"Don't get smart, Professor!" The sergeant rose abruptly. One jerky stride brought him close to me. The heavy face looked mean and dangerous as he thrust it in front of mine. "I'll ask the questions the way I want to ask them. And you'll listen and you'll answer, just like one of your students in the classroom, nice and polite!"
I held my tongue but I could feel the skin tighten across my cheek-bones.
"Now!" he snarled. "You were in the Dugout asking for the girl between six and seven tonight. That right?"
"I left about seven-thirty."
"Yeah. And you said you'd be back later. You acted like you had a date with her."
"That's not true!"
"But you were going back."
I glanced at Laurie. There was a bright spark in her eyes as she waited for me to answer.
"Yes. I was going back."
"But instead you went to see her, didn't you, Professor?"