“It is no longer evidence,” declared Inspector Klein. “It is a personal document belonging to the estate of Henry Marchand. We shall leave it in your possession, Doctor Lukens.”
“But I cannot decipher it,” objected the physician. “Nor do I know who could do the work. Yet it seems important to me.
“A document so highly valued by Henry Marchand — by my old friend who—”
“Let me have it,” said Cardona quietly. “I’ll have photostats made of it, doctor, and I’ll return the original to you.
“I’ll turn the copies over to some experts. They can decipher nearly anything. You’ll hear from me later.”
“Regarding the newspapers,” began Doctor Lukens.
“They won’t run much of a story on it,” said Inspector Klein reassuringly. “It isn’t a murder; it isn’t even a suicide. Death by misadventure.
“If any one had wanted to kill Marchand, they would have got him while he was away from here. They don’t come into houses like ghosts. That’s what I told Detective Cardona.
“‘Tell me how Marchand was poisoned,’ I said, ‘and we’ll have the solution.’ Right, wasn’t I, Joe?”
The detective grinned and nodded.