When he took down the receiver, a female voice spoke. It spoke in a quick, stealthy whisper, shaking with terror so that the words were barely distinguishable.
"I want to speak to the doctor."
"Wrong number," Baid Courtney wearily. "What number did you want?"
The voice grew softly frenzied. "I want double-four, double-four. Isn't that double-four, double-four?"
"Yes, that's right. But there's no doctor here. Doctor who?"
"The big doctor!"
Light broke on him. "You mean Sir Henry Merrivale? Isn't that Mrs. Propper speaking?"
"Yes, yes, yes! (S-s-hh! Daisy, if you carry on like that we'll both get our throats cut!) Oh, my God."
"Mrs. Propper! Listen! This is Courtney here. Mr. Courtney."
"His secretary?"