Howard Griscom was aghast. The meaning of this tragedy gripped his brain.
George Ballantyne, chief opposer of the theater racket, had been killed in cold blood!
The usher had gone for the detectives. They arrived to find Griscom and Babson examining the body of the murdered man. The detectives stood aghast. Then Joe spoke solemnly.
“The fifth shot!” were his words. “I heard it! The fifth shot was fired — in here!”
CHAPTER XVIII
THE SHADOW KNOWS
IT was well after midnight. The Paladrome Theater was closed. The scene of the night’s tragedy had been forgotten until the morrow.
All evening, while business had continued as usual, police investigators had been at work. Every one who had left the theater had been watched, and at the close of the last picture, the body of George Ballantyne had been removed.
Various persons had visited that office of death. Most of them had been police detectives and inspectors. One other had been Lamont Cranston, who had chanced to visit the theater that evening.
Cranston had said nothing. He had simply watched the work of the investigators.