The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1938-09-23
CHAPTER VIII

Cooped UP In the stuffy, dingy
phone booth In the court lobby Pat
felt the rush Of blood in her ears,
heard the heavy beat Of her heart,
woped the nervous perspiration
from the palms Of her hands. -Four
phone calls and still she hadn't 10
Gated Larry. She called his sales
room again and managed to talk to
one Of the men she knew.
Hell be here in an hour" he
said. Gan have him call you
back?"
''Please. "TIl be at home. Tell
him I must see him."
She hated going home yet she
hurried lest he call before she ar
rived. The boys weren't home yet,
but Mrs. McGraw had heard the
news.
"It's terrible thing, Pat. For
the life Of me can't understand
q nice boy like Larry doing such
@ thing" She sank down in her
favorite chair and watched Pat
toss her hat on the table and sit
down on the sofa to read the even
ing papers.
Being In an accident was a
horrible experience" she con-
tinued, land can feel sorry for
the boy. 1t might have happened
to anyone, but driving away;
leaving that poor woman and
child In the street. That's what
gets me Pat. DO you s'pose he
didn't know he hit them?'
The lump In Pats throat made
her answer hesitant She tried to
force ring Of sincerity to her
words. ut must be so, Nom. I
can't think he'd try to hide the
fact. It doesn't seem like him.
left word for him to call me. After
all my place Is now with him. I'll
have to stand by and give him a
chance to tell his side Of the
story"
Her mother nodded. Eyes, be
fair, Pat. Only hope my boys
never get mixed UP in such a
thing. II they get in an accident I
want them to be honest; not run
away"
The minutes dragged, but finally
the phone rang. 1t was Larry,
and her heart leaped at the calm
nesB Of his voice. No tremble, no
quayer. "The boys said you
called, Pat. I was pretty busy all
day, as you can imagine. I sup
pose you read the papers?"
Eyes, this morning, Larry. Are
you all right? I mean, things
aren't as bad Is they say In the
newspapers, are they?"
they'll have O hard time pin
ming anything on me-" he declared
quietly. "Just because I had to
have q dented fender, and because
some dumb cluck said he saw me
driving there at that time isn't
going to make me guilty"
The burning question famed
before her, danced on the tip Of
her tongue. She must know. Per
haps he couldn't be proven guilty,
but had his car been the one?
Iarry's voice was humming
over the wire again. IT can't talk
to you like this. I'll come over.
we can't 60 out because the police
have taken my license away.
Maybe we can have little time
together alone, though, at your
house."
She agreed YEARLY. She wanted
10 have a talk, too. but 1t was
unlike him to stress the need Of
privacy. She felt her thoughts go
of on tangents again and got up
TO find relief In busying herself
In the kitchen.
She noticed a change In the
boys manner when they discussed
Larry at dinner. Bill brought up
the subject, trying with the awk-
ward embarrassment Of youth to
express sympathy and yet unable
to conceal the puzzled wonder
they all felt.
Tough, all right. Doesn't seem
like Larry to pull a hit-run trick.
Course this guy that said be saw
him may be all wet But again
its sorta tough II Larry's inno-
cent to have q bumped fender.
You were in the car that Satur-
day night. Pat. Did you notice
anything wrong?"
She didn't dare look into his
honest young eyes, nor meet Joe's
anxious glance. She toyed with
her dessert. All three of them had
been brought up to believe in the
justice of the law. 1t had been
their fathers creed and he had
passed It on to his children. The
boys had taken pride In Pats own
work because 1t placed her in the
reflected glory Of a law-enforcing
agency. Now doubt was in their
minds.
Il II just thought you might
have noticed the fender if it had
been loosened," Bill stammered
again.
eyes - on the way it banged a
little. Larry said 1t must have
been hit when we were parked at
the club. 1t could have, of course.
HE said he was over near High
Hill at 5 that evening. He couldnt
have been there and at the scene
Of the accident, too" The words
wore unconvincing. though. The
boys tried to help her.
Sure they park those cars
close &c clubs. Some drunk probably
backed into Larry's machine"
wet when Larry arrived the boys