“It was pretty nearly all the time.”
“It’s a great advantage to you to come to us sober. It means that you know what you’re doing and are to some extent counting the cost. Men will take any kind of vow when they’re”—his glance traveled involuntarily to the back room—“when they’re coming off a spree. The difficulty is to make them keep their promises when they’ve got over the worst of it. In your case—”
“I’ve got a motive, sir.”
“Then so much the better.”
I turned to Lovey.
“Lovey, would you mind stepping into the next room? There’s something I want to speak about privately.”
“If it’s to let me in for worse, sonny—”
“No, it won’t let you in for anything. It’s only got to do with me.”
“Then I don’t pry into no secrets,” he said, as he moved away reluctantly; “only, when fellas is buddies together—”
“I’ve a confession to make,” I continued, when Lovey was out of earshot. “Last night I—”