Billy nodded indifferently. "That's all right. I wasn't in Hillsville. My mistake. Sorry."
The judge stared in frowning puzzlement.
It was at this juncture that the door opened and Skinny Shindle entered. He greeted the two men surlily and laid a note on the desk in front of Billy.
"I stopped at Walton's on my way back from Hillsville," said Shindle, "and Tom's niece gimme this. She said I was to be sure and give it to you soon as I could. Seemed worried like, I should say."
"When did she give you the note," Billy inquired casually.
"When I stopped there for a drink. I was only there about five minutes."
"When was that?"
"Oh, round half-past two."
"And you came straight here?"
"Sure I did. You don't think I was gonna stop anywhere a day like this, do you?"