As soon as she walked through my door I knew her type:
she was an argument waiting to happen. I wondered if the
argument was required... or merely optional? Guess I'd know
the parameters soon enough.
"I'm Star At Data," she offered.
She made it sound like a pass. But was the pass by name?
Or by position?
"I think someone's trying to execute me. Some caller."
"Okay, I'll see what I can find out. Meanwhile, we're
gonna have to limit the scope of your accessibility."
"I'd prefer not to be bound like that," she replied.
"I see you know my methods," I shot back.
She just stared at me, like I was a block. Suddenly I
wasn't surprised someone wanted to dispatch her.
"I'll return later," she purred. "Meanwhile, I'm counting
on you to give me some closure."
It was gonna be another routine investigation.
~~~~~ Dashiell Hammett, "The Maltese Camel"
Exegesis 6