I nodded as his keen, serious eyes rose to mine.
“That grade door was locked and the key inside the lock as it should be. Was there time, Miss Keate, between the lights going out and the sound of the shot for someone to come from that grade door around the corner of the hospital, enter the south door in the darkness, go into Eighteen, which is right next to the south door, take the radium from the loud speaker and—and that is as far as we know. We can only surmise, now, how Higgins came into it.”
“The intruder might have been Higgins, himself.” I was suddenly struck by the thought. “He would have access to the basement, could have stolen the key from the chart desk that would open the south door if it were locked. Perhaps he was taking the radium out of the speaker; he told me, you know, that he knew where it was hidden.”
“All the circumstances point to what we call an inside job,” admitted O’Leary slowly. “But someone besides Higgins was in Room 18.”
“The window?” I suggested.
“No. He could not have come through the window for it was still bolted. How about it, Miss Keate?” He returned to his inquiry. “How long a time elapsed between the lights going out and the sound of the shot?”
“It seemed a long time,” I said hesitantly. “You see, it was so still and dark and I was a little frightened. I waited for a few moments, thinking that the lights would come on again. Yes, I think there was time enough for—for all that you think took place. While I waited I felt a current of air on my shoulders.”
He looked up quickly.
“That was the door opening, then. You are sure about the length of time? You see it is rather important that we settle that point definitely for if there was not time for all that to go on, it would indicate that there were two people, besides Higgins, who were interested in getting into Room 18 last night. And that one of them managed the business of turning off the lights and the other came into Room 18 with the results of which we know. Confound it!” He broke off suddenly. “I wish I needn’t have to figure on more than one or two ways of getting in and out of this old hospital. Don’t you ever have thieves in a hospital! Don’t you ever have to safeguard yourselves!”
“Only the third and fourth floor windows,” I said absently.