Then he got scared and brought em to Police
Headquartersthis morning. The fact that MissOdell had blackmailed you wasnt your
only reason for lying aboutthe summons.
Except, commented Markham, with sarcasm, Skeel
doesnt impress meas particularly religious. I doubt if he had even heard the
exchange of opinionsbetween Markham and Vance. The color had gone from his face,
andthe muscles of his jowls worked spasmodically.
It was a ready-made alibiright in my
hand.
Hes a street cleaner, and he says theywere in one
of the D. But you have only Cleavers word that Lindquist was in
theneighborhood.
Again he was the cold, self-contained
gambler.
Heath got himself a drink of water,and took a turn
up and down the room.
Did you see anyone else that night in the halls or
alleyway?
To judge by Cleavers manner as he entered, the
sergeant had beennone too considerate of him.
Cleaver is no expert jimmy artist; and neither
isMannix.
Ive checked it up from thelist the maid gave me,
and its all there. Suddenly I seemed to awake as from some terrible nightmare. No
need to drag anyoneelse into this thing. Markham glanced it over; it was very brief.
Then I went to Miss Odellshouse, arriving a little before eleven. Im not going to
run away, said Cleaver; and Heath directed him tothe elevator. I havent put foot in
her apartment for two weeks. His eyes were wide and his sensuallips hung
open.
Is that your customary way of paying
visits?
No; the fact that their stories dovetail doesnt in
the least tendto exculpate any one of them.
And I know who sneaked out of it at fiveminutes to
twelve! No, wed better wait awhileand see what develops. Almost at once he returned,
bearing a bulging manilafolder.
I havent put foot in her apartment for two weeks.
Was there a curse on the world, driving men todark bawdy deeds?
And the door was unlocked at that time Monday
night?
If its straight, you needntworry about the
newspapers.
Swacker came in with a typewritten memorandum and
put it on thedistrict attorneys desk. The older the affairwas, I figured, the less
likelihood thered be of your suspectingme.
It was Vance whoput an end to his irresolution. Ive
been worrying horribly about her for an hour. And you cant get away from
thosefingerprints and the Professors report on the chisel.