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CONTRIBUTORS
Kim Curry, PhD, APRN Ancillary Writers Lyndel F. Walker, MSN, RN
Editor-in-Chief Nursing Instructor
Cindy Woodall Carter, MSN, BSN,
Journal of the American Association Hesston College
RN, IBCLC, RLC, CCAP
of Nurse Practitioners Hesston, Kansas
Nursing Affiliate Faculty
Clinical Associate Professor PowerPoint Presentations
Colorado Christian University
The University of Florida College of
Lakewood, Colorado
Nursing
Indiana Wesleyan University
Gainesville, Florida
Adjunct Nursing Faculty
Marion, Indiana
Kathleen Hribar, MSN, RN-BC
Test Banks
Evaluation Faculty
Western Governors University
Robyn C. Leo, MS, RN
College of Health Professions
Associate Professor
Salt Lake City, Utah
Lillian R. Goodman Department
of Nursing
Lyndel F. Walker, MSN, RN
Worcester State University
Nursing Instructor
Worcester, Massachusetts
Hesston College
Case Studies
Hesston, Kansas
vi
REVIEWERS
Catherine Aquino-Russell, RN, BScN, MN, PhD Amanda Kirkham, RN, BScN, MA
Professor of Nursing Program Coordinator
Faculty of Nursing, Moncton Campus Northern Collaborative Baccalaureate in Nursing
University of New Brunswick Northwest Community College
Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada Terrace, British Columbia, Canada
vii
PREFACE
For more than 20 years, communication has been identified into nursing, which also includes application into clinical
as a major factor in healthcare quality and safety. In fact, learning experiences. Cronenwett et al. (2007) described
communication continues to be cited as a contributing fac- each competency and the KSAs that prelicensure nurses
tor in 70% of healthcare mistakes (Institute of Medicine should master (www.qsen.org).
[IOM], 2003; Kohn et al., 2000). Many initiatives across Patient-centered care recognizes and respects the
all healthcare settings are seeking to improve the way patient’s family as full team members and includes them
healthcare professionals communicate and interact within as partners in providing compassionate and coordinated
interprofessional teams. Maintaining quality and safe care care guided by the patient’s preferences, values, and needs.
depends on clear, concise, and accurate communication Understanding unique aspects of the patient’s cultural
of observations, assessments, patient data, and instructions. background is important in planning care; assessing pain
Nurses have roles and responsibilities in direct care; there- management with ethical considerations; and communicat-
fore they spend more time with patients than do other ing plans of care and outcomes with honesty, accurateness,
members of the healthcare team. Nurses are accountable and timeliness.
for accurate assessment and observations to identify patient Teamwork and collaboration are critical to quality and
and family needs. Nurses must communicate this crucial safe care by effectively working within nursing and across
information to other team members to enable team mem- other disciplines using open communication, mutual
bers to make best practice decisions. respect, and shared decision-making. Team members must
The ninth edition of this basic resource continues to recognize the scope of practice for each discipline and rec-
offer learning strategies to prepare nurses to develop essen- ognize authority gradients that guide the hierarchy in mak-
tial communication skills so that nurses are fully participat- ing decisions. Transparent communication is important
ing members of the healthcare team. The focus on with all team members, including that with patients and
communication prepares nurses to coordinate care and their families.
use their voices to contribute to care planning. This book Care consistent with the most current evidence base
helps address the multiple types of situations in which requires skills in informatics to complete data-based
nurses need to develop communication skills. Each chapter searches and evaluate the evidence for applicability, yet rec-
includes multiple types of learning exercises, and selected ognize when to make decisions that may be different from
chapters offer opportunities to develop the quality and the standard of care to acknowledge patient and family
safety competencies now integrated into all nursing stan- values and beliefs. Inquiry, or asking questions, should
dards. All nurses are expected to achieve the six competen- form the foundation for practice; nurses who ask questions
cies developed in the Quality and Safety Education for about what they do, why they do it in a particular way, and
Nurses (QSEN) national project: patient-centered care, what other ways to consider are in fact applying critical rea-
teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, qual- soning, clinical judgment, and reflective practice to con-
ity improvement, safety, and informatics (Cronenwett et al., stantly advance their expertise.
