“I’m afraid so.”
Jud Cory’s hands went out in a hopeless gesture. “I don’t suppose anybody’ll believe me.” He was up from the cot, frantic, terror-stricken. “But I didn’t kill him. I didn’t.”
“I know you didn’t,” Dr. Stone said quietly. “I’ve known that for the past ten minutes.”
Serenity had come back upon the blind man. Holding the handle-grip of Lady’s harness he followed the dog up the damp stairway to the headquarters room. There he told Captain Tucker Jud Cory’s story.
“A fairy tale,” the police captain scoffed. “He got it out of a book or the movies. Anyway, it doesn’t explain the riddle. Where’s Boothy Wilkes’ body?”
“Let’s go to the bank,” the doctor suggested.
Again they rode in the police car, and again Lady cautiously conducted her master through the snow. Bryan Smith, president of the bank, admitted them to his private office and closed the door.
“The Wilkes case, gentlemen?”
Captain Tucker shrugged. “In a way. Cory has burst forth with a wild——”
“Just a moment, Captain,” Dr. Stone said sharply. “Mr. Smith, did a cashier resign eight or nine years ago?”