“Not another thing—oh, yes, last night I exchanged the loud speaker in that room for another.”
“You did!” His voice was eager. “When? Before or after I was in the room?”
“Before!”
“Sure?”
“Yes. The patient complained that it wasn’t working very well.”
“What did you do—where is it now?”
“In Sonny’s—that is, in the room where I put it, I suppose.”
“Lord, I’m a dumbbell,” said O’Leary heartily. “Miss Keate, listen carefully, please. Take that loud speaker, just as it is, to some safe place and don’t let anyone have it until I come. Understand?”
“Yes,” I said slowly. “But I—do you think—could it possibly be——”
“That’s all, Miss Keate,” he interrupted. “Thank you very much.” And before I could tell him of Higgins he had hung up the receiver and I was left shouting “Mr. O’Leary,” into the mouthpiece.