“To ask me a question, Mr. Hartley?”
“Man to man, Larry.”
“What is it?”
“Did somebody tell you that Len Ayres killed Prentice?”
The boy blinked quickly and turned his head away.
“Just man to man, Larry,” urged Hashknife softly.
Larry shook his head.
“Nobody told me,” he said. “Not a soul, Mr. Hartley.”
“You didn’t even hear anybody hint it?”
“Do they think he killed Mr. Prentice?”