Murder in the Gunroom | Page 9

"Then why," the lawyer demanded, "did Mrs. Fleming employ you?"
"Well, as you know," Rand began, "the Fleming pistol-collection, now the joint property
of Mrs. Fleming and her two stepdaughters, is an extremely valuable asset. Mr. Fleming
spent the better part of his life gathering it. At one time or another, he must have owned
between four and five thousand different pistols and revolvers. The twenty-five hundred
left to his heirs represent the result of a systematic policy of discriminating purchase,
replacement of inferior items, and general improvement. It's one of the largest and most
famous collections of its kind in the country."
"Well?" Goode was completely out of his depth by now. "Surely Mrs. Fleming doesn't
think...?"
"Mrs. Fleming thinks that expert advice is urgently needed in disposing of that
collection," Rand replied, carefully picking his words to fit what he estimated to be
Goode's probable semantic reactions. "She has the utmost confidence in your ability and
integrity, as an attorney; however, she realized that you could hardly describe yourself as
an antique-arms expert. It happens that I am an expert in antique firearms, particularly
pistols. I have a collection of my own, I am the author of a number of articles on the
subject, and I am recognized as something of an authority. I know arms-values, and
understand market conditions. Furthermore, not being a dealer, or connected with any
museum, I have no mercenary motive for undervaluing the collection. That's all there is
to it; Mrs. Fleming has retained me as a firearms-expert, in connection with the
collection."
Goode was looking at Rand as though the latter had just torn off a mask, revealing
another and entirely different set of features underneath. The change seemed to be a
welcome one, but he was evidently having trouble adjusting to it. Rand grinned inwardly;
now he was going to have to find himself a new set of verbal labels and identifications.
"Well, Mr. Rand, that alters the situation considerably," he said, with noticeably less
hostility. He was still a bit resentful; people had no right to confuse him by jumping
about from one category to another, like that. "Now understand, I'm not trying to be
offensive, but it seems a little unusual for a private detective also to be an authority on
antique firearms."
"Mr. Fleming was an authority on antique firearms, and he was a manufacturer of

foodstuffs," Rand parried, carefully staying inside Goode's Aristotelian system of
categories and verbal identifications. "My own business does not occupy all my time, any
more than his did, and I doubt if an interest in the history and development of deadly
weapons is any more incongruous in a criminologist than in an industrialist. But if there's
any doubt in your mind as to my qualifications, you can check with Colonel Taylor, at the
State Museum, or with the editor of the American Rifleman."
"I see." Goode nodded. "And as you point out, being a sort of non-professional expert,
you should be free from mercenary bias." He nodded again, taking off his glasses and
polishing them on an outsize white handkerchief. "Frankly, now that I understand your
purpose, Mr. Rand, I must say that I am quite glad that Mrs. Fleming took this step. I was
perplexed about how to deal with that collection. I realized that it was worth a great deal
of money, but I haven't the vaguest idea how much, or how it could be sold to the best
advantage.... At a rough guess, Mr. Rand, how much do you think it ought to bring?"
Rand shook his head. "I only saw it twice, the last time two years ago. Ask me that after
I've spent a day or so going over it, and I'll be able to give you an estimate. I will say this,
though: It's probably worth a lot more than the ten thousand dollars Arnold Rivers has
offered for it."
That produced an unexpected effect. Goode straightened in his chair, gobbling in
surprised indignation.
"Arnold Rivers? Has he had the impudence to try to buy the collection?" he demanded.
"Where did you hear that?"
"From Mrs. Fleming. I understand he made the offer to Fred Dunmore. That's his
business, isn't it?"
"I believe the colloquial term is 'racket,'" Goode said. "Why, that man is a notorious
swindler! Mr. Rand, do you know that only a week before his death, Mr. Fleming
instructed me to bring suit against him, and also to secure his indictment on criminal
charges of fraud?"
"I didn't know that, but I'm not surprised," Rand answered. "What did he burn Fleming
with?"
"Here; I'll show you." Goode rose from his seat and went to a rank of steel filing-cabinets
behind the desk. In a moment, he was back, with a large manila envelope under