"We usually number a couple of dozen cards, and assign the numbers to the problems as they come in, from a scratch sheet."
"Any of the cards been lost?"
"Oh yes, on occasion. So far, we've recovered them all—there are only two rooms where they could be. Up there or down here."
That voice! How could a man have a voice like that? And why should he care if one did? Why even notice it? Instead of going to the cafeteria for lunch, he drove downtown and consulted the family doctor, who laughed at him. Reassured, he returned to the plant and got a sandwich and milk before going to his office. Old Doc Heffelbauer might be wrong, but he usually wasn't. Norm liked several men, but he didn't dream about any of them; if he was off his rocker, it was in some other manner. Visual delusions, for instance.
The thing to do was to see Vic face to face. He called the office manager. "Henry? Send Vic Hermosa up there, will you? I want to talk to him."
"Vic Hermosa? He's in the Army. Didn't you know?"
"No, I didn't. Who is the guy that answers the phone in that fruity voice?"
Henry lowered his voice. "Guy? That's Vic's sister Virginia. She took Vic's place when he left. Simplified the security investigation, and she's good, too. About as good as Vic, I'd say."
"You mean to tell me a little girl like her could have a voice that deep?"
"Startling, isn't it? Of course, it's actually a low contralto or tenor, but you expect her to be a lyric soprano. Shall I send her up to see you?"