"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 042 - Mox" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

"You mean before the murder?" asked Weston.

"Yes," returned Cardona. "Harlew was probably seated in that chair. The murderer entered. Harlew
jumped up and saw him. As they grappled, the murderer stabbed him in the back.

"Before he left the room, the killer may have opened the windowтАФ or left it open. He took the key,
closed the door behind him, and locked it from the outside. He shoved the key under the door, so it
would look as though Harlew was trying to unlock the door when he died."

"Very good," agreed Weston. "You feel rather certain in that conclusion?"

"It looks logical, commissioner."

"Then"тАФWeston's tone was triumphantтАФ"there is no doubt about this note. It is a hoax. A trick to
deceive us."

Cardona looked up quickly. He saw the point of the commissioner's argument. He nodded promptly, and
voiced his agreement, although his words held a tinge of doubt.

"Yes," he said, "the murderer would have seen the note and destroyed it. But by planting the note, the
murderer could put us off the track. There's only one way to figure it different."

"How is that?"

"By supposing that the murderer never got inside the room. If anybody can show me how that would be
possible, I'd like to see it."

"Very good, Cardona," prompted Weston. "You can keep this note as evidence. It may incriminate the
murderer when we apprehend him. But you are missing one point."

"What is that?"

"The murderer who wrote the note would scarcely have used the dead man's correct name."
Weston smiled triumphantly as he spoke. Cardona, however, came back with a prompt reply, referring
to the notes as he made his remarks.

"There is a man named Schuyler Harlew," he declared, "who has an apartment about two miles from
here. One of the men from the precinct checked up on him while I was on my way. Harlew has not been
seen for three days. He answers this man's description."

"Ah! That is puzzling."

"I don't think so, commissioner," declared Cardona seriously. "It fits in perfectly. The murderer would
figure that we would learn the dead man's identity. By putting Harlew's real name on the note, he makes it
look like Harlew actually wrote it."

"Right," admitted Weston, throwing a quick glance toward Cranston, who had said nothing. "Very keen,
Cardona. Very keen."

Weston caught Cranston's eye, and gave a slight nod as though to indicate that the millionaire had just