“I want to go home!” she said fiercely. “You have no right to keep me here!”
“I know,” Conrad said mildly. He thought how animated she looked in her anger. Not like Janey’s anger. There was nothing spiteful about this girl, “And I’m sorry about it, Miss Coleman. We don’t think it’s safe for you to leave just yet.”
“I’m the judge of that!”
“Are you?” He smiled at her, hoping to win a smile from her, but she remained straight-faced and angry, staring at him. “Look, sit down, won’t you? If after what I’m going to tell you you still want to go home, then I’ll have to let you go. I can’t hold you here against your will.”
Her anger began to fade, but her eyes were suspicious.
“I don’t want to listen. I just want to go right now.”
“I wish you would try to be reasonable. We’re only thinking of your own safety. Why do you imagine that gunman tried to kill you? Have you thought of that?”
He saw uncertainty chase suspicion out of her eyes.
“He — he must have been mad.”
“Do you really think so?” Conrad sat down. “Sit down for a moment. I won’t keep you long.”