“What’ll I tell Mr. Nunnely if he comes back?”
“Tell him I’ve been called out of town on business. Tell everyone just that — Belder, Sergeant Sellers and the whole outfit. I’m going to stay away until this thing settles down; then there may be a chance to pick up a little money. In the meantime I’d be sticking my neck out if I tried to do anything... Once you get really involved in a case, you can’t quit. Then you’ve got to ride it through to the finish. To hell with that stuff. I’m taking life easy. No more getting mixed up in a lot of trouble.”
“Where can I reach you in case anything important turns up?”
“At Balboa.”
“Suppose Sergeant Sellers wants you as a witness?”
Bertha’s face hardened into an expression of distaste. “Tell Sergeant Sellers to go— Well, tell him I’m out of town.”
“He may think you’re meeting Mrs. Belder somewhere.”
Bertha grinned. “Let him think so. I hope he does. I hope he tries to follow me. Damn him, I hope he chokes.”
Bertha gave a quick look around the office, started for the door.
The phone began to ring as Bertha had her hand on the knob.