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 to talk over father's affairs, Steve. I've not mentioned that to the reporters or even to the police yet; but of course I've been thinking about it."

"Mentioning it?" I said.

"I wanted this talk with you first, Steve. Why did you call me yesterday and afterwards smash Shirley's car? What did you know?"

I stared at him and shook my head.

"Yesterday at lunch," Fred kept at me, "you asked me particularly about father's engagements for last night; you asked whether Shirley would drive down to meet him. I told you she would."

I had nothing to do but to nod at this.

Fred asked directly, "You smashed into her car to stop her?"

I stared at him and kept thinking of Jerry's "Not a word to any one" and the message Klangenberg brought me from "Kidnapped" and "Westward Ho" which begged me "to stick." Yet I had to say something here or I might as well, since my actions already had spoken for me,

"Yes, Fred; I smashed into her to stop her from meeting your father."

"I was sure of it. You had reason to think,