“That remains to be seen,” replied the detective.
As Nick spoke, he lifted from the floor a small square of oiled silk, red in color. He held it up for the inspection of Maynard.
“Were the diamonds wrapped in this?” he asked.
Maynard nodded.
“That is only part of the wrapping,” he said.
“Were the diamonds of great value?” asked the clerk.
“Half a million,” was the short reply. Nick now regarded the jewels as a small part of the case. The thing to do was to locate and punish the murderer of Henry Townsend.
The clerk stepped back in wonder.
“He should have left them in the safe,” he said.
“That is what he came here to do,” said the detective. “Now, before the coroner or the police are notified, I must search this room for some clue to the identity of the murderer. But first, tell me everything you know regarding the occupant of this room, the person who murdered this poor boy, and walked out of the hotel dressed in the victim’s clothes. When was the room taken?”