Well, he wasn't there. He just wasn't there! It was like getting tackled
two yards from a touch-down by a tackler you hadn't realized was
anywhere near!
Jones pushed forward, chewing agitatedly on his cigar. "Edward, you've
got some nerve, pulling a stunt like this! It's an outrage!"
"Take it easy," I said weakly. "Something's gone wrong."
"It certainly has. You must have gone insane!"
"Listen here! If you don't stick with me on this, I'm all through with
the paper!"
"That suits me fine!"
I watched him leave, trailing cigar smoke. The others followed. My face
burned and sweat trickled down my back and along my sides. I wanted to
hit out at something....
A hand gripped my elbow. It was Sergeant Thompson. "Mr. Potter, you
shouldn't let this get you down. People's kids get in scrapes all the
time. Tomorrow you'll have a talk with the judge and everything will
turn out okay."