“It’s a slick dodge,” Bertha said. “They blackmailed him into making this will; then they poisoned him. Then they make a ‘compromise’ with you so their scheme won’t be discovered. It’s a hell of a note!”
“But I can’t think they resorted to blackmail any more than they did to murder. To tell you the truth, I know my cousin wrote that will. His remarks contained in it are typical. I resent them, but I know now that he never intended me to get a penny more than that ten thousand. This agreement is a windfall so far as I’m concerned.”
“Did they come to you, or did you go to them?”
“They came to me.”
“Sure. Rob a man, kill him, and soften up his heir with a hundred grand so there’ll be no investigation! Pretty slick!”
“There’s nothing to prevent you going to the authorities, Mrs. Cool.”
Bertha said angrily, “Phooey! The authorities wouldn’t get to first base with the thing — and where would there be anything in it for me on that basis?”
“Well, of course, Mrs. Cool, if you have some evidence that—”
“What I have, I have,” Bertha Cool said, getting up out of the chair. “I make my living by selling my knowledge.”
“If you have anything in which you think the police should be interested, it is your duty to go to them. If you have any knowledge it is your duty—”
Bertha said, “In other words, you won’t put a red cent on the line. You’re going to sit tight, but you’d like to see that the police get some anonymous tip that’ll start them making an investigation. I suppose you’re trying now to get me to stick my neck out and go to the police on a thank-you basis.”
“It would be the proper thing to do,” Milbers said. “If, as a citizen, you have any knowledge concerning a crime, or even any clues which remotely indicate—”
Bertha started for the door saying, “I’ll get out and let you get dressed. There’s a drugstore on the corner with a phone booth.”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand you,” Milbers said.
“The hell you don’t,” Bertha said grimly. “Within ten minutes after I’m out of here the police will get an anonymous call telling them that Harlow Milbers was poisoned and suggesting that they look up the death certificate, talk with the doctor, and then exhume the body in order to get proof. Then you can hang up, come back here, and go to bed with that smug smile wrapped all over your face. It’ll have cost you five cents for the telephone call, and that’s all.”
“But my dear Mrs. Cool. You don’t understand—”
Bertha reached the door in two quick strides, jerked it open, and slammed it shut on the rest of Milbers’s speech.
The taxi which had brought Bertha to the hotel was waiting at the curb as Bertha came out.
The cab driver touched his cap. “All right, ma’am,” he said with an engaging smile. “The gravy train is waiting.”
“Gravy train!” Bertha said, glowering the smile right off of his face. “Gravy train hell! Gravy train my eye!”
Chapter XX
1942 AUG 30
VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA
(NIGHT LETTER COLLECT) BERTHA COOL, CONFIDENTIAL INVESTIGATIONS
DREXEL BUILDING
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
KEY CLUE TO ENTIRE SITUATION IS FACT THAT INTERMUTUAL INDEMNITY COMPANY SEEKS TO GET RELEASE THROUGH YOU. THIS INDICATES THEY DO NOT HAVE NAME AND ADDRESS OF INJURED PARTY. ACCORDING TO WITNESS, JOSEPHINE DELL GAVE DRIVER OF CAR THAT STRUCK HER HER NAME, ADDRESS, AND PERMITTED DRIVER TO TAKE HER HOME. SITUATION SEEMS UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE. ONE POSSIBLE EXPLANATION IS THAT DRIVER HAD BEEN DRINKING BUT WAS SUFFICIENTLY GLIB TO KEEP IT CONCEALED UNTIL AFTER DELL GOT IN AUTOMOBILE. DELL MIGHT THEN HAVE MADE DRIVER STOP CAR AND PUT HER OUT BEFORE GETTING HOME. INVESTIGATE THIS ANGLE. SUGGEST YOU RUN BLUFF ON INSURANCE COMPANY, TELLING THEM DRIVER BADLY INTOXICATED AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. FOR SOME REASON, JOSEPHINE DELL IS NOT TELLING YOU ENTIRE TRUTH. REGARDS.
Chapter XXI
Bertha said indignantly to Elsie Brand, “Take a telegram to Donald— Your telegram absolutely, utterly cockeyed. Have talked with Josephine Dell, who says man perfect gentleman, drove her home, solicitous over welfare. Can think of plenty of crazy things myself which don’t coincide with facts without paying for collect messages containing cockeyed theories. Suggest you devote attention exclusively to winning war. Have no further connection with case. Parties have all made settlement, leaving agency out in the cold.”
Bertha hesitated a moment, then said to Elsie Brand, “Read that back to me.”
Elsie read it back.
“Type that up and sign my name to it,” Bertha said, “and—”
She broke off as the door from the corridor opened. The tall, grave, dignified young man from the Intermutual Indemnity Company bowed gravely. “Good morning, Mrs. Cool.”
“You again,” Bertha said.
“A most unfortunate situation has developed. May I talk with you at once, Mrs. Cool?”
“Come on in,” Bertha said.
“Shall I send that telegram?” Elsie asked.
“Yes, write it out, but let me read it before it goes out. Ring for a messenger.”
Bertha Cool led the way into her private office. Fosdick, the insurance adjuster, settled himself comfortably in the chair, brought up his leather brief-case, rested it on his lap, and wrapped his arms around the top of it, using the brief-case as an arm rest. “A most unfortunate situation has arisen,” he repeated.
Bertha didn’t say anything.
After a moment Fosdick went on, “Did you, by any chance, know a man named Jerry Bollman?”
“What’s be got to do with it?”
“He promised us to arrange a complete settlement — for our own figure, one thousand dollars. He made us promise that we wouldn’t question what became of the money. In other words, he could turn over a less amount to the injured party if he desired. We didn’t care, just so we got a complete release supported by an ample legal consideration. The injured party, once she had signed the release, could divide the money any way she wanted to, or she could permit some other person to collect the money for her if she desired.
“Mr. Bollman seemed absolutely confident of his ability to secure such a release. In fact, it seemed he had quite an interest in the injured party. He was, I believe, going with her roommate and intended to marry her soon.”
“Bollman told you that?” Bertha Cool asked.
Fosdick nodded.
“Give you any names?”
“No. He just referred to the young woman as the injured party, and the other young woman as the room-mate. He told a very convincing, straightforward story, however.”
“And you fell for it?”
Fosdick’s eyebrows raised.
Bertha Cool said, “You’re young. You’re just out of Harvard or some other law school that’s given you a superiority complex. You think you know it all. For Christ’s sake, snap out of it!”
“I beg your pardon.”
“Skip it.”