My side felt a lot better when Nora called me at noon the next day. "My nice policeman wants to see you," she said. "How do you feel?""Terrible. I must've gone to bed sober." I pushed Asta out of the way and got up.

You know Quinn?" Macaulay asked me."Ten minutes ago I was putting him to bed."Macaulay grinned. "I hope you keep his acquaintance like that - social""Meaning what?"Macaulay's grin became rueful. "He used to be my broker, and his advice led me right up to the poorhouse steps.""That's sweet," I said. "he's my broker now and I'm following his advice." Macaulay and the girl laughed. I pretended I was laughing and returned to my table.

Nora was eating a piece of cold duck with one hand and working on a jig-saw puzzle with the other when I got home."I thought you'd gone to live with her," she said. "You used to be a detective: find me a brownish piece shaped something like a snail with a long neck.""Piece of duck or puzzle?...

Alice opened the door when I rang. She had on green pyjamas and held a hairbrush in one hand. She looked wearily at Quinn and spoke wearily: "Bring it in."I took it in and spread it on a bed. It mumbled something I could not make out and moved one hand feebly back and forth, but its eyes stayed shut.

...What do you do with all your money?""Me and the French hoard gold.

...I guess I can put two and two together.""Sometimes the answer's four," I said, "and sometimes it's twenty-two...

...What do people think about my staying with Harrison with him chasing everything that's hot and hollow?

Dorothy asked timidly: "Did his wife say anything?"She sent her love to you."Nora said: "Stop being nasty.

...It's probably polite to pretend you don't see people coming out of pawnshops, anyhow.