Cardona was glum. But as he pondered, the detective saw a ray of hope. What had brought about that fight at the Antrilla? Why had there been a battle after the bank robbery? What enemy had sought to curb the plans of Dobey Blitz?
Cardona could think of but one; and that personage was more potent than even Dobey Blitz. Despite the absence of the bullets from the bodies of the victims; despite Dobey’s recognized cleverness, there was chance that the big shot could be called to account for to-night’s crimes.
For the one of whom Joe Cardona was thinking had proven his ability to deal with bigger men than Dobey Blitz. That personage was also noted for his relentless power to keep upon an enemy’s trail. Joe Cardona smiled grimly, as his lips voicelessly formed the name of the being whose prowess he was picturing:
“The Shadow!”
CHAPTER XII. THE CONFERENCE
FOUR men were gathered in Tobias Hildreth’s study. From behind his desk, the president of the Founders Trust Company was speaking to Police Commissioner Wainwright Barth. With the official was Detective Joe Cardona.
The fourth member of the group was a chunky, keen-faced man whose eyes showed a sharp glitter. He was seated beside Hildreth’s desk, going over a stack of papers and nodding whenever the banker spoke to him. This was Gorton Jodelle, private investigator who had made a specialty of tackling crimes that concerned banking institutions.
“Heinous crime!” exclaimed Tobias Hildreth. Horror was registered on the banker’s portly face.
“Robbery was crime enough; but outright murder — wanton murder — is terrible. Rowley was a faithful watchman. Poor Lucas used to greet me when I came out of the bank.
“But the greatest tragedy is that of Zellwood. I was stunned, this afternoon, when that report came in from the South. Zellwood’s death was apart from the robbery; yet I cannot help but believe that the same set of dastardly ruffians were responsible for his murder also.
“You must do something about it, Jodelle.” Hildreth turned to the investigator. “Don’t you understand that Zellwood’s death occurred outside of Commissioner Barth’s jurisdiction? Murderers must be brought to justice.”
“I have told you what I think of Zellwood,” put in Jodelle, firmly. “My reports here—”
“Preposterous!” exclaimed Hildreth, with a shake of his heavy head. “Zellwood was a trusted employee. Poor fellow — he was troubled when he left yesterday. Overwork had worn him.”
“Overwork?” questioned Jodelle. Then, to Barth: “Listen, commissioner, Mr. Hildreth can’t get my viewpoint. He himself feels that Zellwood’s death had something to do with the bank robbery; yet he cannot tolerate the thought that Zellwood might be crooked.”
“Zellwood was murdered,” objected Hildreth.
“Of course,” agreed Jodelle. “But why? He was not on the ground, to interfere with the robbery, like Rowley and the cop.”
“But he may have known something about the robbery.”
“That’s just it,” nodded Jodelle. “He knew about the robbery. That’s why he was bumped.”
“Then he is innocent.”
“He is guilty!” exclaimed Jodelle, angrily. “If he had been in New York — in the bank — we could say that he was innocent. But he was miles away, traveling South when the crime occurred.”
“One moment,” interposed Barth. “This news of Zellwood’s murder is one reason why I have come here with Detective Cardona. We want to know something about the man. Why do you suspect him of implication in the robbery, Jodelle?”
“I shall tell you,” returned the private investigator, “by asking a question of Detective Cardona. Tell me” — he turned to Joe — “how, in your opinion, was that bank vault opened?”
“IT was either unlocked to begin with,” returned Cardona, “or else the burglars knew the combination and unlocked it.”
“Very well.” Jodelle turned to Hildreth. “How many persons beside yourself had the combination to the vault?”
“Only Zellwood,” admitted the bank president, slowly. “He had the combinations to both vaults.”
“Who locked the vaults yesterday afternoon?”
“Zellwood.”
“He could have fixed the time lock, couldn’t he?”
“Yes. But I don’t believe he did.”
“Why not?”
“Because he was trustworthy. What is more, the time lock was correctly set on the upper vault.”
“It’s hopeless,” decided Jodelle, looking at Hildreth. “You say that the man was honest. Every man is honest until he turns crooked.”
“I can’t believe it of Zellwood,” insisted Hildreth. “The poor fellow is dead. He was very nervous yesterday. It is possible that he forgot to set the time lock properly, or to close the vault door tightly.”
“Wouldn’t the watchman have reported that fact when he made his first inspection?”
“He should have. Unfortunately, poor Rowley is dead also. No, gentlemen, I cannot tolerate the thought that Rudolph Zellwood was guilty of aiding criminals in their work.”
“Suppose we put it this way,” remarked Barth, in a conciliatory tone. “Let us presume that Rudolph Zellwood was innocent. But to properly clear his name, we must study the case as Jodelle suggests — from the standpoint that Zellwood might be implicated. Would that be satisfactory?”
“I suppose so,” agreed Hildreth. “Yes, commissioner, if you approach it with that attitude, I shall not object. Zellwood was in my opinion a faithful worker. I do not want his name to be trampled. That is all.”
“We shall bear that thought in mind,” promised Barth. “Therefore, Mr. Hildreth, I should like to have your complete statement regarding the actions of Rudolph Zellwood yesterday afternoon. Also all your comments concerning the robbery.”
“Very well,” began Hildreth. “I came into the bank shortly after three o’clock. Rudolph Zellwood was at that time in his office. Wally Wilking — my niece’s fiance — was waiting to see me. He was in the bank to make payment in reduction of a loan. Since I was absent, he had taken the matter up with Zellwood, who had told him to wait for my return.
“After Wilking left, I called Zellwood. He mentioned that Wilking had spoken to him about reducing the loan. Then Zellwood said that he was very tired. He attributed it to overwork. He was glad that he was going on his vacation. He was leaving on the seven o’clock train, so I said that I would take him to the station.
“I did not see Zellwood from then until after six o’clock. Kerry arrived — Kerry is my chauffeur — and came to my office. I went into Zellwood’s office and told him I was ready to leave. I asked him if he had closed the vaults. He said yes. So he went with me to my car.”
“Did he have any bags with him?” questioned Barth.
“No,” replied Hildreth. “He said that his luggage was at the station. So Kerry drove to the Pennsylvania Station and we dropped Zellwood there.”
Joe Cardona was taking down the statements. Commissioner Barth waited for him to complete the task; then again addressed Hildreth.
“What about the contents of the vault?” questioned the commissioner. “What about the robbery itself? Give me your opinions in the matter.”
“The robbery,” declared Hildreth, “was something entirely unforeseen. I never dreamed that there would be danger from that new subway that they had excavated in front of the bank.”
“Did the excavation work cause any trouble with the foundations of the bank building?”
“None. In fact, I had an examination made to be sure on that point. Engineers prepared diagrams, showing the exact location of the subway and the amount of space between it and the bank walls.”
“Where did you keep those diagrams?”
“At the bank.”