At this point, Chief Weston's telephone interrupted him and he snatched it up, bellowed his name, and then listened. Finally he snarled that it was for me and fairly hurled the handset at me.
I caught it at the end of its cord and said: "Captain Schnell, Special Detail—"
"Oh, I know it is you, Captain Schnell," said the suave voice of Edward Hazlett Wood. "I just wanted to tell you that your analysis of the umbrella's uselessness as evidence was quite brilliant. Also your logic in the matter of my daughter's rain-soaked clothing was clever. I really don't regret the chewing out you are getting. You deserve it. I was hoping to find you bright enough to avoid it. Anyway, can we expect you for dinner this evening?"
"Yes," I snapped, and hung up, thinking a few things that would have called for a terse reprimand about foul and abusive language if telepathy were administered by the Federal Communications Commission.
"Wood?" snapped Chief Weston.
"Yes."
"Date?" he snarled.
I groaned. Wood did have the nasty telepath's ability to maneuver me into a situation that I could not conveniently avoid.
"When they start calling the office to pester you for dates—"
"I know what I'm doing!"