I said to Bertha, with a surreptitious wink, “Well, the police are working on that package of cigarettes and on the cigarette stubs, using that new iodine process for developing fingerprints. Don’t kid yourself. They’re going to get the prints of the man who called on Evaline. Won’t it be too bad if those are the prints of Sergeant Harbet of the Santa Carlotta police force, and won’t it be funny if Harbet drags Flo Danzer into the picture.”
“Don’t be silly,” Flo Danzer said, “How’s he going to drag me into the picture? I’ll stand up on my two feet and admit everything I did — I went to Oakview and said I was Mrs. Lintig — so what? Maybe I intended to work some blackmail on Dr. Lintig. Maybe I didn’t. I haven’t asked anyone for five cents in cash. And don’t kid yourself John Harbet is ever going to get dragged into this thing. Dr. Alftmont is the one who’s holding the bag on this rap. He lost his head and killed Evaline.”
I nodded to Bertha, got up, and started over towards the door.
“Come on, Bertha,” I said.
She hesitated.
“Come on. We’re going down to the district attorney’s office and put the cards on the table. We’re going to get a warrant for Flo Danzer and John Harbet on criminal conspiracy. We can prove the conspiracy, and her going to Oakview and registering as Mrs. Lintig was an overt act. She isn’t in the clear. She only thinks she’s in the clear.”
Bertha said, “Now listen. I—”
I raised my voice. “Come on,” I said. “Do as I say.”
I flung the corridor door open.
Getting Bertha Cool out of that room was like pulling a bristling dog away from another dog who’s trying to pick a fight. Bertha Cool finally came out into the corridor, but she didn’t want to come. She was mad clean through. She didn’t like the way I was playing the game, and she wanted to stay and have it out with Flo Danzer.