“Go on.”
“He said he was only going to be in town a short time and he wanted a house for a month. He said he wanted it completely furnished. He was a company representative or something like that. A salesman, I gathered, or some job where he moved around a lot. At least that’s the impression he gave.
“I said we had something he might like, two or three things, in fact, and he wanted the cheapest we could give him. I said the house on Highland Road was the cheapest, but it was pretty isolated. That didn’t seem to bother him at all. He seemed to prefer it that way. I told him he could have it for a hundred dollars for the month of February and that would include everything. I did try to interest him in one of the other houses because, well, they cost a little more and he looked like he could afford it. He looked used to nice things and this house isn’t the best we’ve got.”
“Did he say anything about a Mrs. Campbell?”
“He did say he’d need an extra key for his wife. That’s about the only time I remember him mentioning her, but I certainly got the impression he was married.”
“Did you show him the house?”
“I did. I drove him out. It’d been vacant since October and I offered to take him through it, but all he did was look at it from the outside as we drove by and that satisfied him. He didn’t bother to have me stop and, in fact, he seemed to go out to look at it with me more because he was supposed to than because he cared. I don’t know if that’s important or not, Chief.”
“Everything’s important, Mr. Watly. Then what?”
“I drove him back here and he signed the lease and paid the money. He had it on him.”
“What about references?”
Watly said, “Oh, he had them. They’re on his application.” He got up and went to the file cabinet, sorted quickly through the contents of the drawer above the one that had been robbed, and came back with it. He sat down and pressed his fingertips together on the desk while the chief studied it. “Employed by Gary Hardware Company, Erie, Pennsylvania,” Fellows said, and looked up. “I don’t see any character references listed.”
“He said anyone at Gary from the president on down would be glad to vouch for him.”
“You check on this?”
“Mr. Restlin didn’t bother. It’s a reputable firm.”
“No last address?”
“He said he’s usually in hotels. He moved around a lot. This time I got the impression he and his wife wanted to try housekeeping for a change.”
Fellows laid the paper on the desk. “This application isn’t very well filled out.”
“I guess that’s my fault.”
“He didn’t sign it either. This his writing?”
Watly looked most uncomfortable. “It’s mine. I filled it out.” He went on to explain. “Mr. Campbell was in a hurry. He grabbed the first house he looked at. In fact, he hardly cared to go out and see it. He wanted to sign the lease right away and he had the money out as soon as we got back. That house isn’t too easy to rent, and I knew Mr. Restlin wouldn’t want to lose out on it, so I couldn’t be too fussy. Mr. Campbell chafed at the idea of an application since the house was available, so I hurriedly asked him a few questions just as a matter of form and I wrote down the answers myself. It wasn’t like he was taking it for a longer period and would be paying rent. Then we’d check very carefully on his ability to pay. But this was in advance and he certainly looked reputable. His firm is, and I know that because I did look that up. We didn’t check any further, though. Mr. Restlin and I didn’t think it was necessary.”
“I’m afraid that was a mistake, Mr. Watly.”
“I guess it was, but we didn’t dream—”
“All right, no matter. I have the idea he planned it that way. I think you were being used, so it’s not your fault.” Fellows shifted his tobacco to the other cheek. “Ever see him again?”
“No, sir. I gave him the keys and said we’d have the water turned on and the heat up by the time he was ready to take over. I did that myself on the last day of January. Neither Mr. Restlin nor I have been back since.”
“You have no samples whatever of Campbell’s handwriting?” Watly shook his head. “Only his signature on the lease, and that’s gone.”
“And that,” said Fellows, getting to his feet, “is probably the reason it’s gone.”
The chief, when he left the real estate office, drove back out to the scene of the crime. He stopped at the comer to send the shivering traffic officer off for some late lunch, then parked in front of the house where a total of eight other cars now stood. Four reporters on the front lawn converged on him when he got out. “We’ve been looking for you, Chief. They told us at headquarters you were out here.”
“No new developments,” Fellows said. “We’re right where we were.”
They trooped along with him toward the house. “The husband do it?”
“If it’s murder and he was her husband, then the husband probably did it.”
“He might not be her husband?”
“We don’t know who he was yet.” The chief opened the front door and saw one of the officers inside. “Hey, Lawlor. Have you searched the front yard?”
“All done, Chief. Didn’t find anything.”
“O.K. Get to the comer and handle traffic will you? Smitty, if you’re done, take an hour for some lunch and get back here. Take the rest of the men with you except those who’re working.” He went into the kitchen and found Wilks. The sergeant said, “I heard you. Nobody’s working.”
“All finished?”
“Finished with fingerprints. There
