“No.”
“Does your husband realize that Dail is president of the Products Refining Company?”
“Apparently not. Carl has made no attempt to avoid him. We’ve walked right past Mr. Dail and Celinda several times when we’ve been promenading the deck. But Carl’s taken every precaution to avoid that nurse. I think he has someone paid to watch her and let him know whenever she’s coming on deck because he always goes into hiding somewhere and doesn’t come out until after she’s gone.”
“Well,” Mason said, “the Products Refining Company is a big concern. It’s not surprising that the president of that company wouldn’t know a bookkeeper, but you’d think Carl would have had seen his picture, or heard his name mentioned often enough to know who he was.”
“Perhaps he does,” she said, “but feels safe because he knows Dail doesn’t know him except by name, whereas that nurse knows his real name is Moar, and would probably blurt it out if he met her.”
“Don’t look so businesslike,” Mason warned. “Celinda’s watching you. Laugh. Look around the room, and, pretty quick, look at your wrist watch, jump up and leave the table. Here, turn around so you’re not prompted to look over at her.
“Now here’s something else. It would be particularly unfortunate if Carl should be recognized now. Until I’ve reached an agreement with Dail his hands aren’t tied. If he found out the man he’s looking for was aboard this ship and had funds in his possession, Dail would have him arrested and laugh at me when I tried to get any concessions.”
“Then it would be better if Carl didn’t have the money in his possession?” she asked.
“Much better,” Mason said.
She glanced at her wrist watch, jumped to her feet and said, “Oh, I must be going.”