“Not dead!” Doctor Nolan echoed, with a look of derision. “No, no, certainly not. That is absurd, Mr. Carter. I know that he was dead.”
“You feel absolutely sure of it, eh?”
“I certainly do, sir.”
“Did you make any tests to verify your opinion?”
“I did not,” Doctor Nolan declared, a bit brusquely.[{6}] “No test was necessary. I can tell when a man is dead, Mr. Carter, without resorting to tests.”
“Mein gracious!” Fink exclaimed, starting with a sort of ludicrous commiseration at the detective. “Vat an idea! Not tead—vy, vy, Mr. Carter, dot is der vorst I ever heard. I know der man vas tead.”
Nick did not resent these positive assertions of both the physician and the undertaker. He knew much better than they, however, to what consummate trickery knaves of Margate’s caliber sometimes resort, and he was better informed than either of the ways and means that make it possible.
“I infer, Mr. Fink, that the body was not embalmed, or you would have said so,” Nick replied.
“No, sir, it was not,” Fink allowed.
“At what time did you leave it laid out in your back room?”