"There's something going on inside, but I can't quite get the dope… I hope you're not giving Kendrick the chance to have you called for rebating… He's an ugly customer when he gets in action."
Fred was annoyed. "I've told you again and again," he retorted, "that
I'm not yielding a cent on the Hilmer business."
"It isn't that," was the reply. "Kendrick knows better than to stir up a situation he's helped to befoul himself… No, it's another matter."
Fred shrugged and changed the subject, but his thoughts flew at once to Brauer. He decided not to say anything to his partner until he made a move toward investigating, himself.
The next morning he took a half dozen names of Brauer's customers at random from the ledger and he made out bills for their premiums. Practically all of Brauer's business was fire insurance, so Fred had typical cases for his test. The first man he called on produced a receipt from Brauer for the premium paid on the very day the policy was issued. The second man protested that he had paid Brauer only the day before. The third man stated brusquely that he had placed his business through Brauer and he was the man he intended to settle with. The fourth was noncommittal, but it was the fifth client who produced the straw that betrayed the direction of the wind.
"I want to see Brauer," the man said. "He promised to do something for me."
The sixth customer was even more direct.
"There's something to come off the premium," he said. "Brauer knows."
Fred did not wait for Brauer to come into the office—he went and took him to lunch instead, where he could prod him away from Helen's sight and hearing.
"I'm surprised at you, Brauer," Starratt broke out suddenly, once they were seated at Grover's and had given the girl their order.