“I don’t know. God only knows.”
“Archie. Bring Miss Stahl.”
He had a nerve picking on me, with an inspector and a sergeant and three dicks there, but I postponed telling him so and went, as Purley went for Ed. In the booth Janet was still on her back on the chairs, her eyes wide open. At sight of me she fired immediately.
“You said you were going to send a reporter, but I’ve been thinking—”
I raised my voice to top her. “Listen to me, girlie. You’re getting a break. Nero Wolfe is here with a suggestion and wants your opinion of it. Can you sit up a while?”
“Certainly I can, but—”
“No buts. He’s waiting for you. Shall I carry you?”
“Certainly not!” She started up.
“Take it easy.” I put an arm behind her shoulders and got her upright and then onto her feet. “Are you dizzy?”
“I’m never dizzy,” she said scornfully and moved. I kept hold of her arm. She was a little unsteady on the way down the aisle to the end of the partition, but when we came in view of the audience she shook me off and went on solo. She wasn’t taking help from a man, and of course I wasn’t her manager yet. She took the chair I had vacated when Wolfe appeared, next to the magazine table. Ed had been brought by Purley, who was back in Philip’s chair, flanking Wolfe. I returned to the stool.