“They’re panning me,” declared Cardona, “because I let Middleton get away. They’re already calling Middleton the ‘society slayer.’ That’s what the headline said on that newspaper.”
Cardona wagged his thumb toward the corner, where he had thrown the paper. Burke nodded knowingly.
“Well,” continued Cardona, “they’re all wet — all but you, Burke. Picking my statement to pieces. Saying I’ve committed myself as incompetent — not one of them seeing that my statement itself proves that I didn’t have a chance to get the killer.”
“How’s that?” Burke was interested.
“Look at the time element,” retorted Cardona. “The very factor they hold against me. I followed Middleton in less than one minute after he was gone. Less than one minute, mind you, Burke. Have you seen the body?”
“Yes,” replied Burke, wondering why Cardona had so suddenly shifted his discussion.
“Did you see the marks on the throat?”
“Yes.”
“Those deep thumb prints?”
“Yes.”