The Devil's Cook by Ellery Queen Page A

know, anyhow, because the Personal was sent in the mail. My efforts went for nothing.”
    â€œServes you right. Maybe now you will butt out and stay out. Did you inquire before you left if Terry had come back or not?”
    â€œI’m not as addle-headed as you seem to think, Farley. I asked Jay.”
    â€œWhat did Jay say?”
    â€œHe said Terry hadn’t returned.”
    â€œDid he also suggest that you quit meddling?”
    â€œWell, yes, he did, as a matter of fact.”
    â€œGood! I recommend that you comply.”
    â€œYou’re as bad as Jay, Farley, and that’s the truth. Neither of you is willing to take any action whatever in this matter. If you ask me, it’s not natural for a husband to be so indifferent to the unexplained absence of his wife.”
    â€œJay’s not indifferent. He’s stoic. He has become inured by constant repetition.”
    â€œI don’t care a hang what you call it, it’s not natural. And, as I recall, you were kind of disturbed yourself in the beginning. What suddenly happened to make you change, I’d like to know?”
    â€œNothing happened. I merely decided to observe a period of quiet out of respect for the dead.”
    â€œDead!” Fanny gave a startled little leap. “Are you implying that Terry is dead?”
    â€œHell, no. I was referring to the Terry-Jay marriage. Surely you’re perceptive enough to see that it is, as the saying goes, as dead as last year’s bird nest.”
    â€œIs that all?” Fanny relaxed. “I know you and Jay are convinced that nothing is indicated but a peccadillo, but I have been making an effort to learn the truth, and it’s my opinion that it’s time you did a little something to help.”
    â€œNot I. I’ve withdrawn from the fray.”
    â€œWe’ll see about that. There is something helpful you can do without setting foot from this apartment.”
    â€œSuch as?”
    â€œSuch as calling the taxi companies. They must keep a record of calls, and one of them may be able to tell you if someone was picked up here, or near here, about three o’clock yesterday.”
    â€œLike hell! I don’t intend to waste my time calling taxi companies.”
    â€œWhy not? Your time is largely wasted, anyhow. We could find out where Terry was taken, if she was taken.”
    â€œIf there’s anything to this Personal that’s got you so hot and bothered, she only went to the university library. The distance is easily walkable.”
    â€œBecause she went there is no sign she stayed there. She could have gone on in the taxi to some place else with whomever she met.”
    â€œI simply won’t call any taxi companies. There’s no use asking me.”
    â€œVery well. And next time you want five, or ten or twenty dollars, I simply won’t give it to you. There’ll be no use asking me.”
    â€œSo that’s the way it is!” Farley glared at her with a resurgence of his early animosity. “Blackmail!”
    â€œI prefer to call it fair pay for services rendered. No services, no pay.”
    â€œAll right, damn it! If you’re going to be so nasty about it, I’ll have to humor you. Now get out of here, Fan. Go think of something else useless to do.”
    He got up and, taking her firmly by an elbow, ushered Fanny to the door.
    â€œWait a minute,” said Fanny. “Not so fast, brother. I’m sorry to say that you can’t always be trusted to keep your word. When will you make the calls?”
    â€œJust as soon as I’ve had some breakfast.”
    â€œBreakfast! It’s past lunch time.”
    â€œBreakfast, lunch, shmunch. As soon as I’ve eaten. Not before.”
    â€œAll right, then. But see that you do. If you don’t, I’ll make you sorry.”
    Fanny permitted herself to be pushed into the hall. And at that moment, as luck would have it, there was Jay Miles, returning