They glared at each other. Daniel muttered something and sat down.
The phone rang, and I swiveled and got it. It was Doc Vollmer, and I nodded to Wolfe and he took it. When he hung up he told them:
“The bottle from which Miss Nichols treated her wound this morning contained enough tetanus germs to destroy the population of a city, properly distributed.” He focused on Brady. “You may have some idea, doctor, how the police would regard that episode, especially if you had withheld it. It would give you no end of trouble. In a thing like this evasion or concealment should never be attempted without the guidance of an expert. By the way, how long had you known Miss Huddleston?”
“I had known her casually for some time. Several years.”
“How long intimately?”
“I wouldn’t say I knew her intimately. A couple of months ago I formed the habit of going there rather often.”
“What made you form the habit? Did you fall in love with her?”
“With whom?”
“Miss Huddleston.”
“Certainly not.” Brady looked not only astonished but insulted. “She was old enough to be my mother.”