“Check. Let’s go.”
The waiter was approaching, and as Noel didn’t seem to see him, I asked him how much. He said four-twenty, and I gave him a finiff and followed Noel to the door.
Outside, Saul had performed as usual. There were two taxis at the kerb. The one in front was empty, and the trio were in the one in the rear. He had even arranged for a signal so the hackie wouldn’t take the wrong passengers; as Noel and I crossed the sidewalk the horn of the cab in the rear let out a grunt.
When we stopped in front of the old brownstone at ten minutes past noon, and I paid the hackie and climbed out after Noel, the other taxi wasn’t in sight. Saul again. He didn’t know whether Wolfe wanted Noel to know that the whole army was mobilized, so he was hanging back to give us time to get inside. I had to ring, since the bolt was on. Fritz let us in, and I took Noel to the office. It had been just sixty-five minutes since Wolfe had told Saul and me to fetch. If I may say so, I would call that as soon as possible.
Wolfe did something remarkable: he left his chair and took two steps to offer Noel a hand. Either he was telling me that Noel was not a murderer, or he was telling Noel that he was with friends and since he could count on us we would expect to count on him. Of course Noel didn’t appreciate it; a man who will some day be in the top bracket without trying has plenty of hands offered to him. He took the red leather chair and said, “Goodwin says you know where the money is.”
“Correction,” I objected. “I said I think he has an idea where it is.”
Wolfe grunted. He eyed Noel. “The truth is somewhere between. I’m fairly certain. Call it a presumption. To test it we need your cooperation, your active assistance. Even with it, it may be difficult-”
The doorbell rang. I told Wolfe, “Three of my friends,” and stood. “I’ll put them in the front room.”
“No,” he said, “bring them.”
So it was to be a family party. I went and let them in, told them they could come and sit with the quality if they would behave themselves, and followed them to the office. Wolfe greeted them and turned to the client. “Mr Tedder, shake hands with Mr Panzer. Mr Durkin. Mr Cather.”
The very best corn. I had seldom seen him sink so low. I moved chairs up, and they sat. Wolfe’s eyes took them in, left to right, then back to focus on Noel. “Time may be of vital importance, so I won’t waste it. The money, all of it, half a million dollars in cash, is at your house in the country. If not in the house, it’s on the premises.”
“Jesus,” Noel said.
“It would take all afternoon to explain fully all the circumstances that have led me to that conclusion, and I don’t want to take even half an hour. You think I have sagacity, or you wouldn’t have come to me with your problem. You’ll accept that-”
“Wait a minute. How did the money get there?”
“Mr Vail took it there. He took the suitcase from your mother at Iron Mine Road. You’ll accept that-”
“But my God, why did he-”
“Mr Tedder. You could ask a thousand questions; I said it would take all afternoon. Do you want that money?”
“You’re damn right I want it.”
“Then take my conclusion on my word, tentatively at least. I say the money is there. Who is at that house now?”
“No one. Only the caretaker.”
“No other servants?”
“No. We don’t use it before the middle of May. Usually later.”
“This is Sunday. Not on weekends?”
“We did when my father was alive, but not now. My mother says it’s too cold until June.”
“Mr Vail went there last weekend. Saturday morning. What for?”
“To see about the roof and some other things. The caretaker said the roof was leaking.”
“What’s the caretaker’s name?”
“Waller. Jake Waller.”
“Are you on amicable terms with him?”
“Why, I guess so. Sure.”
“A leaky roof should be attended to. How likely is it that your mother or sister or uncle will go there today to see to it?”
“My mother certainly won’t. It’s possible that my sister or my uncle will, but they haven’t said anything about it so far as I know.”
“Is the house locked up?”
“I suppose the doors are locked, yes.”
“Have you a key?”
“Not now I haven’t. I have one in the summer.”
“Would the caretaker let you in?”
“Certainly he would. Why wouldn’t he?”
Wolfe turned. “Archie. Will anyone be guarding that place? County or state or federal?”
I shook my head. “What for? Not unless someone has got to the same conclusion as you, which I doubt.”
Back to Noel. “Mr Tedder. I suggest that if you want that money you go there and get it. Now. Mr Goodwin will drive my car. Mr Panzer, Mr Durkin, and Mr Cather will go with you. They are competent, reliable, and experienced. My chef has prepared a hamper of food which you can eat on the way; it will be acceptable to your palate and your stomach. I have no suggestions as to your procedure when you get there; I didn’t know Mr Vail; you did. He returned to that house Wednesday morning with the suitcase in his car, and his time was rather limited. He wanted to act naturally, and naturally he would want to come to New York, where his wife was, without undue delay. According to the caretaker, in the published reports, he arrived about half past seven, and he left for New York around nine o’clock. Meanwhile he had bathed, shaved, changed his clothes, and eaten, so he hadn’t spent much time on disposal of the suitcase; but it is highly likely that he had known on Saturday that he would bring it there for concealment and he had probably made preparations. You knew him and you must have some notion of how his mind worked, so ask yourself: where on those premises would he hide the suitcase? He anticipated no intensive search for it, since he thought it would never be suspected that he had got it and brought it there; what he had to make sure of was that it would not be accidentally discovered by a member of the family or a servant. I presume you know what the suitcase looked like?”
“Sure. Who doesn’t?”
Wolfe nodded. “From the published descriptions. I think you may safely expect to find that suitcase. There was no reason for him to transfer the money to another container, and there was good reason not to; he would have had the added problem of disposing of the suitcase.” Wolfe’s head turned to take us in. “There it is, gentlemen, unless you have questions. If you have, let them be to the point. I wish you luck.”
Noel squeaked, “I hope to God…” He let it hang.
“Yes, Mr Tedder?”
“Nothing.” Noel stood up. “Hell, what can I lose that I’ve got? Let’s go.”
I went to the kitchen to get the hamper.
CHAPTER 13
About two miles northeast of Katonah you turn off the highway, right, pass between two stone pillars, proceed up the graveled drive, an easy slope, winding, about four hundred yards, and there is the house, old gray stone with high, steep roofs. At a guess, not as many rooms as Frost’s on Long Island-say twenty-five, maybe less. Trees and other things with leaves, big and little, were all around, and a lot of lawn, but although I can’t qualify as an expert I had the impression that they weren’t getting quite enough attention. Saul eased the Heron to a stop a foot short of the bushes that bordered a surfaced rectangle at the side of the house, and we climbed out. He was at the wheel because at Hawthorne Circle I had decided that I could use some of the contents of the hamper, which they had all been working on, and I don’t like one-handed driving.
Noel, in between bites of sturgeon or cheese or rhubarb tart, or swallows of wine, had briefed us on the prospect and answered questions. The house itself looked like the best bet. Not only was there no likely spot in the stable, which no longer held horses, or the kennels, which no longer held dogs, but also Jimmy would have risked being seen by the caretaker if he had lugged a suitcase to one of them in the open. Nor was there any likely spot in the garage, which was connected with the house. The only other outbuilding was a six-room stone structure in the rear, living quarters for servants, occupied now only by the caretaker. Something really fancy, like wrapping the suitcase in plastic and burying it somewhere on the grounds, was of course out, with the caretaker around. The house was the best bet, and not the cellar, since there was no part of it that the caretaker might not poke around in, or, later, if the suitcase was to stay put for a while, a servant or even a member of the family.