‘‘He’s yours, Cynthia,’’ Baker said, ignoring him.
‘‘Entirely,’’ Canidy said. ‘‘Heart and soul.’’
‘‘Oh, shut up, Dick,’’ she said, but didn’t quite manage to suppress a smile.
‘‘I was sorry to hear about Mr. Whittaker,’’ Canidy said after he was sure Baker was out of
hearing.
‘‘It was a stroke. The day the war started.’’
‘‘I know how much he meant to you,’’ Canidy said.
‘‘What do you mean by that?’’ she asked.
‘‘Just the way it sounded,’’ he said. ‘‘Has there been any word about Jimmy?’’
‘‘Not a word,’’ she said. ‘‘Except a letter he wrote to his aunt a week or so before the war started.’’
She seemed genuinely concerned.
‘‘What’s going on around here?’’ Canidy asked.
‘‘I suppose you’ll have the chance to ask about that tomorrow, ’’ she said.
‘‘And what’s your role in all this?’’
‘‘Can I get you something?’’ she asked, ignoring the question. ‘‘Something to eat?’’
‘‘I ate a sandwich on the train,’’ he said. ‘‘I asked, what’s your role in all this?’’
‘‘I knew you were probably going to be difficult,’’ she said. ‘‘Can’t it wait until morning, Dick?’’
‘‘And if I said no, you would say ‘It’ll have to,’ right?’’
‘‘Yes.’’ She grinned. ‘‘Now, is there anything I can get you? Or can I take you to your room?’’
‘‘Is there a phone in my room?’’
"Why?"
‘‘I want to call my father,’’ he said.
‘‘You’re not supposed to do that,’’ she said. Then she saw the look on his face and quickly went on. ‘‘You’re under certain restrictions here, Dick. They’ll be explained to you in detail in the morning. Until they are, you aren’t supposed to use the telephone or mail letters. . . .’’
‘‘For Christ’s sake!’’ Canidy fumed. ‘‘That’s absurd!’’
‘‘That’s the way it is,’’ she said. ‘‘I’m sorry.’’
He started toward the library door. ‘‘Nice to have seen you again, Cynthia,’’ he said.
‘‘And you’re restricted to the property,’’ she said. ‘‘You can’t leave.’’
He stopped. ‘‘Those cops, you mean?’’
‘‘Dick, I can get you an outside line to call your father,’’ she said. ‘‘Provided you don’t tell him you’re here. Just to say hello, that’s all. And I’ll have to listen. If you say anything you shouldn’t, I’ll cut you off.’’
He looked at her, then turned and came closer to her.