Twice the words he tried to say faded on his lips. At last he managed a "No."
"Why not?"
"I—found a door and escaped."
"You must have heard shooting."
"I heard shots as I ran down the stairs. This morning I read that—that a man was—" He swallowed down a lump and left the sentence unfinished.
"Then you know that Clay is accused of killing this man, and that the police are looking for you because you were with him."
"Yes." His answer was a dry whisper.
"Did you see this man Collins in the room?"
"No. I shouldn't know him if I saw him."
"But you heard shots. You're sure of that!" cried Beatrice.