“Well, I went up there, and we talked for a while, and then I saw Sandra was going to be late so I told her to switch out the light and get into bed and I’d wait. I went over and sat down in the closet. I had this gun with me. I tried to keep awake, but I guess I dozed off a bit. I woke up some time in the night and heard Alma Hunter give a little scream. I had a flashlight, and I switched it on. A man was bending over the bed, feeling for her throat. When the flashlight hit him, he turned and started to run. I was pretty much excited. I pulled the trigger, and he went down for the count. I threw the gun on the floor and ran out the door into the corridor. Alma Hunter jumped out of bed and came running after me. The wind slammed the door shut. There was a spring lock on it. She couldn’t get back in to get her clothes. She said she’d hide until Sandra came in. We decided there was no use making a squawk to the police. We figured Sandra would help cover the thing up some way. Alma said she’d protect me. So I beat it.

“Then I found that she was trying to take the rap for me, and I figured she could get away with it on account of self-defense, but the last I heard, things didn’t look so hot.”

The sheriff said, “Sit down, Lam. Sit down, and take it easy. Now don’t get all worked up about it. After all, you’re going to feel a lot better when you’ve told us all about it. Now, where did you get the gun?”

“That,” I said, “is something else.”

“I know it is, Donald, but if you’re going to tell the story, you’d better tell the whole story. It isn’t going to do any good just to get half of it off your mind. Think of how much better you’ll sleep tonight if you come clean and give us the whole thing.”

“Bill Cunweather gave me the gun,” I said.

“And who’s Bill Cunweather?”

“I used to know him back East.”

“Where back East?”

“Kansas City.”

In the silence that followed, I heard the deputy district attorney take a deep breath.

“Where did you last see Cunweather?” he asked.

“He has a place out on Willoughby Drive.”

“Do you remember the number?”

“Nine hundred and seven, I think it is. He’s got his whole mob with him.”

“Who’s in the mob?”

“Oh, everybody,” I said. “Fred, and all the rest of them.”

“And he gave you the gun?”