours. The typewriter in the office is inaeeessi ;!Is that old one in your room in working order?” 6Pair.”

  3ring it down here, and some sheets of blank pa ny kind. I’ll need a blank envelope.” have some.”

  Jring one. Also the telephone book, Manhattan, i my room.”

  ‘went to the hall and up two flights of stairs. Hav|eollected the first three items in my room, I de ijed a flight, found that the door of Wolfe’s room locked, and had to put the typewriter on the ito get out my keys. With a full cargo I returned to ng room, unloaded, and was placing the type in position on the table when Wolfe spoke, fo, bring it here. I’ll use it myself.”

  198 Rex Stout

  I lifted my brows at him. “A page will take you an hour.”

  “It won’t be a page. Put a sheet of paper in it.”

  I did so, got the paper squared, lifted the machine, and put it in front of him. He sat and frowned at it for a long minute and then started pecking. I turned my back on him to make it easier to withhold remarks about his two-finger technique, and passed the time by trying to figure his rate. That was hopeless, because at one moment he would be going at about twelve words a minute and then would come a sudden burst of speed, stepping it up to twenty or more. All at once there was the sound of the ratchet turning as he pulled the paper out, and I supposed he had ruined it and was going to start over, but when I turned to look his hand was extended to me with the sheet in it.

  “I think that will do,” he said.

  I took it and read what he had typed:

  She told
me enough this afternoon so that I know who to send this to, and more. I have kept it to myself because I haven’t decided what is the right thing to do. I would like to have a talk with you first, and if you will phone me tomorrow, Tuesday, between nine o’clock and noon, we can make an appointment; please don’t put it off or I will have to decide myself.

  I read it over three times. I looked at Wolfe. He had put an envelope in the typewriter and was consulting the phone book.

  “It’s all right,” I said, “except that I don’t care for the semicolon after ‘appointment.’ I would have put a period and started a new sentence.”

  He began pecking, addressing the envelope. I

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  tfted until he had finished and rolled the envelope

  “Just like this?” I asked. “No name or initials tied?” “No.”

  ; “I admit it’s nifty,” I admitted. “Hell, we could fori the calculation and send this to every guy on that wait to see who phoned. He has just about got done—and also make a date.” “I prefer to send it only to one person—the one ated by your report of that conversation. That will

  i calculation.” “And save postage.” I glanced at the paper. “The erne danger, I suppose, is that I’ll get strangled, course in an emergency like this he might try aething else. He might even arrange for help. If you me to mail this I’ll need that envelope.” don’t want to minimize the risk of this, Archie.” |“Neither do I. I’ll have to borrow a gun from Saul; are in the office. May I have that envelope? I’ll : to go to Times Square to mail it.” |f”Yes. Before you do so, copy that note; we should a copy. Keep Saul here in the morning. If and the phone call comes you will have to use your i. to arrange the appointment as advantageously as