“Well, on the face of things, we’re out of the rice market,” he said as he rose to return to his own office. “I feel much relieved.”
In his private office he found Mark Mellenger waiting for him. “Well, you bird of ill omen,” Dan greeted him cheerily, “what brings you here?”
“Had an hour to kill and thought I’d kill it here. I do not go on duty until one thirty. Dan, I’ve been thinking. What, if anything, have you decided in the matter of the girl, Tamea?”
“Nothing, Mel. I’ve been too busy on something else.”
“It would be well to make Tamea’s matter a special order of business. Have you thought of anything to do?”
“Not a thing.”
“I suspected that might be the case. The fact is that you are being ruled by your subconscious mind. You do not wish to do anything. However, you shall. I have a plan.”
“Indeed?”
“None of your sarcasm. Not that it will avail you anything. It’s just futile—wasted energy—on me. You must induce Maisie Morrison to take Tamea to Del Monte for a couple of weeks.”
“My dear man, why should I ask Maisie to burden herself with such a responsibility?”