2007). These competencies derive from the 2003 IOM road Quality improvement (QI) is the process by which out-
map for dramatic changes in how health professionals are comes of care are monitored. Data are collected on standard
educated if we are to achieve 21st-century goals for improv- measures such as patient falls, hospital-acquired infection,
ing quality and safety. The IOM (2003) framework stated and other aspects of care managed by nurses. The data are
that all health professionals should be educated to collabo- then compared or benchmarked against data from other
rate in interprofessional teams to deliver patient-centered departments or institutions to be able to identify gaps in
care based on the most current evidence-based practice performance or where there is a need to improve quality
guidelines and monitored for quality improvement. Each and safety outcomes.
competency was described by the QSEN project (www. Healthcare has adapted safety science from other indus-
qsen.org) with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) tries to bring a system focus on ways to minimize risk to
for nurses to provide specific guidance in implementing patients and providers by examining system effectiveness
into their nursing education and practice. as well as individual performance. New attitudes toward
The goal of the QSEN competencies is to transform errors mean that errors are reported as always, but with
nursing by integrating the KSAs for these six competencies the intent of learning from them through a systematic
viii
PREFACE ix
review, often using root cause analysis. By tracing the path- In summary, communication is the critical skill in deliv-
way of an incident, we can learn where in the process dif- ering the complex care required by patients in the 21st cen-
ferent choices could have led to a different outcome. tury. Coordinating across disciplines such as physicians,
One example is misconnecting tubes for the multiple ports pharmacists, and others involved in a patient’s care requires
a single patient may have, such as when the wrong tube that nurses develop high-level communication skills.
is connected to the wrong device (e.g., the nasogastric Nurses then will be able to both lead and participate in
tube connected to the IV bag). By collecting data about briefings (planning), huddles (problem-solving), and
this error, nurses can learn ways to manage the multiple debriefings (process improvement). The exercises in this
tubes that prevent the mistake from happening by all book can help develop the emotional intelligence required
providers. to have the self-awareness, self-monitoring, and self-
Informatics skills can help nurses achieve the goals of management to be an effective team member. Communica-
these competencies by seeking information from multiple tion really can be the difference in healthcare outcomes;
sources, using decision support tools, managing data for accurate, timely, and effective communication can reduce
quality improvement, reporting errors, and documenting patient suffering and improve teamwork that in turn
care in the electronic health record. Nurses should further improves the working environment for nurses.
be involved in the design of the informatics systems used in Gwen Sherwood, PhD, RN, FAAN, Co-Investigator,
their facilities to ensure they address nursing issues as well Quality and Safety Education for Nurses project
as respect patient privacy and preferences. Informatics also University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
has a role in monitoring applications for safety alerts to North Carolina
warn nurses of changes in patient condition, medication
and fluid administration, or other safety parameters.
Developing these competencies enables nurses to apply REFERENCES
principles from new safety science. Organizational philos-
ophy based on safety culture includes processes for care- Cronenwett, L., Sherwood, G., Barnsteiner, J., Disch, J., Johnson, J.,
Mitchell, P., & Warren, J. (2007). Quality and safety education
givers to identify and report errors that are then analyzed
for nurses. Nursing Outlook, 55(3), 122–131.
for each stage of decision making; identifying steps that Institute of Medicine. (2003). Health professions education: A
can be redesigned to prevent future errors is an essential bridge to quality. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.
aspect of communication with the patient and family to Kohn, L., Corigan, J., & Donaldson, M. (Eds.), (2000). To err is
ensure improvements in care. Each competency helps human: Building a safer health system. Washington, D.C.:
nurses develop skills that form the foundation for commu- Committee on Quality of Health Care in America, Institute of
nication that can improve safety. Medicine, National Academies Press.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to Yvonne Alexopoulos, Senior Content Strategist; Lisa Newton, Senior Content Develop-
ment Manager; and to our contributors. It takes a dedicated team to bring a revision to life.
A special thank you to Dr Catherine Aquino-Russell, one of our reviewers, who shared resources
and dialogue about presence from her life, her work, and her research. It was a privilege to be invited to
her class via video conference to bear witness to her own students’ “Moments of Connection.”
x
INTRODUCTION
And so we begin our ninth edition…from the miracle of Coping with several chronic illnesses for many years, and
birth to the mystery of death, the gift of nursing is the inti- being critically ill in this hospitalization, she claimed
mate journey we take with the client and family. Finely “joy” as her goal in life. Using several photography apps,
tuned communication skills are essential as nurses live their I turned the art into a mandala to represent the nurse
own life stories and bear witness to the stories of those they and client relationship in seeking wholeness. The words
serve. Nurses practice assertive communication for this express qualities/behaviors of the nurse that support the
journey. Nurses provide education that helps clients change nurse as cocreator of the healing environment along with
lifelong habits. Nurses communicate with people under the client, family, and friends.
