The clerk said, “That’s all right, Miss Tarbing. They can go right up,” and he smiled at Bertha.
Bertha gave him one of her most gracious smiles, and I stood to one side while she eased her avoirdupois into the elevator. I followed her. The elevator door clanged shut and we shot upwards.
We left the elevator and walked down the corridor. Bertha Cool said to me, “Any ideas?” and I said, “We’ve got to really get rough with her this time.”
Bertha said, “All right then, lover. You keep out of it. When it comes to getting rough with a woman, I know some fine points that would never occur to a mere man. If it’s getting rough you want, just stand to one side and watch Bertha do her stuff.”
We knocked on the door and waited. There was no sound from the inside. The transom was tightly closed.
I knocked again. Bertha said, “This is a swank place. There’s probably a button here somewhere — here it is.”
She pressed her finger against the button. Still nothing happened. Bertha and I exchanged glances. Then we listened at the door for any sound of motion. We pounded again, and nothing happened.
Bertha said, “That damned operative went to sleep on the job and she sneaked out on us.”
I tried to keep my face from showing what I was feeling.
We pounded on the door again and Bertha Cool rang the buzzer some more. Then she said grimly, “Come on down with me, lover. I want you to hear what I have to say to that snake’s-belly sitting in that car.”