“You know who this is?”
“Of course. I recognize your voice. It’s Mr. C—”
A warning “sst” over the ’phone checked her before she pronounced the name and starting guiltily she turned to look over her shoulder, feeling relieved to see the two men still chatting at the table, apparently paying no attention to her.
“I understand,” she answered quickly. “What is it?”
“You know that book I told you I was going to buy?”
“Yes, yes!”
“It’s not there.”
“What’s that? The book is gone!”
“The book is there all right, but it’s not the book I want.”
“Are you sure,” she questioned, “that you looked at the right book?”