Page 54 of M for Murder

‘That’s correct.’

‘Why do I have a problem believing that?’

‘I wouldn’t know, Agent Hickok. It seems to me that you have quite a few problems.’

‘What, are you a psychologist now as well as an English professor?’

‘No… just a guy trying to do his job. A job, incidentally, that you’re keeping me from doing.’

‘Well, I’m afraid you’re going to have to bear with me because we still have a lot of ground to cover.’

‘Such as?’

‘Such as, if you weren’t having an intimate relationship with Emma Keeley, why was she sending you notes?’

‘What?’

‘You heard me. Notes, letters… saying she had to see you.’

Silence.

‘You do know the notes I’m talking about, don’t you, Lawrie?’

‘How do you know?’

‘I work for the government. I know everything, and anything I don’t, I make it my business to find out.’

‘You’ve been snooping through my things?’

‘I wouldn’t say that. You’re a difficult man to get to know, Lawrie. You have too many secrets. I had to be resourceful.’

‘You didn’t have a warrant. You broke the law, Agent Hickok.’

‘Cut the crap, Lawrie. Emma Keeley is dead, and you know more about what happened to her than you’re letting on.’

‘I don’t know anything about her death. I told you that already and I promise you I was telling the truth.’

‘You were seeing her.’

‘I’m married.’

‘So? You think married men don’t screw around?’

‘I love my wife.’

‘That’s what they all say.’

‘I’m telling you… nothing happened between me and Emma Keeley.’

‘So why was she sending you notes? Crush on the teacher?’

‘Emma had problems. I was just trying to help her sort them out.’

‘What kind of problems?’

‘She’d been seeing a guy who worked in the city. An older guy.’

‘And?’