Then the Hollywood detective reached for his hat, jammed it down over his ears, and stamped out.

The front door made a loud, derisive noise.

And Keats’s car roared down the hill as if the devil were after it.

Ellery sighed. He began to refill his pipe.

“Damn you, Adam. What am I going to do with you?”

The man reached for another of Ellery’s cigarets.

Smiling his calm, secretive, slightly annoying smile, he said, “You can call me Alfred.”