"Well, then. What's your biggest question? Your mother's real name and so on, or your father?"

"My father, of course. After all, I have lived with my mother all my life, and I suppose my wanting to know her real name and things about her is just… well, curiosity. But I must know about my father. Is he alive? Who is he? What is he? His genes made me!"

I nodded. "Yeah, you went to Smith. You learned too much about genes. Mr. Wolfe said once that scientists should keep their findings strictly to themselves; by spilling it they just complicate things for other people. Would you like some coffee?"

"No, thanks."

"They have good sweet things."

She shook her head. "I admit I could eat anything, it's really amazing, my being so hungry, but I'd rather not. What do you…? You said you might have a suggestion."

"I know I did." I turned a hand over on the table. "You've got a tough one. I'm afraid you need more than

a suggestion, even from the one man you can trust. Sure, I filed that. To get what you want-there's one chance in a million that a week or so of poking around would crack it, but it would probably be a long and very expensive job. How much money have you got?"

"Not much. Of course I would want to pay you."

"Not me. I explained that. But Nero Wolfe has inflated ideas about fees; that's why I would have to know exactly how you are fixed. If you care to tell me."

"Certainly I'll tell you. I have never earned any money, not enough to mention, and anyway I've spent it. I only have what my mother left, after paying the… for the cremation. She left instructions about that. There's a little more than two thousand dollars in the bank, that's all. There are no debts and I don't owe anyone anything."