Rex Stout - Nero Wolfe Read Online Free PDF

your memories, in case it becomes necessary to establish the order in which you took the plates by dragging it out of you. I hope it won’t come to that.” His head turned. “Felix, I have neglected you purposely, to give you time to reflect. You were in the dining room. My expectation was that after I had learned who had served the first course to Mr. Pyle you would corroborate it, but now that there is nothing for you to corroborate I must look to you for the fact itself. I must ask you to point her out.”
    In a way Wolfe was Felix’s boss. When Wolfe’s oldest and dearest friend, Marko Vukcic, who had owned Rusterman’s restaurant, had died, his will had left the restaurant to members of the staff in trust, with Wolfe as the trustee, and Felix was the maître d’hôtel. With that job at the best restaurant in New York, naturally Felix was both bland and commanding, but now he was neither. If he felt the way he looked, he was miserable.
    â€œI can’t,” he said.
    â€œPfui! You, trained as you are to see everything?”
    â€œThat is true, Mr. Wolfe. I knew you would ask me this, but I can’t. I can only explain. The young woman who just spoke, Marjorie Quinn, was the first one in with a plate, as she said. She did not say that as she served it one of the blinis slid off onto the table, but it did. As I sprang toward her she was actually about topick it up with her fingers, and I jerked her away and put it back on the plate with a fork, and I gave her a look. Anyway, I was not myself. Having women as waiters was bad enough, and not only that, they were without experience. When I recovered command of myself I saw the red-headed one, Choate, standing back of Mr. Pyle, to whom she had been assigned, with a plate in her hand, and I saw that he had already been served. As I moved forward she stepped to the right and served the plate to you. The operation was completely upset, and I was helpless. The dark-skinned one, Iacono, who was assigned to you, served Mr. Kreis, and the—”
    â€œIf you please.” Wolfe was curt. “I have heard them, and so have you. I have always found you worthy of trust, but it’s possible that in your exalted position, maître d’hôtel at Rusterman’s, you would rather dodge than get involved in a poisoning. Are you dodging, Felix?”
    â€œGood God, Mr. Wolfe, I
am
involved!”
    â€œVery well. I saw that woman spill the blini and start her fingers for it, and I saw you retrieve it. Yes, you’re involved, but not as I am.” He turned to me. “Archie. You are commonly my first resort, but now you are my last. You sat next to Mr. Pyle. Who put that plate before him?”
    Of course I knew that was coming, but I hadn’t been beating my brain because there was no use. I said merely but positively, “No.” He glared at me and I added, “That’s all, just no, but like Felix I can explain. First, I would have had to turn around to see her face, and that’s bad table manners. Second, I was watching Felix rescue the blini. Third, there was an argument going on about flowers with spots and streaks, and Iwas listening to it and so were you. I didn’t even see her arm.”
    Wolfe stood and breathed. He shut his eyes and opened them again, and breathed some more. “Incredible,” he muttered. “The wretch has incredible luck.”
    â€œI’m going home,” Fern Faber said. “I’m tired.”
    â€œSo am I,” another one said, and was moving, but Wolfe’s eyes pinned her. “I advise you not to,” he said. “It is true that Miss Faber is eliminated as the culprit, and also Miss Quinn, since she was under surveillance by Felix while Mr. Pyle was being served, but I advise even them to stay. When Mr. Pyle dies the doctors will certainly summon the police, and it would be well for all of you to be here when they arrive. I had hoped to