Burke passed the photostats to George Clarendon. The latter looked at them, nodded, and returned them. He was evidently satisfied.
“Thanks, Steve,” said Burke. “I just wanted to make sure about the letters. The newspapers reported them correctly; just a couple of friendly letters written by Chatham when he was in Florida.”
“That’s all,” replied the detective. “They don’t mean nothing, except that the two guys corresponded a bit.”
Clarendon and Burke rode back uptown.
“I’ll drop you at your office,” said Clarendon. “Keep on this job until you hear from me again.”
“What did you think of the evidence?” questioned Burke.
“Two letters and a promissory note,” replied Clarendon thoughtfully.
“Both written by Horace Chatham.”
“Burke,” said Clarendon thoughtfully, “what would you do if you were on the detective force, and in possession of those documents?”
“I’d do just as the detectives have done. Consider the promissory note as a business transaction between Chatham and Wilkinson, the letters, with the same signature, as evidence of friendship between the two men.”