blinked. “What?”
“Of course I can’t prove it,” Steve said. “I would have to prove a negative, which is next to impossible. If I knew he was dead, I could prove that I knew by divulging the source of information. To prove I didn’t know he was dead, I would have to prove that I had no access to all sources of information. Since I don’t know what the sources are, I obviously can’t prove I didn’t have access to them. It’s an impossibility.”
“Then you can’t prove it?”
“No, I can’t,” Steve said, sarcastically. “Well, Sergeant, you’ve done it. Your skillful cross-examination has tripped me up, trapped me, backed me into a corner, and forced me into an admission. Now, are you ready to arrest me?”
Stams’s face darkened. “I may at that. You’re talking a lot, but you’re not saying anything.”
“Did it ever occur to you I might not know anything? You’re wasting a lot of time down here, while there’s a corpse upstairs screaming for attention.”
“Bradshaw won’t mind waiting a few minutes. I’m not done with you yet. I think you’re hiding something.”
“Think what you like.”
“I will. You know what I think? I think a client called you and told you Bradshaw was dead. I think the client told you there was some incriminating bit of evidence in the apartment. I think you rushed up here and got the evidence.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that, Sergeant. I was afraid you were about to charge me with the murder.”
“Don’t think that isn’t a possibility. But for now, tell me about my theory.”
“It’s a fine theory, Sergeant. It’s got class. I like it.”
“Do you deny it?”
“I’ve already denied it several times. As I said, you’re free to think what you like.”
“Don’t think I won’t,” Stams said. “I only put these questions to you so you could deny them. Now, if I can prove any part of my theory true, I can get you for obstructing justice, compounding a felony, and being an accessory after the fact to murder.” Stams grinned. “And now, I think I’ll go take a look at the corpse.”
“I take it I’m free to go?” Steve said.
“Sure you are. Except before you do, you’re going back in the bedroom and be searched again. And this time I mean searched. Search him good, Frank, and I want a complete inventory of everything he’s got on him, no matter how trivial. I think he took something.”
Stams started for the door.
“The murderer must have been really smart,” Steve said. “I wonder how he knew.”
Stams stopped in the doorway. “Knew what?”
“That Farron was on vacation.”
12.
S TEVE W INSLOW DROPPED A QUARTER in the pay phone on the corner and punched in the number.
A feminine voice at the end of the line said, “Taylor Detective Agency.”
“This is Steve Winslow. Get me Taylor.”
“He just left for dinner. If it’s important, I might be able to catch him.”
“Catch him.”
There was no answer, but the rattle of the receiver and the clack of high heels told Steve the receptionist was doing her best. A minute later Mark Taylor’s voice came on the line.
“Steve. Lucky you caught me. I was just going to dinner.”
“Forget it. It’s soggy hamburger time. I need information and I need it fast. Did you hear the evening news about Harding?”
“No, but my pipeline into police headquarters reported that they exhumed the body and found arsenic. I tried to call you but you’d left the office. But don’t worry. I got men working on it. It’s covered.”
“Fine. Now you can cover something else. Our friend Bradshaw just became a corpse.”
“What!”
“That’s right. Someone stuck a large carving knife between his shoulder blades somewhere between five and six this evening.”
“No shit!”
“None. So pull your men off Harding and get on it.”
“Jesus Christ. How the hell’d you find out?”
“I heard the news on the radio about Harding. I went to see Bradshaw, walked in and found
“Of course I can’t prove it,” Steve said. “I would have to prove a negative, which is next to impossible. If I knew he was dead, I could prove that I knew by divulging the source of information. To prove I didn’t know he was dead, I would have to prove that I had no access to all sources of information. Since I don’t know what the sources are, I obviously can’t prove I didn’t have access to them. It’s an impossibility.”
“Then you can’t prove it?”
“No, I can’t,” Steve said, sarcastically. “Well, Sergeant, you’ve done it. Your skillful cross-examination has tripped me up, trapped me, backed me into a corner, and forced me into an admission. Now, are you ready to arrest me?”
Stams’s face darkened. “I may at that. You’re talking a lot, but you’re not saying anything.”
“Did it ever occur to you I might not know anything? You’re wasting a lot of time down here, while there’s a corpse upstairs screaming for attention.”
“Bradshaw won’t mind waiting a few minutes. I’m not done with you yet. I think you’re hiding something.”
“Think what you like.”
“I will. You know what I think? I think a client called you and told you Bradshaw was dead. I think the client told you there was some incriminating bit of evidence in the apartment. I think you rushed up here and got the evidence.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that, Sergeant. I was afraid you were about to charge me with the murder.”
“Don’t think that isn’t a possibility. But for now, tell me about my theory.”
“It’s a fine theory, Sergeant. It’s got class. I like it.”
“Do you deny it?”
“I’ve already denied it several times. As I said, you’re free to think what you like.”
“Don’t think I won’t,” Stams said. “I only put these questions to you so you could deny them. Now, if I can prove any part of my theory true, I can get you for obstructing justice, compounding a felony, and being an accessory after the fact to murder.” Stams grinned. “And now, I think I’ll go take a look at the corpse.”
“I take it I’m free to go?” Steve said.
“Sure you are. Except before you do, you’re going back in the bedroom and be searched again. And this time I mean searched. Search him good, Frank, and I want a complete inventory of everything he’s got on him, no matter how trivial. I think he took something.”
Stams started for the door.
“The murderer must have been really smart,” Steve said. “I wonder how he knew.”
Stams stopped in the doorway. “Knew what?”
“That Farron was on vacation.”
12.
S TEVE W INSLOW DROPPED A QUARTER in the pay phone on the corner and punched in the number.
A feminine voice at the end of the line said, “Taylor Detective Agency.”
“This is Steve Winslow. Get me Taylor.”
“He just left for dinner. If it’s important, I might be able to catch him.”
“Catch him.”
There was no answer, but the rattle of the receiver and the clack of high heels told Steve the receptionist was doing her best. A minute later Mark Taylor’s voice came on the line.
“Steve. Lucky you caught me. I was just going to dinner.”
“Forget it. It’s soggy hamburger time. I need information and I need it fast. Did you hear the evening news about Harding?”
“No, but my pipeline into police headquarters reported that they exhumed the body and found arsenic. I tried to call you but you’d left the office. But don’t worry. I got men working on it. It’s covered.”
“Fine. Now you can cover something else. Our friend Bradshaw just became a corpse.”
“What!”
“That’s right. Someone stuck a large carving knife between his shoulder blades somewhere between five and six this evening.”
“No shit!”
“None. So pull your men off Harding and get on it.”
“Jesus Christ. How the hell’d you find out?”
“I heard the news on the radio about Harding. I went to see Bradshaw, walked in and found
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