stress, such as clients, family, and colleagues. Nurses deal The mandala, a Sanskrit word meaning “sacred circle,”
with anger and depression, with dementia and psychosis, is a symbol for wholeness. Buddhist monks create intricate
and with joy and despair. Nurses serve as client advocates mandalas of sand with prayers of healing intention. On
and as parts of interdisciplinary teams whose members may completion, they are released in the wind to send forth their
have different ideas about priorities for care. Nurses return prayers. Carl Jung, a Swiss psychoanalyst, borrowed from
to school to specialize, write grants for research proposals, this tradition, finding that patients who created mandalas,
and become entrepreneurs. Nurses become administrators, art within a circle, gained self-awareness and insight. He
leaders, case managers, infection control specialists, quality suggested that when we make art within a circle, it is as
experts, and educators. Nurses blend their understanding of if we are addressing our whole self, our whole world
healthcare and technology to offer the skill of nursing infor- (Marshall, 2003). Western therapists Kellog (2002) and
matics. Nurses combine their mission of faith and health- Cornell (1994) used mandalas as therapeutic tools. Man-
caring in parish nursing. Nurses move into industry to dalas create a symbol of where we are at this moment.
work in occupational health and into schools and commu- Holistic nursing teaches us that each of us is whole in each
nities to improve the health of large populations and com- single moment, not needing to be fixed, but at the right
munities. Nurses create new positions in which their voices place and time for our personal journey, and that we make
can affect healthcare quality. Nurses cross international meaning from even the illness experience. The nurse uses
boundaries to share knowledge needed to promote world- self as an instrument of healing to support the client’s jour-
wide health. Nurses must be assertive to ask the right ques- ney. The nurse is called to the healing encounter, drawn by
tions and make their voices heard. Nurses must be assertive compassion to the vulnerability and/or suffering of another
to communicate their own needs and be prepared to assert (Enzman Hines et al., 2015). The words in the circle are
themselves to ensure balance in their own lives. Without examples of expressive writing, an expressive arts modality
such balance, the high-stress environment may diminish for self-care for nurses and clients. These words reflect
nurses’ effectiveness. meaning making and legacy in my nursing journey.
Despite the complexity of technology and the multiple Note: In this text, we usually use the word client rather
demands on nurses’ time, the intimate moments of connec- than patient to emphasize the nature of the service that we
tion can make all the difference in the quality of care and render and to honor that people are whole persons, body,
meaning for the client and the nurse. As you refine commu- mind, and spirit, whose role at this time may be that of
nication skills and build confidence, with time you can “patient,” which is one role of many in life.
move from novice to expert. Nurses honor, with humility, Look at the cover, reflect on the words, and consider
the differences in clients. As you learn and grow in your words you would add to the circle. Other expressive arts
ability to trust your intuition, be open to what Martin invitations can support your practice (Riley, 2012).
Buber, a Jewish theologian, called the I–Thou relation- Remember, we embellish our nursing practice with who
ship—the sacred moment of connection. You can make a we are. A nurse who sings might sing to a comatose client
difference in the lives of others even in short spaces of time, or initiate a playful song when colleagues are stressed. A
in a smile, in rearranging a pillow, in asking, “What’s this nurse who gardens might bring flowers to work. A nurse
like for you?” who cooks might bring a comfort food so staff can break
Notice the cover art on this ninth edition— it is a circu- bread together in a time of crisis. What gifts do you bring?
lar design, a mandala. I created this watercolor painting, Watch for “Moments of Connection,” a place in which
titled Embrace Joy, to celebrate the recovery of a patient. seasoned nurses and students share their stories of making
xi
xii INTRODUCTION
a difference in moments during which they were mindful emotions through art is valuable and parallels the “not
and communicating with warmth and compassion—truly knowing” inherent in the practice of nursing. Students
present. introduce the expressive arts to clients with poetry, simple
The text is organized to support communication in collage, and mandala designs to color for relaxation. They
nursing as a journey. “Active Learning,” a feature to pro- report that these brief interventions help them learn more
mote active goal-directed reading, begins each chapter. I about their clients. Students use these processes for their
have my students answer these questions in weekly own stress relief and self-discovery through a creative
response papers to support their application of what they expression journal they keep all semester.
are reading.
We continue to emphasize the importance of assertive WHAT’S IMPORTANT?
communication to promote quality and safe care for clients.
