Together the two detectives walked up the path. Donovan stuck his thumb against the bell-push and kept it there. They waited several minutes while the bell rang continuously, then Donovan stepped back with an exclamation of disgust.
“Looks like he’s out,” he said.
Duncan was already walking around the bungalow, peering through the windows. He came back after completing the circuit.
“No sign of him.”
Donovan looked at his watch. It was now getting on for ten o’clock.
“We’d better stick around.”
“Think he’s lost his nerve and skipped?”
“He might have done. I’ll send out a general call for him. Let’s see if we can bust in.”
It didn’t take Duncan long to find a window that wasn’t latched. He climbed through the window, went to the front door and let Donovan in.
“I’ll take a look around while you’re calling headquarters.”