“Was either of them there before the theft was discovered?”
“Yes. Mr. Lombard went down to check off an invoice of the package from which the two shawls are missing.”
“I see,” Nick remarked. “I think I will go down there, Frank, and look around a bit. Show me the way as far as the stairs, then leave me, and pay no attention to my doings. I may have something to report a little later.”
Frank Mantell arose to obey, and Nick accompanied him down to the ground floor.
As they were turning toward the stairway leading down[{38}] to the basement receiving room, Frank touched the detective’s arm and said quietly:
“There goes Lombard, now. I think he is going down to the receiving room.”
Lombard was heading for the stairs with a wrapped bundle about a foot long and nearly as large in diameter, but he did not see Mantell and his companion.
Nick watched him for a moment, then said quietly:
“Leave me, Mantell. I can find the way by following him.”
Nick had more than one object in doing so.