“What!” The young man’s exclamation showed astonishment. “You wanted him out of the way, didn’t you?”
“Of course,” came the querulous reply. “It will be great, if he goes to the chair.”
“Well, if they acquit him, we’re just where we started.”
“Granted. But suppose they give him twenty years, or life? Then he’ll be where it will be hard to get at him.”
“Birdie” Crull was silent. Evidently he had not considered that angle of the situation.
“That would be bad,” he said, at length. “But I don’t think it will be an in-between affair. The way things are in that town, they’ll railroad him, or he’ll get off.
“He has money, pull, and he was drunk. Three big factors. They either work for a man or against him. According to public sentiment.
“The way things are now, public sentiment will be hot. That second job I did has given them plenty to think about.”
“Yes, Crull,” objected the old man, “and it’s given me some worries, too. You went a lot further than I expected. I told you to flag Frank Jarnow, and to bring back that paper.”
“All right. I did it. There was only one way to fix him when I got there. I did it.”
“Yes. But you also planted the goods on Henry Windsor, which we had not considered.”
“I had to do it! It let me out. Where would any of us be if I hadn’t?”
“Maybe you’re right, there, Crull. Yes. You are right. It took all the mystery out of the affair. That was a good piece of business.
“It may cause difficulties in our plans, but it certainly kept matters quiet. But this Griffith business—”
“Was every bit as important,” interrupted Birdie Crull. “That fellow was keen. I’ve heard a lot about him. That’s why I stayed in town — to see if he was going on the case.
“I called up headquarters in the morning, and asked for him. Learned when he was coming in. Went up by the house, and saw him come out. When he headed for the morgue, I had to go ahead with it.”
“You have plenty of nerve, Crull,” said the old man, with a tone of admiration. “You are the man I have needed for a long time. If I had had you that last time — well, let’s talk about this. You believe it was necessary to finish Griffith?”
In reply, the murderer drew a sheet of paper from his pocket. He spread it on the table and fitted a tiny corner into it.
“Here’s your precious document,” he said. “Jarnow had a grip on it. The corner came off.”
“You picked up the missing corner?”
“Yes — the next day! Who do you think had it?”
“Who?”
“Griffith!”
The old man’s lips became firm.
“You did the right thing, Crull,” he said. “That has the end of the signature on it. Do you think Griffith knew what it was?”
“If he didn’t, he would have found out. He was a wise one, all right. But close-mouthed. Whatever theory he had, died with him. The dumb cluck that was on the case fell for the idea that Henry Windsor killed Jarnow. So we’re safe now.”
The old man thought a moment before he replied. He was looking hard at the table, long fingers of one hand stretched out for inspection.
“On that, yes,” he said. “But not on Griffith!”
“Why not? Suppose I had croaked Jarnow, with no chance to lay it on any one? We’d still have a murder mystery hanging over us, wouldn’t we?”
“But Griffith being killed so soon afterward—”
“That fixes it right for us. There were plenty of other cases more important to Griffith than this one. The newspapers don’t connect the two at all. The bulls in Philly are still rounding up the local small fry.”
“Do you think Blair Windsor does?”
“No. Do you know what I believe? I have a hunch he lays the Jarnow murder to Henry Windsor.”
“He ought to know his brother well enough not to think that.”
“Perhaps. But you know I framed a smooth alibi before I left here, and we kept it between ourselves, even though we might have let others in on it.”
“Jerry might suspect it.”
“Yes — for that matter we might have let the whole crew know. But I don’t think Jerry knows why I went away. He wouldn’t have heard of either murder — he doesn’t read the papers.
“Nobody but you and I know that he went up to the White Mountains, and mailed those postals that I had.”
“It worked out nicely, all right,” said the old man. “You put them in a safe place?”
“Right in Blair Windsor’s desk. You know they were all picture post cards. I’d been planning that trip. I bought the cards in Boston. Each card came from the right place — postmark tells the time — my own writing and signature.”
“Everybody has seen them?”
“Vernon has. Of course, he’s sure to help in a pinch. Harper and Quinn are both staying at the house. Blair Windsor didn’t leave until after the first cards arrived.”
“When do you expect he’ll be back?”
“Tomorrow, anyway. He was gone when I got back. Down to help Brother Henry out of the jam.”
Birdie Crull finished his statement with a laugh.
“Well,” said the old man, “it doesn’t look bad — not bad at all.”
“The only hitch,” replied Crull, “is this stunt of Blair Windsor’s of inviting so many people to the house. With so many guests, there’s always danger.”
“I don’t agree with you,” the old man answered. “I’m glad he does it. He invites any chance acquaintance. That was the way you got up here.
“It makes everything perfect for operations. Especially as he keeps booze out of the place. The more guests, and the better their reputation, the finer things are.”
“How about Jarnow?”
“Well, that was bad. But things have been pulled here for a long while, and that’s the first time anything went wrong. It was your fault, too, Crull. He followed you over here.”
“I know it. That’s why I was careful about coming over this time.”
“Why don’t you use the undercut?”
Birdie Crull shook his head.
“I don’t like it,” he said. “It’s all right for Vernon. He belongs in the house; but I’m a guest—”
“You had better use it some of the time. You ought to have plenty of opportunities to get away. But it’s bad to come over the hill.”
“All right. I’ll follow your advice. I’ll go back that way, to-night.”
“Good. I know it’s difficult for you, Crull. Our situation is just this:
“Blair Windsor is a successful business man. He is an outstanding figure in this district, as well as in Boston. His friends and acquaintances are the best. He pays no attention to what is going on — neither do his friends. Jarnow was the first who wised up to anything.
“We must keep everything within the proper bounds. I thought it was wise to work you in up here. You are a valuable man. Of course we had trouble with Jarnow. Now, with two kills to your credit, you are something of a liability.”
“But suppose that Jarnow had seen something if I hadn’t been here—”
“I was coming to that. When I came up here to stay, I saw that danger immediately. We needed a man of action. Pedro wouldn’t do. I didn’t bring him.
“You were the man, and I found you, through Bronson. Old Tiger did me a good turn when he sent you my way. After all, every one of us is playing with dynamite; so you might as well be with us. You know how to handle dynamite.”
Birdie Crull grinned at the compliments. There was a knock on the door. The old man thrust the paper into the drawer of the bureau.
“What is it, Jerry?” he asked.
The door opened. A rough-clad man entered. He was heavy-set, and would have passed for a native of the district.