“All right,” he said.
“You accept the proposal as I made it?”
“Yes. Only I’ll pay it. I’d rather not — I’d rather pay it myself. You said to be paid if and when earned. Who decides whether you’ve earned it or not?”
“You do. I doubt if that will be a bone to pick.”
“A question my wife asked — do you know who the eyewitness is?”
“Your wife was witless to ask it. If I knew would I tell you? Or would you want me to? Now?”
Rackell shook his head. “No, I guess not. No, I can see that it’s better just to let you—” He left it hanging. “Is there anything else you want to say about it?”
Wolfe said there wasn’t. Rackell got up and stood there as if he would like to say something but didn’t know what. I arose and moved toward the door. I didn’t want to be rude to a client who had just bought a suggestion that would cost him twenty grand, but now that he had okayed it I had a job to do and I wanted to get going. I still didn’t know where Wolfe thought he was headed for, but the sooner I got started on my instructions the sooner I would know. They finally came, and I went ahead and opened the front door for them. She held his elbow going down the stoop. I shut the door and rejoined Wolfe in the office.
“Well?” I demanded. “Do I proceed?”
“Yes.”