“Open it up. You’re right, it may contain some evidence and evidence is what we need.”
“Do you know, Johnny,” he said as the boy struggled to break the lock, “that was the hottest fire I ever experienced. There were enough chemicals in that lower story to charge a volcano. It’s a wonder there wasn’t an explosion. Those boys will forfeit their insurance.”
“I might have a little evidence on that point, too,” said Johnny. “You remember my telling of the truck that unloaded there just before the fire? Well, that may have been a plant. Perhaps the company had not ordered those chemicals. Knobs Whittaker may have had them put there.”
“Why?”
“How did the diamond company’s property fare?”
“Total loss. Never saw anything to equal it. Safe just over the chemicals. Dropped right into the mess of those flaming chemicals. The safe was melted to a solid mass.”
“And the diamonds?”
“Diamonds? In the safe, I guess. Or maybe they melted, too. Diamonds are carbon you know, same as coal. Wouldn’t expect them to withstand the heat, would you?”
“Not if they were there,” said Johnny. “I thought it might be——”
At this moment the lock to the black bag gave way. Johnny threw up the cover.