His comrades were arriving. He made a last careful survey. His eye detected a small, dark trapdoor in the roof of a house across the street. Then his gaze followed along an entire block to a spot at the most distant corner.
The firemen were training a hose upon the blaze in the depths of the burning building. The man who had led the way suddenly stepped back upon the ladder and descended to the street. He became one of the many firemen who were working about the engines. Then he disappeared.
A moment later, some one tapped Detective Cardona upon the shoulder. Both the detective and the inspector turned to see a fireman in uniform. They did not recognize him as the man whom they had seen upon the ladder.
“You’re looking for the guys that started this, aren’t you?” asked the fireman.
“Yeah,” said Cardona. “What about it?”
“Across the street,” said the fireman, making a gesture with his thumb. “There’s a trapdoor in the roof. Right over the hock shop. Looked to me like it moved. Maybe—”
“Get your men!” exclaimed Klein to Cardona.
As the detective and the inspector left, the fireman laughed softly to himself. He ignored his apparent duty as he walked away from the crowd and disappeared around the corner.
THE pawnshop designated by the fireman was closed. There was a locked door beside it that led to a flight of stairs. Cardona ordered three of his men to smash it.
Uniformed policemen pushed back the curious persons who were invading the side street, wondering what this new activity might mean.