'I'm always ready to talk to you, Lieutenant,' Sweeting said. 'I didn't know the other guy.'
Adams looked over at Watson and tossed him his notebook.
'Take it down,' he said curtly. 'Talk away,' he went on to Sweeting. 'I know most of it so don't skip the details. Start where you met Holland on the stairs.'
Sweeting flinched.
'Have you arrested him, Lieutenant?' he asked uneasily. 'You can't believe a word that guy says. I'll bet he said I tried to blackmail him.'
'He told me he punched you in the eye,' Adams said unfeelingly. 'Start talking!'
Sweeting talked.
Half an hour later, Adams lit his fourth cigarette, stretched, yawned and nodded his head.
'That seems to take care of that. You're sure you didn't see this other guy who left Carson's apartment before Holland did?'
'I didn't see him,' Sweeting said miserably. He had parted with valuable information for nothing, and it grieved him.
'Okay. Got it all down?' Adams said to Watson.
'Yes, sir.'
'Sign it, Raphael,' Adams said. 'Each page and you countersign it, Watson.'
When both men had finished signing the statement, Adams took charge of the notebook again.
'You can go home,' he said to Watson. 'Keep your mouth shut about this.'
When Watson had gone, Adams lit his fifth cigarette, settled himself more comfortably in his chair and stared at Sweeting thoughtfully.
'We're going to have a little talk, Raphael. Strictly off the record, and you're going to be helpful. I want to crack this case. It's important to me. There's not much you don't see and hear.-You may have some ideas. If you play with me, I'll play with you, so keep on the right side of me.'
'Yes, Lieutenant,' Sweeting said, dabbing his eye. 'But I don't know a thing.'
'You might,' Adams said, stretching out his short legs. 'I had an idea Johnny Dorman knocked this girl off. How do you react to that one?'
Sweeting looked startled.
'Johnny? He wouldn't kill anyone!'
'Don't talk through the back of your neck! Of course he would. He's as vicious as they come. You knew him pretty well, didn't you ?'
'I played billiards with him from time to time,' Sweeting said. 'Yes, I guess I knew him well, but I haven't seen or heard from him since he was put in that home. What makes you think he did it?'
'I don't think he did it now. I said I liked him for the job, but I've changed my mind. He threatened to kill her before he went into the home, and that made me think maybe he'd done it.'
'He wouldn't kill her,' Sweeting said. 'He was through with her. I know. He told me. She meant nothing to him after he had beaten her up.'
'Okay. Do you think Holland did it?'
Sweeting hesitated. He wanted to get Ken Holland into trouble if he could, but he decided Adams might not like him to side-track him because of his own private hate.
'I guess not. Why have you changed your mind about Johnny, Lieutenant?'
'I don't reckon he could have done it. Holland saw him out-outside the Blue Rose. He didn't know Carson's address. He couldn't have got there and hid in her bedroom before they returned, could he?'
Sweeting inclined his head.
'Maybe you're right.'
'I think I am. Okay, if it wasn't Johnny and it wasn't Holland who was it?'
Sweeting blinked.
'Are you asking me?'
'I'm asking you, Raphael. You spend all your life sticking your snout into other people's affairs. Don't tell me you didn't stick it into Carson's affairs as well.'
Sweeting hesitated.
'Well, I'd like to help you, Lieutenant, but I don't know.'
'Have a guess,' Adams said quietly.
Sweeting again hesitated.
'If I were you,' he said slowly, 'I'd talk to Maurice Yarde. He might have a few ideas.'
'Who's he?'
'He used to be Fay's dancing partner before they quarrelled.'
