“I did,” said Landis pleasantly. “I’ll keep you awake all night if necessary. What’s the answer?”
Russell measured him for a minute. Landis was entirely cool.
“It’s rather important,” he explained.
“My God, what a pair of detectives! Well, if you must know, I was brushing my hair. Want to know any other little intimate details?”
“You were alone, of course?”
“Well, naturally! Say, what’s the big idea?”
“Good night,” said Landis and departed, chuckling.
He returned to the billiard-room. Anita looked nervously at his face as he took his chair. She had drawn her feet under her and was curled in a little pathetic ball.
“Now, Miss Harrison,” he said, “you weren’t in Russell’s room at all when you heard Susan scream. I’ll give you one more chance. If you don’t tell us the truth this time I’ll arrest you as a material witness! Russell was alone and was brushing his hair when he heard Susan scream.”
“He’d say that,” Anita ventured.