‘How do you know? You weren’t here. And what’s more, I heard you threaten her last night. You don’t see any flowers here, do you, Inspector?’ quietly asked Weeds.
‘You’re right,’ said Kelley. After whispering to Fordney, he continued, ‘Come on, you’re under arrest. And you, we’ll question you later!’
[Whom did Kelley arrest—and why?]
53
Murder in the Swamp
‘We’d better walk along the edge,’ said Professor Fordney, as they started down the only path leading through the swamp.
‘I never thought of that. I was on the porch when Barton left,’ said Bob, as he trudged along. ‘Ten minutes later, I heard a shot. I ran down the path and found him about five hundred yards from the house, bleeding terribly from a wound in the head. I dashed back for the first-aid kit and bandaged him as best I could. He died shortly afterwards. Then I returned and telephoned you.’
Reaching the body of Barton, he explained, ‘I turned him over so that I could dress his head.’
‘He must have been shot from over there, because those three sets of footprints are yours and the other one Barton’s,’ said Fordney, after a careful examination. ‘Let’s look in that underbrush.’
Walking into it a few yards, he said, ‘Here’s where the murderer stood, all right. See those powder-marks on the leaves?’
While removing the branch, Fordney cut his finger.