“Settled?”
“Auntie sputtered and fumed for a while, but the insurance company decided she was in the wrong and made a settlement with the owner of the other car. He had three witnesses with him. Auntie was driving alone. She was furious. She cancelled her insurance with the company because of it.”
“Taken out any since?”
“No, she swears she’ll carry her own insurance. She feels the other people should have been sued and made to pay. She may have been right. Auntie’s very careful and observing and her reactions are quick, but, as I said, the other car had three witnesses. They might have been coached by a gramophone record, the way they told their story.”
I said, “Let’s be frank with each other. Mrs. Bushnell…”
“I go under the name of Miss Bushnell.”
“All right; then, let’s be frank with each other, Claire.”
She said, “You work fast, don’t you, Mister Lam?”
“Not so fast,” I said. “I just don’t think we have time to waste getting acquainted. Let’s get down to brass tacks. This is a medium-priced, furnished apartment. You…”
“You ought to pay the rent on it if you think it’s medium-priced.”