He took the note from my hand.
“ ‘Since news of this afternoon’ can only refer to Dr. Letheny’s death. No, Miss Keate. What would a little breath of evil comment such as Miss Letheny could start have to do with Dr. Letheny’s death? No—there is a deeper reason. I wish I could persuade Miss Day to be frank with me. Well, now to see if Gainsay tells the same story. Probably he will, but we will see.” He paused to regard me soberly. “Is there any room here in the wing where Gainsay and I could be undisturbed for a time? This is a case where the very leaves of the shrubbery seem to have ears and I don’t want Miss Corole to overhear us—or anyone else.”
“Why, yes,” I said slowly. “There is the drug room.”
The red light above Six gleamed. No other nurse was about, so I interrupted myself to answer and bring Sonny a fresh drink.
“I’ve been wishing you would come in to see me,” said Sonny cheerfully. “I’ve been alone ever since a man named Gainsay stopped to see me just at supper time. He wanted to know where everyone was and I told him it was just the time when you were all eating. Say, do you know him? I like him. He is a friend of Dr. Letheny’s. Say, why doesn’t Dr. Letheny come in to see me?”
“Sonny, did you say that Mr. Gainsay was here in St. Ann’s? Here in your room at dinner time?”
“Why, sure, he was here! Just about six o’clock.”
“Where did he go when he left your room?”
“I think he went on up the corridor toward the general office. I can’t be sure, though, for I was working a new cross-word puzzle and didn’t listen for his steps. Say, Miss Keate, want to see my new puzzle?”
I forestalled the thin hand groping on the bedside table.