Professor Dillard led the way to the archery-room. The shades at all the windows were drawn, and the electric lights were still burning. I noticed, too, that the windows were closed.
“I left everything exactly as it was,” explained the professor.
Markham walked to the large wicker centre-table. Pardee’s body was slumped in a chair facing the range door. His head and shoulders had fallen forward over the table; and his right arm hung at his side, the fingers still clutching an automatic pistol. There was an ugly wound in his right temple; and on the table beneath his head was a pool of coagulated blood.
Our eyes rested but a moment on the body, for a startling and incongruous thing diverted our attention. The magazines on the table had been pushed aside, leaving an open space in front of the body; and in this cleared area rose a tall and beautifully constructed house of playing cards. Four arrows marked the boundaries of the yard, and matches had been laid side by side to represent the garden walks. It was a reproduction that would have delighted a child’s heart; and I recalled what Vance had said the night before about serious minds seeking recreation in children’s games. There was something unutterably horrible in the juxtaposition of this juvenile card structure and violent death.
Vance stood looking down at the scene with sad, troubled eyes.
“Hic jacet John Pardee,” he murmured, with a sort of reverence. “And this is the house that Jack built . . . a house of cards. . . .”
He stepped forward as if to inspect it more closely; but as his body struck the edge of the table there was a slight jar, and the flimsy edifice of cards toppled over.
Markham drew himself up and turned to Heath.
“Have you notified the Medical Examiner?”
“Sure.” The Sergeant seemed to find it difficult to take his eyes from the table. “And Burke’s coming along, in case we need him.” He went to the windows and threw up the shades, letting in the bright daylight. Then he returned to Pardee’s body and stood regarding it appraisingly. Suddenly he knelt down and leaned over.