oison a la Carte 7

fl know who you are," one declared. "You're a detective and work for Nero Wolfe. You're Archie Goodwin."

She was a redhead with milky skin. "I don't deny it," I told tl^r, "but I'm not here professionally. I don't ask if I've met you feecause if I had I wouldn't have forgot--"

"You haven't met me. I've seen you and I've seen your picture. You like yourself. Don't you?"

'Certainly. I string along with the majority. We'll take a vote. How many of you like yourselves? Raise your hands."

A hand went up with a bare arm shooting out of the purple folds, then two more, then the rest of them, including the red lead.

"Okay," I said, "that's settled. Unanimous. My problem is that I decided to look you over and ask the most absolutely irresistibly beautiful and fascinating one of the bunch for her phone number, and I'm stalled. You are all it. In beauty and fascination you are all far beyond the wildest dreams of any poet, and I'm not a poet. So obviously I'm in a fix. How can I possibly pick on one of you, any one, when--"

"Nuts." It was the redhead. "Me, of course. Peggy Choate. Argyle two, three-three-four-eight. Don't call before noon."

"That's not fair," a throaty voice objected. It came from one who looked a little too old for Hebe, and just a shade too plump.. It went on, "Do I call you Archie?"

"Sure, that's my name."

"All right, Archie, have your eyes examined." She lifted an arm, baring it, to touch the shoulder of one beside her. "We admit we're all beautiful, but we're not in the same class as Helgn lacono., Look at her!"

I was doing so, and I must say that the throaty voice had a point Helen lacono, with deep dark eyes, dark velvet skin, and Wavy silky hair darker than either skin or eyes, was unquestionably rare and special. Her lips were parted enough to show the gleam Or white teeth, but she wasn't laughing. She wasn't reacting at all, which was remarkable for an actress.