Triple Jeopardy Read Online Free Page B

of a sudden Fifi Goheen let fly again. Returning from the bar with her second refill, she brought the bottle of Scotch along and poured a good three fingers in Wolfes beer glass.
    She put the bottle on his desk, leaned over to stretch an arm and pat him on top of the head, straightened up, and grinned at him.
    Get high, she said urgently.
    He glared at her.
    Do a flip, she commanded.
    He glared.
    Its a damn shame, she declared. The cops arent speaking to you, and here youre buying the drinks and were not even sociable. Why shouldnt we tell you what die cops have already found out'If theyre any good they have. Take Miss Devlin here. She waved a hand. Dozens of people will tell you that she would have got Hank Heath to make it legal long ago if Arthur hadnt told him something about her, God knows what. Any woman would kill a man for that. And -
    Shut up, Fee! Leddegard barked at her.
    Let her rave, Delia Devlin said, white-faced.
    Fifi ignored them. And Mr. Leddegard, who is a dear friend of mine, with him its a question of his wife - dont be a fool, Leddy. Everybody knows it. Back to Wolfe. She went to South America with Arthur a couple of years ago and caught a disease and died there. I have no idea why Mr. Leddegard waited so long to kill him.
    She drained her glass and put it on the desk. This Arthur Rackell, she said,
    was quite a guy, of his kind. Carol Berk and I discovered only a month ago that he was driving double, by a little mischance Id rather not describe. It was quite embarrassing. I dont know how she felt about it, you can ask her, but I know about me. All I needed was the poison, and all you need is to find out how I got it. I understand that potassium cyanide is used for a lot of things and is easy to get if you really want it. Then theres Hank Heath. He thought Arthur had me taped, which was true in a way, but would a man kill another man just to get a woman, even one as pure and beautiful as me'You can ask him. No, Ill ask him.
    She wheeled. Would you, Hank'She wheeled again to Wolfe. As you see, that was quite a dinner party Arthur got up, but he doesnt deserve all the credit. I dared him to. I wanted a good audience, one that would appreciate - hey, that hurts!
    Heath was beside her, gripping her arm. She jerked away and bumped into Delia Devlin, also out of her chair. Carol Berk said something, and so did Leddegard.
    Heath spoke to Wolfe. This is a joke, and its not funny.
    Wolfes brows went up. Its not my joke, sir.
    You asked us to come here. His voice was soft but very sour, and his glassy eyes looked about ready to pop out of his round pudgy face. Miss Goheen has been making a fool of you, and there -
    I have not! Fifi was back, at his elbow. I wouldnt dream of it, she told Wolfe. You know, theres something about you, fat as you are. She reached to pick up the glass of beer and Scotch. Open your mouth and Ill - hey! Where you going'
    She got no reply. Out of his chair and headed for the door, Wolfe kept on,
    turning left in the hall, toward the kitchen.
    That ended the party. They made remarks, especially Leddegard and Heath, and I was sympathetic as I wrangled them into the hall and on to the front. I went out and stood on the stoop as they descended to the sidewalk and headed for Tenth Avenue, just to see, but by the time they had gone fifty paces no furtive figures had sneaked out of areaways along the line, so I thought what the hell and went back in. A glance in the office showed me it was empty, and I went on to the kitchen.
    Fritz was pouring something thick into a big stone jar. Wolfe stood watching him, a slice of sturgeon in one hand and a glass of beer in the other. His mouth was occupied.
    I attacked head on. I admit, I said, that she was set to toss it at you, but I was there to help wipe it off. What good does it do to duck'There are at least eighty-six things you have to know before you can even start, and you had them there and didnt even try. My vacation starts next Monday. And what