[ He just gives her a look in return, a look that's meant to be inscrutable and hard to read. Does he know what happened in the Dark Place? Maybe he does and he just doesn't want to admit it. Even if this is all an elaborate show, he knows she's not stupid. She's already figured out some things on her own. ]

Oh, I know you're not an idiot. [ The emphasis he places on that word is meant to imply that someone else is, and she should be able to determine just who that "someone else" is. ] You're smart and resourceful and miles better at figuring things out than our Mr. Wake.

That story is one of my many mistakes, you see. But you probably don't know why I wrote it, not that you want to know, I'm sure.

[ It's obvious enough to him that she's firmly on Alan's side of things, but that doesn't mean he's about to stop trying. And it's also obvious to him that she has no idea what he means about Alice. Of course, it makes sense that she wouldn't know, and he figures Alan's just too weak to tell her about it. Or maybe he doesn't know himself. It boils down to the same thing, really. ]

Well, simply put, she's dead. Gone. [ He shakes his head in sympathy. Feigned sympathy, some might say, but he wouldn't.

... Or would he? ]