- Case
- Kill Now Pay Later
- Year Published
- 1964
- Case Introduction
- December 1960. Pete Vassos, Wolfe's regular shoeshine guy, is murdered after stumbling onto the scene of the murder of another client, Dennis Ashby.
- Notes
- Resolution
-
Mercer murdered Ashby because, after saving Mercer's Bobbins from going down the drain, Ashby was quietly negotiating with its chief competitor to change companies. Vassos saw him coming out of the room, but kept quiet too long because Mercer had done him and his daughter various good turns.
Characters in the case:
Found smashed on the sidewalk outside his building, having dropped from a window.
Character descriptionVP of sales & promotion for Mercer's Bobbins. Age 39, married for 1 year, nicknamed "the Menace" with a reputation as a ladykiller in the office. Regular customer of Pete Vassos.
Reserved notes for this caseWas negotiating for a job with Mercer's biggest competitor. Planned to leave unless Mercer gave him 51 percent of the stock. Left Joan Ashby deeply in debt.
Maiden name, Joan Snyder. Elma alleges that Dennis Ashby told her over lunch that he was seeking a divorce. Busch alleges that she tried to get Frances Cox fired. The title of the story comes from her comments on the style of advertising her husband liked.
Character descriptionFormer employee of Mercer's Bobbins, left upon her marriage to Dennis Ashby.
Reserved notes for this caseJoan knew that Dennis was cheating on her.
Fritz prepared Chicken Sorrel Soup, Creole fritters, Roast Quail Veronique and Glace De Viande during this case.
Character descriptionMaster chef in Wolfe's kitchen, has a small apartment in the basement. (In "Fer-De-Lance," his apartment is across from the plant room, not in the basement.) Swiss; native French speaker, served in WWI. Uninterested in murder, except whether a client is in the offing; gets anxious about household finance when Wolfe isn't working. Doesn't like to talk while cooking. Changes to his old slippers at 9 pm because of "things left on his feet by the war to remember it by". Implied he was a member of the Swiss Alpine Patrol during WWI.
Reserved notes for this case
Instructed the stenographers to tell him if Ashby asked any of them to his room, hence their nickname for him ("Paladin").
Character descriptionSecretary of the corporation Mercer's Bobbins, formerly head bookkeeper. A bachelor in his thirties, nicknamed Paladin behind his back.
Reserved notes for this caseIn love with Elma Vassos.
Offers Archie $1000 for a piece on Pete Vassos.
Character descriptionReporter at the Gazette. Dark skin, dark brown eyes. Neat little face, slick black hair. Neatest (card) shuffler Archie knows.
Reserved notes for this case
Saw Pete enter Ashby's room.
Character descriptionReceptionist, Mercer's Bobbins. Late twenties.
Reserved notes for this caseJoan Ashby thought that Frances was having an affair with her husband, Dennis. Frances was one of the three people who told Cramer that Elma had been having an affair with Dennis Ashby, which provided a motive for her father, Pete, to murder Ashby.
In charge of the Ashby murder investigation.
Character descriptionInspector with NYPD, Homicide. Has tolerate / hate relationship with Wolfe. He respects Wolfe, but is greatly irritated by his eccentricities. Habitually chews (but rarely lights) cigars. Notably, Cramer lights a cigar in Wolfe's office during "Instead of Evidence" in which the murder weapon is an exploding cigar! First name is given as Fergus one time, but generally accepted as Lionel. Had a son in the Army Air Corps during WWII. Archie has called Mrs. Cramer on the phone more than once to reach the Inspector at home. Archie's favorite alias for him is "the man about the chair" or "any name with a double "d", e.g., Mr. Judd".
At no time is Inspector Cramer ever referred to in the books as "Lionel T." Cramer; his first name is given as "Fergus" in "Where There's a Will." There is a lone later reference to him as L.T.C. (The Silent Speaker), but never Lionel. Stout's biographer, John McAleer, asked Stout to explain the "Fergus"/"L.T.C" discrepancy; Stout replied: "No significance. Laziness. I didn't bother to check on whether he already had a first name. Of course, all discrepancies in the Nero Wolfe stories are Archie Goodwin's fault." (from "Royal Decree; Conversations with Rex Stout)
He is featured in a book by Stout called Red Threads, first published 1939, tracking down a killer with a young fashion designer. There is no reference to Nero Wolfe.
