the art collector inquire:
'Has Tyrune called you?'
'Jim Tyrune?' returned Cardona. 'No. I saw him tonight about ten o'clock at Henshew's apartment.
There was an attempted robbery there -'
'So Tyrune told me. He was here at eleven, and left at half past. He was to call me by midnight. Do you know where I can reach him? The only number that I have is his office.'
Cardona didn't know where Tyrune lived. Jim had a habit of living at hotels when he had money; at rooming houses when his finances were low. Cardona offered to have some one dig up the information regarding Tyrune's present residence. That relieved Chanbury somewhat, but he had another request:
'Could you come out here, inspector, in the meantime?'
Cardona decided that he could. He promised to start at once. As he left the office, Joe had a distinct idea that something was up. His hunch was that it involved Shark Meglo.
Cardona made speed to Chanbury's. In the portrait room he found Chanbury in a dressing gown.
Eleanor joined them. A servant had awakened her at Chanbury's order.
Chanbury produced the statement, together with the labeled pass-key and the list of gems. Joe read the signed statement and sat dumfounded. He heard Chanbury say:
'I suspected Henshew, the night that he was here. Since he mentioned gems, I asked him to bring some.
It was a good opportunity to have Tyrune search Henshew's apartment!'
'That's all right,' assured Cardona. 'But what can we prove against Henshew? It's a cinch he shoved the gems to Shark.'
'There must be a hiding place in the apartment. It might be behind the bookcase like the one you found elsewhere.'
'Henshew would call that a coincidence. It's too bad he got scared; we could only have seen the gems when he brought them here!'
Chanbury added his regret over the lost opportunity. He told Cardona that the side spaces of the room hid a pair of old alcoves that were walled over.
'They would be ideal to watch from,' declared Chanbury. 'But Henshew will never bring those jewels here again. I can tell you exactly why.'
CHANBURY produced the uncut diamonds in their chamois bag. He opened the top, let Joe see the contents.
'Henshew valued these at half,' explained Chanbury. 'He wanted to take them for the gems. Today I called him, offering cash instead. He must have decided that I suspected he was crooked.'
'He must have been plenty scared,' remarked Cardona. 'You were giving him a chance to pick up cash, with the diamonds besides.'
'That's so!' exclaimed Chanbury. 'Henshew should prefer cash. When Shark came, as at Silsam's, he could take jewels and diamonds both. It never occurred to me, Cardona. Wait!'
Chanbury weighed the bag of gems. His blunt face showed a tight smile. His keen eyes narrowed. Slowly deliberately Chanbury stated:
'Henshew will come here to tell me that his gems were really stolen. He thinks that I shall be completely bluffed when I read of Shark's fake raid. Henshew will have a purpose in his visit. One that will bring Shark Meglo, also.'
Holding his left palm upward, Chanbury poured the uncut diamonds with his right hand. Like shimmering nuggets, the rough stones formed a pile that supported Chanbury's theory.
'Henshew wants these,' affirmed Chanbury. 'He will risk nothing, being here when Shark attacks. Shark, having attacked Henshew once - so far as the law supposes - would be likely to trail wherever Henshew goes.'
Cardona looked grimly at the side walls. He saw how this room could be turned into a perfect snare to bag both Henshew and Shark. With an approving look at Chanbury, Joe decided:
'We can spring it. You have the nerve that's needed, Mr. Chanbury. If you handle Henshew right, he'll talk too much, thinking you're here alone. Wait while I call Commissioner Weston.'
Before Cardona could pick up the telephone, its bell rang. Chanbury answered, remarking to Joe:
'Tyrune probably.' Instead, the call was one from headquarters. Joe took it. His face was serious when he replaced the telephone.
'They've found out where Tyrune lives,' informed Cardona, 'but he isn't there. You don't think he'd have been fool enough to go to Henshew's?'
'I don't know.' Chanbury's tone was doubtful. He turned about. 'What would you say, Eleanor?'
'If he had intended to go there,' replied the girl, 'he would have asked for the pass-key.'
The argument was a sound one. It brought an admiring look from Cardona. He decided to have Eleanor here with Chanbury, when Henshew came tomorrow night. The girl had sense; and her presence would lull the crook. For the present, though, Tyrune was the question.
'We'd better run over to Jim's,' said Cardona. 'He'll be there by the time we are. We'll take him down to the commissioner's.'
CARDONA pocketed the statement and the exhibits. Chanbury went upstairs to dress. He met Cardona at the front door; Joe said that he had called Weston's, but the commissioner was out. Cardona had left word where they would be.
They rode into Manhattan in one of Chanbury's large cars, with a chauffeur at the wheel. They found Tyrune's boarding house on an obscure street. It look a long while to arouse the irate landlady. Her indignation only increased when she saw Cardona's badge.
'Why should the likes of you be rousing up innocent people?' she inquired. 'First, it's the telephone. Then you come here, disbelieving me when I tell you Mr. Tyrune ain't come home. Go up to his room and see for yourselves!'
Tyrune's door was locked. Cardona handled it with a skeleton key. The room was empty; the bed made up.
'Hasn't been here,' said Cardona to Chanbury. Then, to the landlady: 'Where's the telephone?'
'In the back hall, downstairs. A pay phone.'
Cardona found the telephone in back of the stairs. In the dark, he missed the slot and his nickel fell to the floor. While Chanbury was out in the light, looking for change, Joe used a flashlight to find the coin. He was in a hurry to make a call to headquarters, on the chance that Tyrune had telephoned there.
Joe saw something dark at the edge of a closet door. It was too large for a coin. He fixed the flashlight on the spot. The stain was wet and ruddy. Cardona grabbed Chanbury's arm:
'Look!'
Chanbury saw the spot. His coins jingled as he dropped them mechanically in his pocket. Cardona pulled open the closed door. Out tumbled a body that seemed to uncoil as it sprawled face upward in the light.
'Jim Tyrune! Dead!'
Cardona was right. The dick was shot through the temple; and the gun that had killed him lay beside the body.
Telling Chanbury to stay where he was and ward off the landlady, Cardona went back through the dark hall. He found a flimsy back door; it was locked, but it had no key. That door could be opened easily with a skeleton.
THIRTY minutes later, a conference was under way in Tyrune's bedroom. Commissioner Weston had arrived; he was talking things over with Cardona and Chanbury. On a table lay one more clue to go with the gun that had lain beside Tyrune's body. The new evidence was a slitted bandanna handkerchief.
'Shark Meglo always wore one of these,' declared Cardona, lifting the bandanna. 'He must have used it when he sneaked in here to lay for Tyrune. Henshew saw Jim down at the apartment, and was leery of the way he slid out so soon. The fox shot word to Shark.'
Joe picked up the gun.
'No prints,' he said. 'Shark wiped them off with the bandanna. He's a killer, but he's clumsy. He wanted to make it look like suicide, but he was dumb enough to stow that bandanna in the ash can, out back.'
Weston shook his head.
