“Really? Why, he left before nine—I told you what time he left the last day. Eight-thirty. Why should he do that, leave himself without a secretary for an hour and a half? He didn’t have to. He didn’t even have to go to the office until ten-fifteen or later. He could have been anywhere.”

“Like where?”

She sat forward. “I don’t know!”

“Keep your wits about you. What we said about other women still goes. It’s a ridiculous hour to conduct an affair. Miss Alma is an insufferable person. Perhaps he couldn’t fire her and knew he worked better when she wasn’t around. He had those books that no one understands. She knew nothing about the items in his desk. She was told to stay away from there and she did.”

Out in the hall, the telephone rang. “That’s Wendell, for you. Go ahead and take it.”

It rang again. He got up. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” She said, “He was doing something. We know that now.”

Leland reached the telephone on the fourth ring. “Hello?”

“Joe? Wendell. I want to apologize for my behavior last night. I was upset and lost my perspective.”

“No, the pleasure was mine. I had a fine time.”

“I see. You don’t have to talk. This has been on my mind all day. I let my concern for her welfare get the better of me. It wasn’t until you were gone that I realized it.”

“I didn’t have a bad day, all in all.”

“How did you make out?”

“Oh.” He had been taken literally. “Not bad. You can’t always tell right away.”

“That’s something I should be able to understand. Were you able to speak with your wife about the party?”

“Not yet. It has to be up to her. You know that.”

“Don’t put any importance on it,” Roberts said. “Maybe you and I can get together tomorrow night.”

“I’ll have to see,” Leland said.

“Let me know. Good night.”

“Good night.”

Norma watched him return. “What will be up to me?”

“Not you, my wife. Whether we’ll make the party Friday night.”

“Oh, she’ll have a good time—” She watched him as he sat down again. Karen and Roberts had known each other. She was wondering if she had done something wrong.

“It’s not important,” he said.

She put her cup on the table and leaned back. She looked weary. “When I mentioned Wendell’s name in your office Monday, you didn’t react at all. He’s better than anyone I’ve ever known at concealing the truth. I’ve seen him listen to the most outrageous lies without flinching. I don’t have any choice but to believe what you say about what went on between you last night. Your wife knew him and you didn’t?”

Leland nodded. “I wouldn’t have dragged her into a lie.”