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it. The moonlight reflected off the soft curves of satin-smooth flesh and he saw too that she was a deep rich brunette. Then all the wonderful softness and coolness of her was against him like a silken coverlet.
    They were interrupted by the jangle of the telephone.
    Johnny swore.
    â€œDon’t answer it,” she gasped.
    He tried to get up. Her arms around him were like bands of steel. He had to pry himself loose. He stumbled across the room and grabbed up the telephone.
    â€œJohnny Nickles?” a man’s voice asked.
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œDr. Nathan.”
    Johnny’s heart flipped a beat. His mouth dried out, “Yeah?”
    â€œThe nurse on the Ruth Jordon case told me you phoned several times tonight to inquire about Miss. Jordon’s condition. Are you a member of her family?”
    â€œYou might say a very good friend.”
    â€œI was wondering. I knew her family was in the East and that she’s been alone out here, attending college.”
    â€œIs—is she any better?”
    â€œYes. I’m glad to say she regained consciousness tonight.”
    Johnny’s fingers gripped the receiver. “She’s completely okay? She talked to you?”
    The doctor’s voice hesitated. “Yes, she talked to me—to a certain extent.”
    â€œCan she have visitors?”
    â€œThat’s one reason I called you. Of course, you know the police are in charge here. They have her in protective custody. However she has been asking for you repeatedly and they agreed with me that it may be wise to have you come in. It’s long past visiting hours. But we have made special arrangements with the hospital to let you come in now. It might help.”
    â€œHelp?” Johnny asked. “I thought you said she was all right.”
    â€œPhysically she seems much better except for the powder burns to her cheek, of course, which will take a few days to heal. But I think you’d better know before you come up here that we’ve run into a mental complication.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œShe’s still in a state of shock. I’ll explain it more fully when you arrive. But, briefly, the shock of seeing a man killed before her eyes and being made a target of herself, has caused a form of temporary amnesia. At least in regard to the events that took place at the time of the murder. She’s confused. She can’t recall anything that happened from the time she started up to Smith’s apartment until this evening when she regained full consciousness. It’s not an unusual consequence in cases of extreme mental shock and emotional stress.”
    The telephone was heavy in Johnny’s hand. The situation was still no different. The secret of Miff’s death was still locked up in the darkness of a girl’s numbed mind. And somewhere, an unknown killer stalked his band.
    â€œI’ll be over,” Johnny said shortly. Then he hung up.
    Jean looked at him from across the room. Her lips were sullen, pouting. Her eyes smoldered with unfulfilled desire.
    â€œI’ll have to leave,” he said, snapping on the light.
    She came across the room at him like a furious cat, spitting and hammering at his chest with her balled fists. Then, spent, she pushed her hair back, her chest rising and falling breathlessly. She swore and stumbled into the bathroom. “I guess it wasn’t important to you anyway,” she muttered. She didn’t look back at him again.
    Johnny pulled himself together rapidly and was about to leave when he noticed her red patent leather shoulder strap bag lying on the card table. He picked it up and opened the snap lock. Inside, there was the usual feminine confusion of bobby pins, powder, handkerchiefs, crumpled bills, paper book matches and keys. There was an address on one of the key tags. He memorized it, then dropped the key back into the purse and snapped the lock closed.
    Going down the stairs, he slowed up