"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 243 - Room of Doom" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

Motioning the others back, Nevlin tried cautiously to insert his hand
through the splintered space. He drew it back as if stung, expressing the fear
that gripped him.
"There can't be anyone in there except Mr. Aldriff," began Nevlin. "And
yet
-"
He shook his head; pushed his hand toward the hole again, and found that
it
wouldn't go through. He was stepping back for another slice with the ax, when
Joan pressed him aside. Unsnapping the sleeve of her dress, the girl bared her
slim arm to the shoulder and worked her hand through the narrow space.
Others watched, breathless, admiring her courage, as Joan stretched her
arm
full length and moved her hand within the door until she found the knob.
Turning the knob, she warded back the others, while she withdrew her arm.
Flinging the door inward, Jean was the first to cross the threshold. Her face
was grim when she saw exactly what she expected.
Aldriff was lying dead upon the floor. He was across the room, near the
nook. The two light chairs were turned askew, facing each other at an angle,
to
allow room for the chess table.
But Aldriff hadn't put the table where it belonged. He had been beside it
when the shot was fired; in falling, he had overturned it, sending the
chessmen
scattering. Finally, he had struck the floor almost beside the table.
In Aldriff's hand was his favorite revolver, the weapon that had caused
his
death. The case was obviously suicide, and Joan, wanting no one to doubt the
point, turned promptly to Nevlin.


"THOSE chairs are just as you left them," declared Joan. "You moved them
around when you took out the chess table. You can see for yourself that Mr.
Aldriff was going to put the table back, when he changed his mind and shot
himself, instead. This is suicide, and I can tell you why!"
Her eyes were blazing at the rest, along with Nevlin. But the secretary;
staring toward Aldriff's body, only shook his head.
"I can't believe it," said Nevlin slowly. "At least, I can't be sure just
yet. Please stand back, Miss Kelburn."
As Joan complied, Nevlin began to peer at every section of the room,
pointing, so that others would do the same. The nook, of course, was empty,
its
flimsy chairs offering no place of concealment. The fireplace caught Nevlin's
eye and he urged the servant to look into it.
Crawling into the fireplace, the servant came out again, shaking his
head.
"The damper is closed, Mr. Nevlin," he said. "And anyway, the chimney is
very narrow.
"I remember," nodded Nevlin. "Take a look behind the desk; but be
careful.