else?). This prompts the owner of Cherr-o-kee, a reclusive part-Cherokee billionaire named Acker Foreman to pay Wolfe a visit, along with his two adult sons, Arnold and Stephen. Despite the tense situation, Wolfe gains Acker Foreman's respect with his knowledge of his career and of Cherokee history, especially the Trail of Tears (documented poignantly by de Tocqueville in Democracy in America). Arnold, however, displays the same hostility as he has to M/L/R personnel. Dénouement After further investigation, Wolfe gathers the interested parties at his brownstone to lay out his proposed solution, this time without enough evidence to please law enforcement. However, since his mandate is simply to stop industrial espionage, he can (arguably) collect his fee. The rest is left for the reader to discover. Characters Nero Wolfe – the detective, protagonist Archie Goodwin – Wolfe's right-hand man Lily Rowan – who throws the party which Archie and Mills attend Rod Mills – a partner in the ad agency Boyd Lake – a partner in the ad agency Sara Ryman – a partner in the ad agency Acker Foreman – a reclusive part-Cherokee billionaire Arnold and Stephen Foreman – his sons Publication history 1990, USA, Bantam Books , Pub date ? October 1990, hardback (First edition) 1991, USA, Bantam Books , Pub date ? September 1991, paperback Nero Wolfe novels by Robert Goldsborough 1990 American novels