“It is as I supposed,” the detective muttered, “she does not live here, and she gave Mr. Wright this address simply as a blind.”
To make sure that he was not wrong in his surmise, Carter called on the janitor and questioned him.
The man did not know any woman by the name of Isabella Porter, and he was sure that no woman answering to her description lived in the house.
“She had some deep object in view when she gave that false address,” the detective thought. “The discovery alone is sufficient to make one suspect her.”
Early the next morning the detective called at the address on Fifth Avenue which he had found in the record of Peters’ death.
No one knew anything about any person by the name of Porter.
He returned to the hotel, and went to Mr. Wright’s room, intending to remain there until the woman called.
He sent a message to the cashier of the safe deposit company, stating that he had important business on hand, and he would see him later in the day.
Noon arrived, and Isabella Porter did not appear.
Carter was impatient.