As we went down the hall Wolfe appeared, coming from the door to the dining room. He stopped and regarded me. I returned his gaze with my chin up.
“I’ll go up and rinse off,” I said, “while you’re finishing lunch.”
“I’ve finished,” he said grimly. “Have you eaten?”
“Enough to hold me.”
“Then we’ll get started.”
He marched into the office, across the hall from the dining room, went to his oversized chair behind his desk, sat, and got himself adjusted for comfort. Parker took the red leather chair. As I crossed to my desk I started talking, to get the jump on him.
“It will help,” I said, not aggressively but pointedly, “if we first get it settled about my leaving that room with my gun there in the drawer. I do not—”
“Shut up!” Wolfe snapped.
“In that case,” I demanded, “why didn’t you leave me in the coop? I’ll go back and—”
“Sit down!”