the car pretty fast. I’m going back to the office. What do you want to do?’
‘Drop me off at the station,’ Travers said. ‘I’ll take a train back.’
As Easton headed for the station, he said, ‘We’ve got to find out where this guy kept the Lincoln. He bought it nearly a month ago. He must have kept it somewhere. I’ll have the S.A. put out another broadcast.’
‘He could have left it in one of the big parking lots at Downside,’ Travers said. ‘No one would notice it. The parking lot by the railroad station has cars on it night and day. He could have left it there.’
‘Yeah, I guess that’s right.’
‘You’ll tell the S.A. about this guy’s habit of humming under his breath? He might be on record,’ Travers said. ‘The sideboards and the moustache can be removed, but when you have an unconscious habit like that, you don’t lose it.’
‘I’ll tell him,’ Easton said grudgingly, ‘but I don’t reckon somehow he’s an old-timer.’
He pulled up outside the station.
‘See you tomorrow,’ Travers said, getting out. ‘Will you be over?’
‘I guess so,’ Easton returned and with a wave of his hand, he started the car.
‘Hey! Wait!’ Travers yelled.
Easton pulled up and peered out of the car window. Travers was staring across at the vast car park. The light was failing, but his sharp eyes had spotted a car that aroused his attention.
‘Look at that Lincoln,’ he said, pointing. ‘A red top and a grey body. Could be the one we want. The third car in the second row.’
Easton scrambled out of his car and peered into the gloom.
‘Damned if I can see it,’ he muttered, then as Travers started towards the parking lot, he joined him. They paused finally beside the Lincoln.
‘It’s the one!’ Travers said. ‘Look… the licence number!’
‘What a break!’ Easton said excitedly.
‘We’d better get it towed to headquarters,’ Travers said. ‘The boys will want to go over it. I’ll wait here if you’ll get a wrecking crew.’
Easton hurried over to the telephone booth by the railroad station and called the Downside Police Headquarters.
While Travers waited, he peered through the windows of the looked car, shining his torch onto the empty seats.
Easton returned.
‘They’re coming right away,’ he said. ‘Maybe we’ll get his prints.’
‘I bet we don’t,’ Travers returned. ‘I’m beginning to respect Mr. Acres. He’s playing it smart. He leaves a trail a mile wide to the station by talking about the ’Frisco train, then he leaves his car right here for us to find. I have an idea he could still be in the district.’
Easton pushed his hat to the back of his head and wiped his forehead.
‘You keep sounding off about this guy,’ he said, ‘but how’s about the girl? They’re in this together, aren’t they?’
‘For her sake, I hope so.’
‘What does that mean?’ Easton asked, staring. ‘Don’t let’s get this thing complicated. It’s bad enough the way it is without adding to our troubles.’
Ten minutes later, the wrecking crew arrived and towed the Lincoln to police headquarters.
Easton and Travers stood under an arc lamp while three detectives began a systematic examination of the car.
It wasn’t until they opened the boot that they found Alice’s body.
