“That’s right, too, chief,” declared Patsy.
“Madison is a strong, aggressive, bulldog type of man, and his standing as a lawyer is far from the best,” Nick added. “He was abroad without his wife and family for several weeks last year and I happen to know that Tilly Lancey then was absent from New York. They returned at pretty near the same time. One must draw one’s own conclusions. Be that as it may, I suspect Madi[Pg 22]son of knowing something about this affair, whether he was responsible for it, or not.”
“My money goes on that, chief,” said Patsy. “We must get after him.”
“I intend doing so.”
“Have you any other suspicions?”
“One other, Chick.”
“Namely?”
“It is rather more than a suspicion,” Nick continued, with brows drooping. “I felt it vaguely this morning, but I then was in too great haste to be deeply enough impressed to act upon it, or rightly interpret it.”
“When do you mean?”
“When I returned from police headquarters and found that reporter, Hawley, still waiting at Tilly Lancey’s door,” said Nick. “I feel sure, now, that I know why he was there, and how he happened to be there so far in advance of other genuine reporters.”