“Go to hell,” Purley suggested.
“Yeah? You watch.”
I ambled across the room and stood right in front of her so Purley couldn’t see her face.
“Hello, dear old friend,” I said not too loud.
“You’ve got a nerve,” she said. “Beat it.”
“Nerve? Me?”
“Beat it. ‘Dear old friend!’ I never saw you before.”
“Aha!” I smiled down at her. “Not a chance in the world. If I tell them I saw you in that corridor at half past three waiting for someone, they’ll believe me, don’t think they won’t, and you’ll have to start all over again about opening that door at half past four because you got there by mistake and were looking for a way out. Think fast and don’t tell me to beat it again or we part forever. And control your face and keep your voice down.”
Her fingers were twisting under a fold of the coat. “What do you want?”
“I want to get to know you better. I’ll be leaving here in a minute to drive my boss home, but I’ll be back before long for a little talk with the Inspector. Then I’ll go to the news movie in Grand Central and you’ll be there in the back row. Won’t you?”