Far from the scene of the shooting, other officers of the law were on duty. They were watching the floors of the Redan Hotel.
Only one was on duty at Harshaw’s apartment. This was Mayhew, in charge of operations. All others were on the floors below. There was a man behind the hotel.
The mail chutes were important tonight. Cardona had given word that they should be watched.
If a fourth message were due, it might be slipped surreptitiously into one of the slits that marked the path of the long chute from the tenth floor to first.
Mayhew arose from a chair and went carefully through the apartment. He noticed everything in sight. He left the apartment, and locked the door behind him.
No one was in there. The window of the study had a new grating. Some one was watching from in back of the hotel. The apartment was safe from intruders.
There were rooms across the hall, but they, too, were locked. They had been inspected tonight.
Mayhew went to the stairs and called softly to the floor below. There was an answering response.
A man on the ninth floor was doing double duty. He was guarding the foot of the stairs; he was spying the mail chute on the same floor.
Mayhew went down the steps. This floor was safe. It could be reached only by the elevator, and the elevator operator had orders not to go above the ninth.