“Well?” Bertha demanded belligerently, her square-toed personality bristling at the suave, patronizing splendour of the tall man’s manner. “What’s wrong with that? I’ve got a right to file suit if I want to, haven’t I?”
“Yes, yes, Mrs. Cool. Please don’t misunderstand me. It may not be necessary.”
Bertha stubbornly refused to invite him into her private office. She stood there sizing him up with greedy, glittering eyes.
The door from the corridor opened and closed. Elsie Brand coughed significantly.
Bertha didn’t turn around immediately.
Fosdick said in the manner of a man attempting to be deliberately impressive, “It might not be at all necessary to file suit, Mrs. Cool. It is quite possible that the Intermutual Indemnity Company, which insures the driver of the car involved, would accept the responsibility, admit liability, and make an adequate settlement.”
Elsie Brand coughed again. When Bertha didn’t turn around, Elsie said, “Mrs. Cool is busy at present. Could you come back a little later?” The tone of Elsie Brand’s voice made Bertha whirl.
The droopy individual who had answered her ad as one of the witnesses and who had consistently refused to give his name was drinking in the situation.
Bertha said to Fosdick, “Come in my office,” and to the witness, “I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do for you today.”
“I’ll wait anyway,” he said, smiling and making himself comfortable in one of the chairs.