“Well,” he mused, “if some good clean-living citizen doesn’t come forward and say he saw Singer alive after six-fifteen, Connie is going to have to answer a lot of questions and they won’t be asked by Sergeant Rankin.”
There was a line of cars parked near Hallowell House. He had to hunt around for a space. He was just climbing out when he saw the familiar figure of Professor Hadley approaching in the rain.
“I will have a word with the gentleman,” he muttered. “I’ll have two words, in fact.”
Professor Hadley was that extremely rare character, an absent-minded professor. All the hackneyed jokes ever made about absent-minded professors could be applied to him and nobody would be surprised. In the field of Fine Arts at Harvard he was at home.
“Good evening, Professor Hadley,” said Jupiter quietly.
He was startled. “Oh — ah, good evening, sir. Oh, it’s you, Jones. Excuse me.”
Coming from anyone else, this would be a crack. “Yes,” said Jupiter.
“I’ve just seen a most lovely girl, Jones — most lovely. Something Botticelli about her, hard to define, and an extremely good actress.” He was excited. .
Jupiter guessed his secret. “You’ve been to the movies?”
“Yes, — er, yes, at the University. As I was saying, this girl, her name was Bette Davis, I think — yes, that was her name, Bette Davis — Oh, but you’ve probably seen her.”
Jupiter treated him like a child. “Yes, I’ve seen her.”
“Well, then, of course you know what she’s like. I mean—”
It was like taking candy. “Professor Singer’s been murdered.”
Nothing registered. “Murdered? Oh well, as I say, there was one scene, a scene in a field — What was that you said? Professor Singer? I think I misunderstood you.”
“Professor Singer was murdered sometime between six and eight, this evening.”
Jupiter could almost see his mind working.
“Murdered? There must be some mistake, Jones. That’s impossible—really. Murdered? Oh no!”
“I’m afraid it’s true, sir. I found him, and the police are there now.”
Hadley had accepted the fact. Jupiter was startled by the change in him. He had somehow expected him to go to pieces, but the little man seemed to grow stronger. He drew his coat tighter around his neck and started off toward his room. Jupiter went with him.
“Of course, Jones, this is a horrible thing for the University.” He spoke definitely; most of his stuttering and groping for words had gone. “Professor Singer and I were friends — co-workers, you know. I shall miss him. Yes, I shall miss him. You have probably not been unaware of the animosity between Singer and myself, but that was inevitable. A few years ago — but I shan’t mention that.
Jupiter couldn’t figure it; it didn’t add up. Here was old Professor Hadley, the timid rabbit, talking about a man who had been murdered three hours ago as if the whole thing had happened years before. There was no explanation. Or was there? Suppose Hadley had hoped for something like this — something that would remove the brilliant Singer from his field, make him the recognized leader in his work at Harvard. It sounded impossible, but, hell! professors must have some ambition; they couldn’t go on instilling the same old facts into unreceptive students unless they had something to look forward to. Jupiter had always thought Hadley must be reconciled to mediocrity. He was a dull lecturer, one of the dullest; he seemed happy enough pottering around the Museum, collecting slides for his next class. Do you suppose he hoped for the time when students would whisper, “There goes Hadley. You’ll have to take his course on sculpture; it’s the only one given, but God help you!” Funny how little you know about your professors, thought Jupiter.
Hadley was still talking. “The police are there, you say? I dare say they will find the guilty person. I have no idea how they go about it — not the slightest. Well, this will be a blow to the department. Yes, a distinct blow. I wonder who will take over his courses?”
There it is, thought Jupiter; he’s thinking about it already.
“The police will want to talk to you,” said Jupiter. He thought he’d break it gently.
“Talk to me? Oh yes, of course. They will want to know if I heard the shot or something. I’m afraid I won’t be able to help them much.”
Rankin will kill me for this, he thought, but then I’m far enough in it now. “Did you have dinner at the House, sir?”
“Why, yes. Veal cutlets, I believe.” He looked at Jupiter sharply. “Why did you ask that?”
“When did you last see Professor Singer?”
“Now just a minute, Jones. I think the police had better ask those questions.”
“They will,” he said. “I was just preparing you.”
“Did you say you had found the body?”
“Yes. I’m working with the police,” he lied. “Well, in that case, perhaps, it would be better if I told you and-avoided the police altogether.” Jupiter coughed. “Well, there may be a few odds and ends they’d like to check up with you.” They were approaching the crowd outside Singer’s room. Jupiter didn’t care about being seen with Hadley. After all, the police had been looking for him for a couple of hours.
He stopped. “What time was it you last saw Professor Singer?”
“I came down with him from the Museum about four. I haven’t seen him since.”
Jupiter had to work quickly. Mr. Swayle was mingling with the crowd.
“Do you remember that you had an appointment to have dinner with him to-night?”
He thought a minute. “Yes. Yes, I do. To tell you the truth, I forgot about it. I forgot about it
