The voice stopped, and Joe found the jeweler’s eyes resting on him meaningly. Flushing, the boy took himself out of earshot and pretended to be absorbed in a store window. Presently his uncle called to him, and they went down the street to Stevenson’s shop, and Joe saw that the tight lines around the man’s mouth had showed much deeper.
Back on the street the blind man was silent, and walked with quick steps beside the dog. Half way home a cloud of dust rode toward them, and Captain Tucker’s car came out of the dust. The car stopped.
“So you didn’t arrest Donovan,” said the doctor.
The police officer leaned across the wheel. “Joe must have told you he’s not in the car.”
“Nobody had to tell me,” Dr. Stone said mildly. “Captain Tucker, with a jewel thief in charge, would not be likely to stop for a chat with a friend. You didn’t arrest Donovan?”
“N—no. Even though you’re reasonably sure a man’s guilty, you can’t arrest him for robbery unless you have at least some proof. There is no proof—there’s nothing. And he has an alibi. He and the maid have their rooms in the same wing of the house. She says she couldn’t sleep last night, and sat up and read with her door partly open. She insists Donovan couldn’t pass that door without being seen or heard. If the maid’s telling the truth, Donovan couldn’t be the thief; if she isn’t telling the truth, they’re both in it. Anyway, if we do arrest Donovan, what about the necklace? If possible we want to recover that.”
“But you think Donovan did it?”
“Well, Doctor, let’s give it a look. She admits she never sat up all night reading before. She can’t recollect ever leaving her door open before. Now, why did both those things have to happen last night when the safe was robbed?”
“It sounds rather convenient,” Dr. Stone said.
“Too convenient. Too perfect. My idea is that Donovan did the job and the maid is hiding him. I can figure it all out, but I can’t pin it on them. That girl’s too slick for me. I’m going to call in State troopers. Maybe they’ll be able to break down her story.”