“Brother,” scowled Macgowan. “Is there a tall, cool drink in this oasis?”
“May I use your bathroom, Ellery?” Laurel started for the bedroom door, which was closed.
“I’m afraid it’s in something of a mess, Laurel. Use the downstairs lavatory... Right over there, Mac. Help yourself.”
When Laurel came back upstairs her helper was showing Ellery their lists. “We can’t seem to get anywhere,” Crowe was grumbling. “Two days and nothing to show for them.”
“You’ve certainly covered a lot of territory,” applauded Ellery. “There are the fixings, Laurel―”
“Oh, yes”
“You’d think it would be easy,” the giant went on, waving his glass. “How many people buy frogs? Practically nobody. Hardly one of the pet shops even handles ‘em. Canaries, yes. Finches, definitely. Parakeets, by the carload. Parakeets, macaws, dogs, cats, tropical fish, monkeys, turkeys, turtles, even snakes. And I know now where you can buy an elephant, cheap. But no frogs to speak of. And toads ― they just look at you as if you were balmy.”
“Where did we go wrong?” asked Laurel, perching on the arm of Crowe’s chair.
“In not analyzing the problem before you dashed off. You’re not dealing with an idiot. Yes, you could get frogs through the ordinary channels, but they’d be special orders, and special orders leave a trail. Our friend is not leaving any trails for your convenience. Did either of you think to call the State Fish and Game Commission?”
They stared.