Reserved notes for this case
Archie says his rates aren't in Saul's class, but he's way above average.
Character descriptionHired hand used by Wolfe and Archie when extra manpower is needed. Not the best, but can tail better than anybody but Saul. The favorite "irregular" after Saul - Fritz: "I'm glad it's Orrie instead of Saul or Fred"; Archie: "Such a chore for Saul or Fred of course, but I didn't like doing it for Orrie."; Mr Wolfe: "He doesn't have the dignity of a man who has found his place and occupies it, as you have, Fred."
Bald, burly, 5'10, 190 lbs; moves like a bear. Married with four children. Archie: "You can trust him to hell and back."
Reserved notes for this case
Although he gets out more than Wolfe does and tips less, Pete shines his shoes just as well as Wolfe's.
Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.
Reserved notes for this case
Passed over for promotion in favor of Dennis Ashby.
Character descriptionSalesman for Mercer's Bobbins, in his thirties, married with children.
Reserved notes for this caseHe was one of the three people who told Cramer that Elma had been having an affair with Dennis Ashby, which provided a motive for her father, Pete, to murder Ashby.
Until he promoted Ashby, his business was going down the drain. None of his children are involved in it.
Character descriptionPresident and principal shareholder of Mercer's Bobbins, which he inherited from his father. Age 61, grandfather.
Reserved notes for this caseHe was one of the three people who told Cramer that Elma had been having an affair with Dennis Ashby, which provided a motive for her father, Pete, to murder Ashby. He murdered Ashby because Ashby was negotiating for a job with a competitor.
Mentioned. Source of Andrew Busch's nickname.
Character descriptionStar character of the TV show "Have Gun Will Travel", played by Richard Boone.
Reserved notes for this case
Engaged to search for something.
Character descriptionTop hired hand Nero and Archie look to for manpower. Hosts regular Thursday night poker game at eight pm at his apartment in Brooklyn. Rust-colored hair, 5'7, 145 lbs, big nose and flat ears.
In the "Rubber Band" (ch. 6) Archie tells us that Panzer has a photographic memory when it comes to faces.
Reserved notes for this case
On Wolfe's recommendation, asked to represent Elma in an action against Mercer's and several of its employees for defamation.
Character descriptionWolfe's lawyer -- the only lawyer Wolfe ever sent orchids to. A bachelor who plays bridge on winter Sundays. (Appears as "Henry" Parker in The Squirt & the Monkey and The Golden Spiders.)
Reserved notes for this case
Mentioned; someone tries to fob Archie off on Rowcliff when he asks for Cramer.
Character descriptionLieutenant in NYPD. Has antagonistic relationship with Archie and Wolfe.
Reserved notes for this case
Mentioned, since Archie gets a kick out of imagining his reaction when Purley sees a certain photograph in the home of one of the principals in the case.
Character descriptionInitially an employee in N.Y. D.A.'s office. Later Cramer's man.
Detective (sergeant). Unfriendly.
Reserved notes for this case
Mentioned by Joan Ashby, in describing reporters lying in wait for her after her husband's murder.
Character descriptionFilm actress.
Reserved notes for this case
Dated Dennis Ashby several months before. She claims (paraphrased) that her father's opinion about it was that all girls are so curious about married men that they'll chase one sometime, and that she might as well get it over with.
Character descriptionEmployee of Mercer's Bobbins. Daughter of Pete Vassos.
Reserved notes for this case
Travels on-site to shine shoes, and one such site turned out to be a murder scene.
Character descriptionGreek immigrant to the U.S. Shines shoes for a living.
Reserved notes for this caseSaw Mercer leaving Ashby's office after the murder and was later murdered by Mercer. He has enough time before he dies to write out "Merc" with his own blood on a rock down in the ravine.
Arranges to have his shoes shined at home. Currently reading _The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich_, by Shirer.
Character descriptionMaster detective. Genius. Estimated weight: 1/7 ton. Carries a large platinum watch in his vest pocket. Sends a check every month to his mother in Budapest ("Fer-de-lance, ch. 13)..
Reserved notes for this case
Meals in the case:
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Orchids in the case:
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Quotations in the case:
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