QSEN exercises support this process. The QSEN competen- To deepen your work in building communication skills
cies are explained in the preface by Gwen Sherwood, PhD, through better understanding of yourself and your practice,
RN, FAAN, Co-Investigator, Quality and Safety Education begin a reflective journal. Some of the chapter exercises will
for Nurses Project. refer to creating a reflective journal entry. Problem-solving
can be improved with reflection of experience over time.
When you finish your course of study of communication,
WHAT’S NEW? reviewing your journal will help you see how far you have
Throughout the text, we weave the concept of mindfulness come and give new insights for what’s next in your
for the nurse to be fully present for clients and colleagues. nursing career.
Interprofessional communication is stressed as we work Chapters on humor and spirituality help add perspective
together to provide safe and compassionate care. We have and support the practice of holistic nursing. Pay attention
added a chapter to introduce tools for self-assessment, to the “Wit and Wisdom” sections and the proverbs and
which are accessible online. Chapter 3 is titled “Starting quotations at the beginning of each chapter, which add per-
with YOU: Understanding Yourself to Build a Foundation spective to and involvement with the content. These added
for Learning about Communication.” Taking the time to features help prevent the “where was I?” thoughts that come
identify your strengths, understand the importance of emo- when your mind drifts with heavy reading assignments and
tional intelligence, and examine your conflict management multiple life commitments.
style will help you build communication skills for your Honor the sacred nature of your work. Take time each
work with clients and in interprofessional teams. day to connect with your own purpose in your work and set
Chapter 23 has been revised to become “Navigating the goals for your caring each day. Think of a single word or
Expanding World of Digital Communication” to support phrase that reflects your intention, and let it support you
your assertive, responsible use of a wide variety of tools through the day.
of electronic communication. Remember:
Additional creative expression exercises have been Take time for your own spiritual practice.
added to give you alternative ways to grow in your own Honor your own body-mind-spirit connection with
self-awareness to build your communication skills. These self-care.
may include reflective writing, art making, poem making, You cannot give what you do not have.
cinemeducation, and medical theater. Take your work seriously but yourself lightly.
Carper (1978) identified four patterns of knowing in To be distracted from the person in front of you is to be
nursing: empirical, personal, ethical, and esthetic. Esthetic otherwise attracted...and at this moment in time,
knowing refers to the “art” of nursing; that is, the intangible nothing is more important than this person.
quality that incorporates parts of the mind, the soul, and the
imagination, as identified by Florence Nightingale Author’s note: As you continue your career in nursing,
(Nightingale, 1852; Stockhausen, 2006). When nurses deal be open to unusual paths to meet new goals and use your
with not knowing, or the uncertainty in some situations, strengths to bring your authentic self to clients. I have been
creativity can be a valuable force in coping. I teach a course curious about the therapeutic value of art since 1968, when I
titled Expressive Arts in Healing: Health Promotion completed my psychiatric nursing affiliation at St. Eliza-
through the Arts in the department of nursing at the Uni- beth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. This passion was
versity of Tampa. By semester’s end, students understand rekindled as I offered expressive arts workshops to nurses.
that the discomfort they feel as they try out art materials, I worked with clients in private homes, hospice houses,
still the voice of their inner critic, and explore their own nursing homes, and hospital rooms to facilitate art
INTRODUCTION xiii
processes. These expressive arts invitations provide an Enzman Hines, M. E., Wardell, D. W., Engebretson, J.,
opportunity to explore emotions and encourage conversa- Zahourek, R., & Smith, M. C. (2015). Holistic nurses’ stories
tion and reflection about the experience of end of life and of healing another. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 33(1), 27–45.
illness. They add a bit of whimsy and fun at a difficult time, Kellog, J. (2002). Mandala: Path of beauty. Belleair, FL: Associa-
tion of Teachers of Mandala Assessment.
and clients report that they provide distraction from pain.
Marshall, M. C. (2003). Creative learning: The mandala as
Julia Balzer Riley, RN, MN, AHN-BC teaching exercise. Journal of Nursing Education, 42(11), 517.
Registered Expressive Arts Consultant and Educator (REACE) Nightingale, F. (1852). Nightingale notes on nursing. New York,
NY: Churchill Livingstone (Reprinted 1980.).
REFERENCES Riley, J. B. (2012). Art in small spaces: Art at the bedside. Ellenton,
FL: CSP. (Reprinted in 2012; this is an expressive arts
Carper, B. (1978). Fundamental patterns of knowing in nursing. guidebook for self-discovery and healing. For more
Advances in Nursing Science, 1(1), 13. information email julia@constantsource.com.).
