“I’m afraid I’ve dripped a little,” he apologized, wrapping the rug around his feet and calves.
“Wonderful,” Sybil said appreciatively. “You think we won’t drive you out into the snow barefooted.”
“Then he’s wrong,” Pitcairn said furiously. His squeak was all gone.
“I’ll get him a drink,” Donald offered, moving.
“No,” I said firmly, also moving. “You’ll stay right here.” I still had the formality in my right hand.
“I think, Archie,” Wolfe told me, “you can put that thing in your pocket. We’ll soon know whether we stay or go.” He glanced around at them, ending with Joseph G. “Here are your alternatives. Either we remain here until we are ready to leave, and are allowed a free hand for our inquiry into the murder of Miss Lauer on these premises, or I go, return to my office in New York—”
“No, you don’t,” Pitcairn contradicted. He remained standing even after his guest was seated. “You go to jail.”
Wolfe nodded. “If you insist, certainly. But that will merely postpone my return to my office until I get bail, which won’t take long. Once there, I act. I announce that I am convinced of Mr. Krasicki’s innocence and that I intend to get him freed by finding and exposing the culprit. There are at least three papers that will consider that newsworthy and will want to help. All the inmates of this house will become legitimate objects of inquiry and public report. Anything in their past that could conceivably have a bearing on their guilt or innocence will be of interest and printable.”
“Aha,” Sybil said disdainfully, still reclining.
“The devil of it,” Wolfe went on, ignoring her, “is that everyone has a past. Take this case. Take the question of Mr. Hefferan’s purchase of a home and acres surrounding it, only a few miles from here. I’m sure you remember the name — Hefferan. Where did he get the money? Where did a certain member of his family go to, and why? The newspapers will want all the facts they can get, all the more since their employees are not permitted to enter these grounds. I shall be glad to cooperate, and I have had some experience at investigation.”