The Leak

Really great criminals are never found out, for the simple reason that the greatest crimes—their crimes—are never discovered, remarked Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen positively. There is genius in the perpetration of crime, Mr. Grayson, just as there must be in its detection, unless it is the shallow work of a bungler. In this latter case there have been instances where even the police have uncovered the truth. But the expert criminal, the man of genius—the professional, I may say—regards as perfect only that crime which does not and cannot be made to appear a crime at all; therefore one that can never under any circumstances involve him, or anyone else.
The financier, J. Morgan Grayson, regarded this wizened little man of science—The Thinking Machine—thoughtfully, through the smoke of his cigar.
It is a strange psychological fact that the casual criminal glories in his crime beforehand, and from one to ten minutes afterward, The Thinking Machine continued. For instance, the man who kills for revenge wants the world to know it is his work; but at the end of ten minutes comes fear, and then paradoxically enough, he will seek to hide his crime and protect himself. With fear comes panic, with panic irresponsibility, and then he makes the mistake—hews a pathway which the trained mind follows from motive to a prison cell.
These are the men who are found out. But there are men of genius, Mr. Grayson, professionally engaged in crime. We never hear of them because they are never caught, and we never even suspect them because they make no mistake. Imagine the great brains of history turned to crime. Well, there are today brains as great as any of those of history; there is murder and theft and robbery under our noses that we never dream of. If I, for instance, should become an active criminal—— He paused.
Grayson, with a queer expression on his face, puffed steadily at his cigar.
I could kill you now, here in this room, The Thinking Machine went on calmly, and no one would ever know, never even suspect. Why? Because I would make no mistake.