“Never mind why. I want lip readers. Can you get them?”
“How should I know? What do you want them for?”
“I said, can you get them?”
He was doubtful. “I think you’ve been working too hard.”
“Look—”
“Now, I didn’t say I couldn’t. Cool off. When do you want them? And how many?”
“Better write this down. Ready? I want lip readers from these languages: English, French, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Belgian, Dutch and Spanish.”
“Ed Lefko, have you gone crazy?”
I guess it didn’t sound very sensible, at that. “Maybe I have. But those languages are essential. If you run across any who can work in any other language, hang on to them. I might need them, too.” I could see him sitting in front of his telephone, wagging his head like mad. Crazy. The heat must have got Lefko, good old Ed. “Did you hear what I said?”
“Yes, I heard you. If this is a rib—”