“Well, you know what he can do,” Bertha said, and then with growing impatience, “My God, Elsie, don’t chase me around when I’m working on a case just because Belder wants—”
“Another matter,” Elsie broke in. “Just hold the phone a moment, Mrs. Cool. I’ll go in the outer office and see if I can find it among your papers.”
Bertha frowned, then, realizing that Elsie was making an excuse to get away from a client in the office, waited until she heard a faint click on the line. Elsie Brand’s voice, sounding less muffled, said, “There’s a woman here who wants to see you; won’t give her name. Says she has to see you at once, that it will be worth a great deal of money to you.”
“What’s she look like?”
“She’s somewhere around forty, but she has a very good figure. She looks a little — well, as though she could be hard on occasion. She has a short veil hanging down from her hat brim and ducks her head so the veil conceals her eyes every time she catches me looking at her. She says she can’t wait.”
Bertha said, “I’ll come up right away.”
“And what shall I tell Mr. Belder? He’s been calling every few minutes.”
“You know what you can tell him,” Bertha said, and hung up.
Sergeant Sellers grinned at her. “Business pretty good, Bertha?”
“So-so.”