Nick echoed the monosyllable:
“Well?”
“I guess you have a pretty deep case on your hands,” smiled Chick. “But I’ll wager my watch against your toothpick on one point.”
“Which is?”
“That though you’ve locked Redway up in the Tombs you don’t believe he killed the girl.”
“You would win the toothpick if I took your bet. Still, I might be mistaken.”
“I don’t believe you are, and I shouldn’t be surprised if you had some testimony back[{39}] of all that which you have revealed which puts this Redway in a better light than ever.”
“Chick, you are a good pupil; I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks. I will go further, and say that I believe you think Redway knows who killed the girl, or how she died, and that he is shielding somebody.”
“You must have learned mind-reading with your other accomplishments,” smiled Nick. “Maybe you can tell me who it is that he is trying to shield?”