"What is Lee Darwin's connection with the affair?"
"Like Ruth he is a victim of circumstances and the criminal's machinations," I said.
"Why did Richard Trenton come to New York and then commit suicide?" Jones went on.
"He came to New York at Darwin's request to see him. This we know to be a fact," and I told Jones the gist of Gilmore's story. "Also we know that he did not commit suicide although he tried to give the world that impression."
"That looks very bad. What's Cunningham's relation to the murdered man?"
"Just his friend since Cunningham is not a lawyer."
"That looks bad, too," said Jones. "He acted as counsel at the inquest illegally then."
"He says not. That he did not see Mrs. Darwin and gave her no advice. You can prosecute him when the case is over. We have no time for that now," I added.
"Which one of those having sufficient motive for killing Darwin answers to the description: Clever, unprincipled, absolutely cold-blooded?"
"There's an immense amount of latitude in that question. There might be any number of men of that type, since we do not know how many may have had sufficient motive for killing him. I expect that we haven't met all the men who have grudges against him, not by a long shot. And now, Mr. Jones, having doped it out, as you expressed it, would you mind telling me who committed that murder?" I asked quizzically.