The Shadow's answer to Cardona's call for aid!
Chapter IV–Little Flowers Speaks Again
Saturday found Detective Joe Cardona in Philadelphia. The taciturn sleuth had said nothing about his trip from New York. Since the morning that he had received the bouquet of violets, Cardona had preserved an air of aloofness.
The name, "Anita Marie," had puzzled Cardona. When he reached Philadelphia, the detective knew nothing of its significance. He realized that he might be on a wild-goose chase; that the violets might have been the prank of a practical joker.
Nevertheless, a ninety-mile trip from Manhattan was nothing if the journey might lead to a clue concerning the now famous ghost murder in the Hotel Dalban.
In Philadelphia, Cardona knew that his position as a New York detective would enable him to secure the cooperation of the local authorities. But he did not wish to take this step unless absolutely necessary. Hence, he scanned the Philadelphia newspapers as he sat in his hotel room, seeking any item that might include the name of Anita Marie.
Obviously, Anita Marie might be a woman's name. But the name was incomplete.
Therefore, it could be the name of a shop, a tea, room— or even a ship in the port of Philadelphia. But the advertisements and news notes that Cardona read gave no clue in this direction.
The detective's mind went back to the first impression — that Anita Marie must be a woman. He suddenly decided that the name might be complete, after all.
He picked up the telephone book in the hotel room, and ran through its pages to the letter M. There he found the name "Marie" — followed by the first name, "Anita." Cardona was forced to smile at his stupidity. Anita Marie was the complete name after all. He noted the address, and the telephone number. It was evidently a residence in West Philadelphia. Cardona left the hotel, and rode westward in the subway. He reached his destination, and strolled down the street opposite the spot where the house was located.