“No, sir. Waiting for you.”
“Did you notice anything — looking around?”
“No, sir.” The detective hesitated. “Only the corner of that rug.” He pointed to a small rug near the door.
Zull looked and laughed. One corner of the rug was tucked underneath. He straightened it.
“The murdered man is over here, Crowell,” he said. “Yet you’re looking at rugs, ten feet away. What’s the matter with you?”
“I’ve looked at the body, sir,” protested Crowell. “We know that the man fired before he was killed. His automatic is here beside him.
“I admit it’s funny, my noticing that rug — if it wasn’t for something that happened once before—”
“When?”
“The time we found that dead man in Galvin’s home. You remember, I was there with you, inspector? There was a rug in that room, too, with a corner turned under.
“You must have noticed it, sir — you straightened it with your foot.”