Thus it was definitely understood that Horace Chatham had been ill at ease during the day before the murder; that he had worried about money; and that all had led up to his encounter with Seth Wilkinson.
The question that now occupied the front pages was that of Horace Chatham’s actions following the murder.
Had Wilkinson given him thirty thousand dollars in cash? Wilkinson was known to have kept that much money in his apartment. Perhaps the sight of the money had maddened Chatham.
Yet the police could discover nothing to prove that Chatham was in financial straits. His affairs were involved, it was true; but he had bank accounts that totaled considerably more than thirty thousand dollars.
The solution of the mystery obviously lay in tracing Chatham; in bringing him back to New York.
It was believed that he had fled to Canada. The police of Canadian cities were given full information.
A man with thirty thousand dollars in his possession could travel anywhere, yet New York police were confident that Chatham would soon be discovered, for he possessed none of the attributes found in the usual criminal, and would, sooner or later, fail in his efforts to keep his identity unknown.
Certain newspapers commented upon the fact that there were now three names of prominent New Yorkers involved in affairs of homicide.
Less than two months before, Lloyd Harriman had committed suicide in Florida. Like Seth Wilkinson, Harriman had been a friend of Horace Chatham. One tabloid screamed this fact in lurid headlines.
Had Horace Chatham been concerned in Lloyd Harriman’s death? Had Harriman committed suicide, or—