“Stalling around.”

“What the hell do you mean by stalling? You’re hired to solve a murder and—”

“Get it out of your head,” I interrupted, “that we’re hired to solve a murder. We were hired to get Alta Ashbury out of a jam.”

“Well, she’s in it worse than ever.”

“We’re still hired.”

“Well, get busy and go to work.”

“We’re getting paid by the day, aren’t we?”

“Yes.”

I lit a cigarette.

She glowered at me and said, “Sometimes, Donald, you make me so damn mad I could tear you apart. What the hell did you do to Tokamura Hashita?”