“Nonsense,” May interrupted cuttingly. “I was merely expressing incredulity. I would as soon attack the laws of thermodynamics as your integrity. Maybe you were both hypnotized.” Suddenly and flashingly she smiled at him, and swore plaintively. “Damn it. All of this is intolerably painful. I would be for letting it go, without a word, if it weren’t that Daisy’s ghoulish stubbornness makes it imperative to do something. As it is, I insist that in the settlement with Miss Karn there shall be an arrangement to increase the legacy to the science fund to the figure my brother intended at the time he discussed it with me.”
“Ah,” Wolfe murmured. Prescott, his lips still in a tight line, nodded at him as if to say, “Just so. Ah.”
June snapped at her sister. “You’re only making it more difficult, May, and perhaps impossible. Anyhow, you’re bluffing. I know you. You wouldn’t dream of stirring up this nasty mess. If Mr. Wolfe can talk that woman into it, all right; I’m perfectly willing your fund should get the million, but the main point is Daisy and you know it. We agreed on that—”
She stopped because the door from the hall opened. Fritz, entering, approached Wolfe’s desk and extended his hand with a card tray. Wolfe took the card, glanced at it, and placed it neatly under the paperweight. Then he looked at Mrs. Dunn and addressed her:
“This card says Mrs. Noel Hawthorne. ”
They all stared.
“Oh, my God!” April blurted. May said quietly, “We should have tied her up.” June arose from her chair and demanded, “Where is she? I’ll see her.”
“Please.” Wolfe pushed air down with his palm. “She is calling on me. I’ll see her myself—”
“But this is ridiculous.” June stayed on her feet. “She gave us until Monday. She promised to do nothing till then. I left my son and daughter with her to make sure—”
“You left them with her where?”