The midland journal., 1946-03-15
CHAPTER XII

had to say.
.She was strangled, Tope," the
Doctor reported. "An ignition wire
knotted tight around her throat.
haven't had a chance to check on
the drug end yet; came ahead SO
as to get things ready here"
Tope frowned. "Is she big or lit
tle?" he asked.
Large for a woman"
''Then she was drugged first"
Tope said crisply. "He couldn't
have overpowered her. He's small
man."
Steps outside; and Cumberland
and Joe Dane were here. "Banion's
right behind US with the ambu-
lance" Cumberland reported.
"Tope, Joe says he can't stand this
waiting any longer. Says if you
don't do something, he's going to.
Adam saw Joe Dane grin slightly.
"Why, Joe's right" Tope agreed.
81 guess it's time to clear it up.
Well want to get ready to make the
arrest"
"Well, I'm glad to hear it, old
man." Cumberland said with a
heavy relief. "Who is it?"
Tope hesitated. eff I told you
myself, you wouldn't believe me-"
he confessed. 81 want you to hear
two or three things first from 9TH
ers. Then you'll see I'm right"
"Who?" Cumberland asked. "Who
ore your-witnesseS?"
"Well," said Tope, calmly yet
with deep triumph in his tones,
''first one is Holdom. know enough
about what happened so l can make
him talk now. He won't want to,
because he's in it; but he doesn't
know there's murder in the busi-
ness. When he does, he's bound to
tell the truth. He wasn't in on the
killing-just the kidnap end. He'll
talk, to clear himself of murder
charge."
He had their still attention now.
"And the next is Kel," Tope con-
tinued. "He knows just as much as
Holdom knows. He's lied to us SO
far; but he won't lie now. He'll tell
all he knows-because his wife was
murdered, and ne loved her. I saw
him awhile ago. He'll talk"
He looked from one to another;
wagged his head. you'll think Hol-
dom is lying" he warned them.
"You'n say it couldn't have hap
pened the way he'll tell you it did
happen. But I'll show you that it
could. Bob Flint was Holdom's pi-
lot. He flew up here Friday night
with a passenger; spent most of the
night up here. But he had girl
here, Sally Tenant. Her fathers
Holdom's gardener. If / know any,
thing about the way a young fellow
acts, Flint saw Sally while he was
mp here. Probably he told her who
his passenger was, warned her not
to tell.
"But she'll tell now; because that
passenger drugged young Flint, aft
er they got back near New York,
and after he got out of the plane
drugged him so that Flint went to
sleep in the air and crashed and
was killed. I'm having an autopsy
on Flint's body to prove he was
drugged."
He concluded: $50 there you are!
Sally Tenant will tell you who
Flint's passenger was that night,
and Ken will tell you what happened
to Ledforge on the way up here Fri
day; and Holdom will tell you why
it happened.
"And if you don't believe them,
Doctor Loud, the dentist down in
Ridgcomb, can possibly tell you
what kind of teeth Ledforge had"
Doctor Medford protested in some
surprise: doctor Loud? But he's
dead, Tope."
Ehe Inspector whirled on him,
stared at him. "Dead?" he echoed.
why, yes. He dropped dead two
or three weeks ago."
Tope seemed to tremble.
Dropped dead?" he repeated. He
shook his head. "We needed him."
he confessed.
Ned Quill came in; and Tope
spoke quickly.
"You see the Tenant girl, Quill?"
''Eure, had a long talk with her."
Ehe trooper replied, and he added:
'.She'd been to New York to young
Flint's funeral. Or whatever you
call it. They had him cremated."
Tope suddenly was pale. "Cre-
mated?" he protested in deep dis
may. He whirled to Doctor Med
ford. .Then they can't do an autop-
sy."
Doctor Medford shook his head;
and Joe Dane said, almost exultant-
~: "Not on ashes, Tope, old mani"
Tope hesitated, then turned to
Quill again. Ibid Miss Tenant
see him last Friday night?" he
asked.
Quill shook his head in some sur
prise. why. no. Hadn't seen him
1or two-three weeks. he answered.
She says he hasn't been UP herel"