k into the light. "I--I'm
sorry," he mumbled.

Kirk waved away the layer of smoke hanging between them. He said
wearily, "Let's try it once more. Step by step. Maybe this time...." He
let the sentence trail off, but the inference was clear.

An expression of hopeless resignation settled over Cordell's features.
"Where do you want me to start?"

"Take it from five o'clock the afternoon it happened."

The tortured man wet his lips. "Five o'clock was when my shift went off
at the plant. The plant, in case you've forgotten, is the Ames Chemical
Company, and I'm a foreman in the Dry Packaging department."

"Save your sarcasm," Kirk said equably.

"Yeah. I changed clothes and punched out around five-fifteen. Juanita
had called me about four and said to pick her up at Professor Gilmore's
laboratory."

"At what time?"

"No special time. Just when I could get out there. We were going to
have dinner and take in a movie. No particular picture; she said we'd
pick one out of the paper at dinner."

"Go on."

"Well, it must've been about quarter to six when I got out to the
University. I parked in front of the laboratory wing and went in at the
main entrance. I walked down the corridor to the Professor's office. His
typist was knocking out some letters and there were a couple of students
hanging around waiting for him to show up. How about a smoke,
Lieutenant?"

Kirk nodded to one of the men behind him and a package of cigarettes was
extended to the man under the light. A match was proffered and the young
man ignited the white tube, his hands shaking badly.

The Lieutenant crossed his legs the other way, "Let's hear the rest of
it, friend."

"What for?" Bitterness tinged Cordell's voice. "You don't believe a word
I'm saying."

"Up to now I do."

"Well, I said something or other to Alma--she's the Prof's
secretary--and went on through the door to the hall that leads to the
private lab. When I got--"

* * * * *

Kirk held up a hand. "Wait a minute. Your busting right in on the
Professor like that doesn't sound right. Why not wait in the office for
your wife?"

"What for?" Cordell squinted at him in surprise. "He and I get ... got
along fine. When Juanita first went to work for him he said to drop in
at the lab any time, not to wait in the outer office like a freshman or
something."

"Go ahead."

"Well...." The young man hesitated. "We're back to the part you _don't_
believe, O