V
To begin all over again was a predicament which not infrequently occurred in Kestner's profession. It involved, as a rule, work that was neither romantic nor engaging. But he was compelled to accept it as part of the game. And in the end, out of the humdrum greyness of the commonplace arose the pillaring flame of the unexpected.
So it was with heightened spirits that Kestner slipped into a street-corner drug-store and for the third time in three hours called up his hotel and got Wilsnach on the wire.
"What have you picked up?" was Kestner's quick but casual demand.
"Not a thing," was the answer over the wire.
"And nothing has happened?"
"Nothing but two solid hours of Chopin nocturnes," was the plaintively disgusted reply. "And a neck-ache from wearing this helmet!"
"And you can get nothing now?"
"Not a sound—the lady, doubtless, having gone to bed."
"And not a caller, or a phone-call to the room?"
"Not one. I couldn't have missed it!"
"Good! I was afraid Sadie Wimpel might double back with those plates. But Sadie knows her business. And that means I'll want your help at my end of the line."
"What have you rounded up?"
"I've rounded up that Saginaw man's house!"
"How?"
"It took over two hours of canvassing, first renting agencies and later the employment bureaus. I knew he'd have to have a servant or two. They sent him up a butler two days ago. And I'm shadowing that butler at the present moment."
"Why the butler? "
"Because he began his new job by showing he's a flat-looter looking for larger fields. He's just unloaded a bundle of silverware on a Sixth Avenue pawn-shop, and I've got him across the street at Tierney's drinking corn whiskey and cursing the Japanese."
"Then what do you want me to do?" Wilsnach inquired.
"Let the dictophone go for to-night and get Byrnes on the wire. Have him hurry a city force man up to Tierney's—one he can trust. I want that butler held down at headquarters until some time to-morrow. But here's the important point: that man's got the pass-key to the house. I want that key before he gets out of Tierney's!"
"All right! Anything else?"
"In an hour's time I want you to be covering that house. Make a note of the street and number.… And if Sadie Wimpel is there, those Lambert plates are there with her."
"Supposing she shows up, do I let her go in?"
Kestner pondered this question for a minute or two.
"Let her or anybody else go in. But don't let anybody coming out get past you. Be sure of that. Don't let any man or woman get away from that house. And if anything suspicious shows up when I'm inside, join me as soon as you can."
"I understand."
"But hurry that Byrnes' man up here. I'm pretty sure our butler is heeled. That gives us a chance to frisk him. And he's just drunk enough to be ugly. I want the pass-key without his knowing I'm getting it."
"I'll explain that to Byrnes. And I'll be up at that house in one hour."
"All right, Wilsnach. This may be a busy night for both of us."
"Good!" said Wilsnach as he hung up the receiver, "for this piano-recital business has its draw-backs!"