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Page 118
should hear what your aunt said to me, and I assure you she was under no strain this morning. Her breathing was even and her color was good. Sheshe almost seemed to be enjoying some little private joke." Her lips tightened as his expression changed to a mixture of contempt and sympathy.
"I very nearly went to the police," she said.
"Good God, no!" Peter exclaimed.
"You see, I don't know any of you very well. I wasn't afraid of losing my jobthat's not why I didn't call a doctor or go to the police. I just wanted to do what would be best, and General Barthemeles agreed that"
"General BarHow the hell does he come into this?"
Linda swallowed. "I had to talk to someone, someone who knew you all well. I couldn'tWell, you've been so worried about how your aunt would react that you don't seem to realize that to me it looked like an attempt at murder."
"Murd" Peter's face went white. Then he shook his head violently. "No. No. I can't believe it."
"Your aunt doesn't think so either. I told you she called it a piece of mischief. I couldn't accept what she said, but I started to think"
"And you went to the general instead of to me? You think I tried to kill Aunt Em?"

 
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