“No.”
“You’re the one who insisted on the investigation which disclosed the shortage in the hospital trust fund?”
“Yes.”
“How did you know Tidings had been embezzling funds?”
“I simply asked for an investigation,” she said. “I made no charges.”
“The question still stands,” Mason said.
“So does the answer,” she retorted.
Mason said, “Well, we’ll try it from another angle. I’m very anxious to talk with a certain architect. Of course, I can wait until tomorrow and read the answer to my ad in the Contractor’s Journal, but I thought it would simplify matters if you told me what Mr. Peltham had said.”
She stood stock-still, and Mason, looking at her, saw that her face was drained of color. The eyes were dark with panic. Her lips quivered. She tried twice to speak before she managed to say, “Oh,” in a choking voice that was half a sob. Then after a moment, she said again, “Oh, my God!”
Mason said, “No need to be so upset, Miss Hastings. Just tell me what he said.”