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A second later, the words were furiously erased

SPEAK NO TRUTH!

Jane turned slowly around The ie McCorhost, there was soue; it had been sliced off at the base

"Oh, God!" Jane said softly, "I’m so sorry, so, so sorry!"

13

The county officer on duty at the hospital acknowledged Sloan as he came in "The doctor was just in with her One of the nurses was the first to realize Ms Layton was co in the coht if you speak with her"

Sloan went in When he entered the room, Jennie’s eyes were closed She looked small and frail as she lay in the hospital bed He noted the veins in her hands where they lay on the white sheets

He just sat there for aAfter some time, her eyes opened She blinked, disoriented

"Sloan," she said weakly

He leaned close to the bed and took one of her thin, delicate hands She offered hi "They say you’re going to be fine"

She nodded "When I first opened my eyes, I didn’t knohere I was I didn’t knohat had happened I had nomemory"

"And now?"

"Now, I remember that I went down to the baseo down to the basement, Jennie? Do you remember? You were in the room with all the old props and mannequins Why?"

Jennie was silent, and then she looked at hi," Jennie said at last

"The mannequins?" Sloan asked in a carefully even tone

"Oh, Sloan, don’t be silly! I got hit on the head, but I know ain "So someone was down there?"

"Yes, someone was in the roo down there several tiure out what the actors would be doing down there I’e, props, costu on"

"So you didn’t recognize anything about the voices?"

She shook her head "But, Sloan, I heard the Yet whenever I went down, no one was there"

"Did you tell Henri about it?" he asked her

"No" She ran the fingers of her free hand over the sheets, glanced at them for a minute and then back at Sloan "I didn’t want Henri to think I was too old for my job--too old, or too crazy"

"You’re not that old, Jennie," Sloan said firo down but not see anyone"

"Yes Of course, the light is pretty di is the overflow from the main room," Jennie reminded him "But no, I didn’t see anyone, and the only way out is the stairs that lead to the door by the bar So I thought I was crazy ? Do you have any idea ung that cane at you?"

"The clown," she said suddenly "It was a clown hosts down there"

Again, she was quiet He didn’t press her; he realized she wasn’t sure how to say what she wanted to say