Her face beamed. “Yes, lover,” she said. “He was in. He left me a very substantial deposit.”
“How long ago?” I asked.
“Not over half an hour ago. He seemed very, very nice. But he certainly is nervous.”
“Exactly what did he want?” I asked.
“He didn’t say anything about the political situation,” she said, “but I could read between the lines. He said that he wanted us to keep on trying to find Mrs. Lintig, that he was in some other difficulties and was going to need our services, that he wanted to be certain we’d be on the job. You made a fine impression on him, Donald. He said particularly he wanted you to work on his case. He thinks you’re very smart.”
“How much did he leave?” I asked.
Bertha said cautiously, “It was a nice little sum, Donald.”
“How much?”
“What the hell?” she said with sudden belligerency. “I’m running this agency.”
“How much?” I asked.