“I admit it’s nifty,” I admitted. “Hell, we could forget the calculation and send this to every guy on that list and wait to see who phoned. He has just about got to phone — and also make a date.”
“I prefer to send it only to one person — the one indicated by your report of that conversation. That will test the calculation.”
“And save postage.” I glanced at the paper. “The extreme danger, I suppose, is that I’ll get strangled. Or of course in an emergency like this he might try something else. He might even arrange for help. If you want me to mail this I’ll need that envelope.”
“I don’t want to minimize the risk of this, Archie.”
“Neither do I. I’ll have to borrow a gun from Saul; ours are in the office. May I have that envelope? I’ll have to go to Times Square to mail it.”
“Yes. Before you do so, copy that note; we should have a copy. Keep Saul here in the morning. If and when the phone call comes you will have to use your wits to arrange the appointment as advantageously as possible. Discussion of plans will have to wait upon that.”
“Right. The envelope, please?”
He handed it to me.
VIII
As far as Wolfe was concerned, the office being sealed made no difference in the morning up to eleven o’clock, since his schedule had him in the plant rooms from nine to eleven. With me it did. From breakfast on was the best time for my office chores, including the morning mail.