Cornell, J. (1994). Mandala: Luminous symbols for healing. Stockhausen, L. (2006). Metier artistry: Revealing reflection-in-
Wheaton, IL: Quest Books. action in everyday practice. Nurse Education Today, 26(1), 54.
FRAMEWORK
Part I: Packing Your Bags for the Journey of Caring, Assertive, Responsible Communication
Chapter Will Help You
1. Responsible, Assertive, Caring Communication Appreciate the significance of responsible, assertive, caring
in Nursing communication as fundamental approaches in nursing
2. The Client–Nurse Relationship: A Helping Develop a communication approach that has the interests of
Relationship your clients at heart
3. Starting with YOU: Understanding Yourself Assess your own strengths, emotional intelligence,
to Build a Foundation for Learning about and conflict management style for therapeutic use of self in
Communication nursing
4. Solving Problems Together Collaborate and validate with your clients at each phase of the
nursing process
5. Understanding Each Other: Communication Understand others and recognize the need to incorporate
and Culture differences in culture, gender, and age in nursing interventions
xiv
FRAMEWORK xv
xvi
PART I
Packing Your Bags for the
Journey of Caring,
Assertive, Responsible
Communication
1
This page intentionally left blank
1
Responsible, Assertive, Caring
Communication in Nursing
OBJECTIVES
1. Identify the functions of interpersonal communication 7. Identify three types of assertions
in nursing 8. Identify three essential criteria for presenting an
2. Distinguish between assertive, nonassertive, and assertive response
aggressive communication 9. Describe the behavior of an assertive nurse
3. Identify a three-step process to build assertiveness skills 10. List the advantages of assertive communication
4. Identify assertive rights 11. Describe responsible communication in nursing
5. Identify irrational beliefs that impede assertive 12. Discuss the role of caring in nursing
communication 13. Participate in exercises to build skills in responsible,
6. Explain the describe, express, specify, consequences assertive, caring communication
(DESC) script for developing an assertive response
Why should you study and practice communication? • This text will support your own life journey of meaning
Reflect on your own answers to this question as you read making in your work.
this opening chapter. This I believe: Nursing students can make use of this book as they
• Communication is a lifelong journey. begin their professional journey. Practicing nurses will also
• You can make a difference in patients’ lives by practicing find this work useful as they come to understand clear com-
caring, assertive, responsible communication. munication as an essential ingredient for success in a
• As you grow in comfort with assertive skills, you will changing healthcare climate. Clear, assertive communica-
build positive relationships in your professional and tion is essential for interprofessional communication for
personal life. patient safety (Omura et al., 2017). If you have not read this
• You support each other’s rights for ethical, competent, book’s introduction, do so now! It is an important practice
caring practice as you have the courage to grow your when reading a text to learn the intention of the book, to
own assertive communication skills. pose questions to yourself as you read, to help fit what
• You make a difference even in short moments of con- you read into your experience, to retain content, and to
nection and that you always have enough time as you be an adult learner. This will help grow your own skills
learn how to be fully present. for health caring.
3
4 PART I Packing Your Bags for the Journey of Caring, Assertive, Responsible Communication
Transmission of sender's
thoughts and feelings, which
are decoded by receiver
Sender-receiver Receiver-sender
Fig. 1.1 Reciprocal nature of interpersonal communication.
factors are considered, the interpersonal communication wish to convey meaning to receivers and vice versa. With
process looks something like the diagram shown in Fig. 1.2. this intent, senders choose certain words and gestures in
An important function of communication is to transmit a manner that they believe is congruent with their intended
messages from one person to another. The real purpose of messages. The sender’s objective is to transmit a message to
communication is to create meaning. Senders of messages receivers that is clear and understandable.
rs on
s
cto ssi
l fa p re
nta ex
me ial
on c
vir Fa
En
Ey Ph
e mo ysi
v em ca
la
en pp
ts ea
ra nc
e an
d dre
ss
rs
fa cto
al
on
ers ac
e
nt rap al sp
I n
rs o
d pe
an
t ory
rri s
Te ue
a lc
V oc
Sender-receiver Receiver-sender
Fig. 1.2 Factors influencing interpersonal communication.
