Gladstone Jimm was instantly alert. He gave the matter his full attention. “Who’s moving in, my boy? Tanzen Realty Corporation? Or is it the Blair Brothers again? I was saying only last week: things have been far too quiet in the real estate field; I’ve felt in my bones that last year’s Code of Fair Practices wouldn’t be standing up much longer. Try to raid our properties, will they?” He snorted long and belligerently. “Well, the old firm has a few tricks up its sleeve yet. First, make certain that all important papers—tenant lists, rent receipts, don’t overlook anything, son—are in the safe. We’ll have three attorneys and a court order down there in half an hour. Meanwhile, you keep—”
“You don’t understand, sir. It’s those new tenants. The ones you rented the thirteenth floor to.”
Gladstone Jimm ground to a full stop and considered the matter. Ah. He understood. He began to beat swords into ploughshares.
“You mean—those fellows—um, Toombs and Boole?”
“That’s right, sir. There are desks and chairs and filing cabinets going upstairs. There are men from the telephone and electric companies. They’re all going up to the thirteenth floor. Only, Mr. Jimm, there isn’t any thirteenth floor!”
A pause. Then: “Any of the other tenants in the building been complaining, Blake?”
“No, Mr. Jimm, but—”
“Have Toot and Boob committed any sort of nuisance?”
“No, not at all. It’s just that I—”
“It’s just that you have been paying precious little attention to business! Blake, I like you, but I feel it is my duty to warn you that you are getting off on the wrong foot. You’ve been resident agent at the McGowan for almost a week now and the only bit of important business involving the property had to be transacted by the home office. That’s not going to look good on your record, Blake, it’s not going to look good at all. Do you still have those big vacancies on the third, sixteenth, and nineteenth floors?”