“Would you know him if you saw him again?”
“Yes, of course.”
I pushed her towards the door and said, “On your way.”
“When will I see you, Donald?”
“As soon as they get done questioning you, give me a ring. Remember not to tell them anything about me or about the agency— Wait a minute. They’ll ask you what you wanted to see Evaline Harris about.”
“Well, what did I?”
I thought rapidly and said, “You got acquainted with her when she was up in Oakview. She confided in you. She told you she was an entertainer in a night spot here. Remember, you mustn’t say a word about Mrs. Lintig. Don’t mention anything about the girl making an investigation. Don’t let on that you knew she was in Oakview on business. She told you she was up there spending a vacation. You’re a country girl, and the more country atmosphere you can pull in, the better it’ll be for you. Go in for that rural stuff strong. You wanted to leave Oakview. Everybody does. It’s no place for a young woman who has an eye to the future. You wanted to get to the city. You didn’t want to work in a night club, but you thought Evaline Harris might have some connections and could get you in somewhere. Does your uncle know what you’re doing here?”
“No, I’m doing this on my own, Donald. There’s a lot of things — a lot of developments that I can tell you about, suspicious circumstances that—”
“Save them,” I said. “Seconds are precious. If someone else finds that body before you report it, you’re sunk. Remember, you left there and drove to the police station just as fast as you could. You don’t know anything about the time. Do you have a wrist watch?”
“Yes, of course.”