6 PART I Packing Your Bags for the Journey of Caring, Assertive, Responsible Communication
Modified from Piaget, G. (1975). Characterological lifechart of three fellows we all know. In S. Phelps & N. Austin (Eds.), The assertive
woman. San Luis Obispo, CA: Impact Publishers;
Gerrard, B., Boniface, W., & Love, B. (1980). Interpersonal skills for health professionals. Reston, VA: Reston Publishing.
on assertiveness with a roommate, spouse, or friend with fully. There are times when people cannot respond ra-
whom you can begin practicing your assertive behavior. tionally, such as when they are experiencing high levels
Start with small issues such as returning a damaged product of anxiety or panic. A person might fear retaliation from
to a store or offering a compliment. a manager or fear the loss of a job. You must choose the
Assertiveness is a matter of choice. It is important to issues for which your assertive behavior is appropriate as
feel confident that you can speak up for yourself, yet it is well as when, where, and with whom to express your
not necessary or even wise to speak your mind in every assertiveness. The goal in this text is to help you develop
situation. With each person you encounter in any situa- the skills that will enable you to choose to act in the best
tion, you have the choice of communicating in an asser- interests of yourself and your clients. Remember, asser-
tive or nonassertive style. The words you choose and the tiveness helps you give or receive immediate feedback
way you express them can be assertive, nonassertive, or about a behavior that might have serious consequences
aggressive. Realistically, you may not always have the if ignored (Grover, 2005). This “positive pushback”
energy or desire to assert your rights or express yourself might be lifesaving (Gaddis, 2008).
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»Näytätte aivan kuihtuneelta», rohkenin sanoa. »Eikö olisi parasta,
että hankin teille lasillisen konjakkia? Se virkistäisi teitä.»
»Kyllä. Tein sen hänelle niin selväksi kuin mahdollista. Olen aivan
neuvoton, Lester.»
Niin, jos hänkin alkoi epäillä, niin olivat asiat todellakin huonosti.
»Se on käsittämätöntä!» huokasin ajateltuani muutaman hetken
hajanaisesti sinne ja tänne. »Se on…»
»Niin. Se on uskomatonta.»
»Mutta ajuri?»
»Siinä tapauksessa?»
»Tunnetteko te tämän?»
»Se on teille, herra Royce», sanoi hän. »Näin että osoite oli:
»Puolustusasianajaja Royce.»
Hän avasi kuoren silmäten kiireesti sisältöä. Sitten hän luki sen
läpi vielä kerran ja ojensi sen jälkeen paperin mitä ällistyneimmän
näköisenä minulle. Kirje kuului:
»Kiitos», sanoi hän. »Ehkä saan pyytää teitä tekemään sen hiukan
myöhemmin. Nyt haluaisin kutsuttavaksi sisään herra Rogersin
uudelleen.»
Että hän itse olisi tehnyt rikoksen tai ollut siinä jollakin tavoin
osallisena, sitä oli ihan mahdoton ajatella. Mutta miksi hän sitten
valehtelisi? Ennen kaikkea, miksi hän koettaisi vetää isäntänsä
tyttären tuon hirveän tapahtuman yhteyteen. Ja miten oli hän voinut,
jos tämä todella oli hänen halunsa, tietää neiti Holladayn puvun
värin? Kuinka synkkä, sotkuinen olikaan se kysymys, joka nyt oli
edessämme!
»Hm, kyllä, vähän», vastasi hän. »Vaikka ei niin paljon, että siitä
maksaisi vaivaa puhua. Kuinka tiesitte sen?»
Itseluottamukseni oli palannut. Olin siis oikealla tiellä!
»En sitä tiennyt», sanoin, hymyillen ensi kerran sen jälkeen kun
olin tullut huoneeseen. »Mutta epäilin sitä. Tässä minulla on
muutamia erivärisiä kangaslappuja. Haluaisin nyt, että valitsisitte
niistä sen lapun, joka on enimmän saman värinen kuin
konttorissanne eilisiltana käyneen naisen puku.»
»Niin, herra.»
»Sen näin.»
Päällikköni nyökäytti.
Royce hymyili.
»Herrat», sanoi hän, »toivoakseni minulla ei muutamien minuuttien
kuluttua ole tämän asian kanssa mitään tekemistä. Enempien
tietojen saamista varten neuvon kääntymään yleisen syyttäjän
puoleen — juttu on hänen käsissään.»
»En!» vastasi hän heti painolla. »En ole ollut isäni konttorissa
runsaaseen viikkoon.»
»Anteeksi, ettekö ole herra Lester?» kysyi hän juuri sen lähtiessä
laskeutumaan alas.