He held the receiver and put his hand over the mouthpiece. Dr. MacArthur began pacing the room. He carried himself with a brittle straightness, and Higgins watched him closely while the girls were saying, “Indianapolis? Chicago? Hello Buffalo?” ... and then ... “New York?” and then Anderson’s voice.
“Anderson?” Higgins knew the voice immediately. “Higgins. Can you get Rogers on the Westbound mail plane in twenty minutes? Then the other plane and he’ll have to change at Chicago, or charter a plane from there. Yes, shaping up. No news yet. Good! O.K.”
MacArthur wheeled.
“He will be here this afternoon?”
Higgins pushed the telephone over upon the desk.
“If he makes the plane leaving in twenty minutes. Otherwise about eight tonight. Next to Smooty I’d rather have him than any man on the force.
“Smooty passed himself off as an orderly from a London hospital and will go back on at three to watch things and learn the Elijah Wilson routine from the day orderly. So you can rest easily, as to the vigilance, Doctor.”
His voice, like his person, was strong and commanding.
Dr. MacArthur slackened his pace and Higgins continued:
“Doctor, Miss Parkins thinks that the head nurse and her niece are mediums murdering for some control ... some doctor....”