"'The truth?'" He tried to laugh. "Why—why, Miss Deane's got some fool idea that I killed Morris Beiner, and I wanted to—I wanted to——"
"'Beiner?' 'Morris Beiner?'" Sophie was bewildered.
"Theatrical man. You read about it in the papers." Again Carey tried to laugh, to seem nonchalantly amused. "Because I had an office in the same building, she got the idea that I killed him. I just wanted her to quit telling people about me. Just a friendly little talk—that's all I wanted with her."
"'Friendly?' With this?" Mrs. Carey glanced down at the weapon in her hand.
"Well, I just thought maybe that she'd scare easy, and——"
"Don!" The name burst explosively from his wife's lips. Her breath sucked in audibly through her parted lips.
Carey stepped back, away from her.
"Why—why——"
"A murderer," cried Mrs. Carey.
"It's a lie!" said Carey. "We had a li'l fight, but——"