“Would he be a good catch?” Bertha asked.
“Some mothers have so considered him,” Whitewell said dryly.
“And you want Donald to break through on this Framley girl?”
“I want him to find out what happened to Corla, why she disappeared, where she is now.”
“Just what do you want him to find?” Bertha asked.
“I want to establish that her disappearance was voluntary. I’m hoping the reason back of it will not only set my son’s mind at rest, but make him realize the advantages of strengthening his friendship with Eloise Dearborne. After what’s happened, I feel Corla wouldn’t be exactly the sort I’d want as a daughter-in-law — too much notoriety — this disappearance business— Bah! She’s a nice girl, but the Whitewells can’t stand for anything like that.”
Bertha said, “Donald will turn Helen Framley inside out. Girls fall for Donald, and fall hard.”
Whitewell looked approvingly at Bertha. “I’m very well satisfied indeed,” he said, “that your organization is exactly what I want — although I’d hardly expected to find a woman at the head of a detective agency, nor such an attractive woman.”
I asked, “Have you a picture of Corla Burke?”
He nodded.