Bertha gave him an unenthusiastic hand, said, “You wanted to see Donald. He’s in the Navy.”
“So your secretary told me. That’s indeed a shock.”
“Know Donald?”
“Only by reputation. A man for whom Lam once handled a case told me about him. Said he was the nerviest little guy he’d ever seen; that he was fast-thinking, quick-moving, and courageous. In fact, he summarized his feelings by a colloquialism which, while perhaps coarse, nevertheless conveyed a perfect picture.”
“What did he say?”
“It’s a bit on the coarse side, Mrs. Cool. I wasn’t going to repeat it. I—”
Bertha Cool said irritably, “Do you think you know any words I don’t? What did he say?”
“He said Donald was a combination of brains and guts.”
“Humph!” Bertha said, then after a moment added somewhat irritably, “Well, he isn’t here. Do you want to tell me what it’s all about?”
“You’re his partner?”