Bertha said angrily, “Well, if you feel that way about it, just rent me the office — even find it for me, and I’ll move in. If you don’t want him to see you, I can tell the girl to tell him I can’t see him for ten minutes, and ask him to come back—”
The woman marched across to the door. “On second thought, Mrs. Cool, I think I prefer it this way. Do you take the money, or do I?”
Bertha hesitated for an instant, then reached across the desk and picked up the fifty-dollar bill.
“Thank you,” the woman said, and opened the door.
Bertha Cool managed to get around the desk in time to watch Everett Belder’s reactions as the woman walked past him.
He gave her a briefly casual glance, then scrambled hastily to his feet, started at once toward Bertha’s private office.
14
No Tea for the Sergeant
Belder, visibly excited, seated himself across from Bertha. “We’ve got it,” he said.
“Got what?”