“I’m not completely naive.”
“After what you said about the Mafia,” Simon explained, “I couldn’t take any chances. Not even in police headquarters. It’d only take one tiny leak to blow the whole works. And that’d mean goodbye to Sue.”
“That’s understood,” Inverest said brusquely. “I took the risk of backing you up. But what is it that you know?”
Simon took out a cigarette and placed it between his lips. Then he took out his lighter and held it poised.
“Nothing.”
He lighted the cigarette.
Hudson Inverest’s features seemed to crumple from inside, as if he had received a physical blow. He sank slowly into a chair.
“Good God, man,” he cried shakily. “What are you saying?”
“I don’t know a thing. I haven’t a clue. I was knocked cold on the spot, and that was the end of it. But,” Simon went on quickly, “nobody knows that except you and me.”
Inverest clasped his hands together as if to steady them.