For Cardona had been given the name of the dead executive, and he stood by the telephone, mumbling that name again and again, while his mind seemed numbed and helpless.
This was the third crime! The victim had been trapped last night. He had not been found until half an hour ago. He had been killed by design.
For the victim’s name fitted the initials that had appeared in the third mysterious note.
The dead man’s name was Thomas Sutton!
CHAPTER VIII
A SINGLE CLEW
THE home of Thomas Sutton was located in an old residential district of upper Manhattan.
It was after two o’clock when Cardona arrived there, accompanied by Commissioner Weston and Professor Biscayne. He found two persons in the house.
One was a policeman, ordered stationed there by Cardona. The other was Richard Sutton, son of the dead executive.
Richard Sutton led the way to the upstairs room, where his father’s body lay. There were no signs of foul play. It appeared to be purely an accidental death. But the three investigators thought otherwise, although they did not express their opinion to Richard Sutton.