The talk turned out to be quite simple. She was fired. No reflection cast on her abilities, of course. A matter of simple economics. Mrs. Kellogg would be away in the East indefinitely, and it just wasn’t feasible to keep Gerda on. He made a lot of nice remarks about her efficiency and cooperation and so on, but it all amounted to one thing: she was fired. A month’s wages in lieu of notice and the best of references, which Miss Burton would type up and have waiting for her at the office. Good-bye and good luck.
Gerda said, “You mean you want me to leave right away?”
“Yes.”
“Right now tonight?”
“It might be simpler that way,” Rupert said, “since you haven’t unpacked yet. I’ll drive you wherever you want to go.”
“I got no place to go.”
“There are hotels. And the Y.W.C.A.”
Gerda thought of the warm, cozy evenings in front of her television set, now suddenly to be replaced by cold, deadly ones in the lobby of the Y.W.C.A. with a lot of other women as dull as herself. Resentment stabbed her eyes until they bled tears.
“Now, Gerda,” Rupert said uneasily. “You mustn’t cry. This isn’t actually a personal matter.”
“It’s personal to me!”
“I’m sorry. I wish — well, we all wish things could be different.”
“This is a terrible home-coming.”
“There have been worse,” Rupert said, remembering his own.
“What about the TV set?”
“That belongs to you. I’ll have a man come to disconnect it and deliver it to you when you get settled.”
“If I get settled.”
“I’m sure you’ll have no difficulty finding another job, one you’ll enjoy more. Things would be pretty dull for you around here without Mrs. Kellogg and Mack. I suggest you try an employment agency.”
Gerda sniffed. She didn’t like employment agencies and the snippy way they asked questions and pretended that jobs were scarce just to make themselves look good when they got you one. “I think I’ll call the Brandons.”
“Who?”
“The Brandons, Mrs. Kellogg’s brother and his wife. They got that big place to keep up in Atherton and many’s the time I’ve heard her complain how she couldn’t get decent help.”
He didn’t say anything. He just kept staring at her as if he thought she’d lost her mind.
Flushing, Gerda said, “Maybe you think I wouldn’t fit into such a fancy place, me and my country ways, is that what you’re thinking? Well, let me tell you I heard Mrs. Brandon with my own ears call me a jewel. That was no more than three months ago, and if I was a jewel three months ago I guess I’m a jewel right here and now.”
“Of course. Of course you are,” Rupert said, and he kept his voice very quiet because he felt like screaming. “I happen to know, however, that Mrs. Brandon has a complete staff at the moment.”
“That’s not saying she will have tomorrow or next week, things being like they are in this world.”
“You might not like living on the Peninsula.”
“The climate’s nice. All this fog in the city is hard on my bronchial tubes. That’s my weakest spot.”
“The Brandons have three children. They’re very noisy.”
“A little noise won’t hurt me none.” She turned to leave. “Well, I better go find some cartons so I can pack the rest of my stuff.”
“Gerda. Wait.”
She looked back, surprised at the urgency in his voice. “Yes sir?”
“I’ll call Mrs. Brandon, if you like, and ask her if she has an opening and what salary she’s prepared to pay and so on.”
“I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”
“It’s no trouble at all.”
“Well, that’s real kind of you, Mr. Kellogg. I’m much obliged, I’m sure,”
“I might as well call now, while you’re still here, and get the matter settled.” He gave her a dry little smile. “You may even enjoy working at the Brandons. Everyone to his taste.”
While she was in her room packing the rest of her things she could hear him talking on the main phone in the kitchen. His voice was very loud and distinct, and she wondered if Helene Brandon was possibly getting a little deaf.
“Helene? This is Rupert... Fine. And you?... Glad to hear it... Oh, she’s having a great time, seeing every play in New York. Helene, the reason I called is Gerda. She returned from her vacation tonight, and I had to tell her that I couldn’t afford to keep her on. She’s first-rate at her job, as you know... A jewel. Yes, she remembered that you called her that when you were talking to Amy some time ago... I can’t help it if Amy will be mad. It’s a matter of simple economics... I can eat most of my meals in restaurants and hire a cleaning woman once a week. To get back to the subject of Gerda...”
Gerda, the jewel, fought a brief brisk battle with Gerda, the woman. The woman emerged victorious and tiptoed down the hall to the extension telephone in the master bedroom. She had no need to lift the receiver to hear Rupert; his voice veritably boomed from the kitchen. Mrs. Brandon must certainly be getting deaf. Or perhaps she always had been and covered it up by lip reading.
Gerda’s hand, slowed by guilt, reached for the telephone. I really shouldn’t. I’m a jewel...
“I thought it would be nice if we kept Gerda in the family, as it were... I realize you don’t need anyone right now, Helene... Frankly, I think you’d be missing an excellent opportunity if you didn’t snap her up. Her qualifications are most unusual, you know that for yourself. I think she’d be good with the children, too... Of course, if you haven’t a place for her, you haven’t...”
Meticulous as a surgeon, Gerda lifted the receiver. The dial tone buzzed in her ear. For a second she thought that Mrs. Brandon had, in sudden pique or boredom, hung up. Then she heard Rupert’s voice again from the kitchen: “Naturally she’ll be disappointed. So am I. But we can’t ask you to do the impossible, Helene... Yes, I’ll tell her to try you again in a few months. Goodbye, Helene.”
9.
“This Gerda Lundquist,” Dodd said, rubbing his chin, “she’s reliable?”
Until the past twenty-four hours Gill Brandon had barely been aware of Gerda’s existence; he was not competent to answer the question. But because he wanted to believe her, he nodded vigorously. “Absolutely reliable. I’d trust her with my life.”
Dodd smiled the dry little smile that indicated disbelief in practically everybody. “There are a lot of people I’d trust with my life that I wouldn’t trust to give an accurate account of something they saw or experienced.”
“Miss Lundquist is not an imaginative type. Nor would she have any reason for trying to put my brother-in-law in a bad light.”
“Revenge for being fired?”
“She already has a better job,” Gill said stiffly.
“With you?”
“With us.”
“Why?”
“Why? We needed an extra servant, that’s why.”
That’s not why, Dodd thought. Now that he’s got the first shred of evidence against his brother-in-law he intends to keep it in a safe place. I’m glad I’m not in Kellogg’s shoes. This Brandon means business.
Gill said, “You understand, Gerda knows nothing about Amy’s disappearance. She thinks that Amy is simply on a vacation in New York.”
“And you think she isn’t?”
“I know she isn’t. I told you previously we have relatives in Queens and Westchester. I called both places last night after Gerda had come to us with her story. No one has seen or heard from Amy.”
“That proves nothing.”
“It would if you knew Amy. She’s always been very conscientious about keeping in touch with members of the family. If she were anywhere near New York she would have called Cousin Harris or Aunt Kate. Whether she wanted to or not, she would have contacted them out of duty.”