Wolfe grunted. "If you know about me, madam, you should know that that's fatuous. If you want to hire me to do a job, what is it? If I take it, a retainer may or may not be required. As for confidence, nothing that you tell me will be revealed unless it involves a crime which I am obliged, as a citizen and a licensed private detective, to report to authority. I speak also for Mr Goodwin, who is in my employ and who-"

"It does involve a crime. Kidnaping is a crime."

"It is indeed."

"But it must not be reported to authority."

My brows were up. Seated at my desk, my chair swiveled to face her, I crossed off the guess I had made. Apparently I wouldn't get to watch Wolfe's face while a woman asked him to tail her husband, or to hear him turn her down. He was speaking.

"Certainly kidnaping is unique. The obligation not to withhold knowledge of a major crime must sometimes bow to other considerations, for instance saving a life. Is that your concern?"

"Yes."

"Then you may trust our discretion. We make no firm commitment, but we are not fools. I suppose you have been warned to tell no one of your predicament?"

"Yes."

"Then I was wrong. How you got here is material. How did you?"

"I phoned a friend of mine, Helen Blount, who lives in an apartment on Seventy-fifth Street, and arranged it with her. The main entrance to the apartment house is on Seventy-fifth Street, but the service entrance is on Seventy-fourth Street. I phoned her at half past ten. I told my chauffeur to have my car out front at half past eleven. At half past eleven I went out and got in my car and was driven to my friend's address. I didn't look behind to see if I was being followed because I was afraid the chauffeur would notice. I got out and went into the apartment house-the men there know me-and I went to the basement and through to the service entrance on Seventy-fourth Street, and Helen Blount was there in her car, and I got in, and she drove me here. So I don't think there's the slightest chance that they know I'm seeing Nero Wolfe. Do you?"