The Second Confesion

“Just before dinner. Dad had just come home, and I was going to tell him about it, but I decided not to because I knew he must have got Webster to sign that statement, and he's so stubborn-I knew what he would say. But I couldn't just not do anything. I knew it was my fault Louis got killed, and after what you told us about him it didn't matter about him but it did about me. I guess that sounds selfish, but I've decided that from now on I'm going to be perfectly honest. I'm going to be honest to everyone about everything. I'm going to quit being a fake. Take the way I acted the day you came. I should have just phoned Louis and told him I didn't want to see him any more, that would have been the honest thing and that was what I really wanted to do; but no, I didn't do that, I had to phone him to come and meet me so I could tell him face to face-and what happened? I honestly believe I was hoping that someone would listen in on one of the extensions so they would know how fine and noble I was! I knew Connie did that all the time, and maybe others did too. Anyhow someone did, and you know what happened. It was just as if I had phoned him to come and get killed!” She stopped for breath. Wolfe suggested, “You may be taking too much credit, Miss Sperling.” That's a nasty crack.” She wasn't through. “I couldn't say all this to my father or mother, not even to my sister, because-well, I couldn't. But I wasn't going to start being honest by hiding the worst thing I ever did. I thought it over very carefully, and I decided you were the one person who would know exactly what I meant. You knew I was afraid of you that afternoon, and you told me so. I think it was the first time anyone really understood me.” I had to keep back a snort. A fine freckled girl saying that to Wolfe with me present was approaching the limit. If there was anything oh earth he didn't understand and I did, it was young women.