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And it was about an hour later that a knock came on the door. In response to Leverage's summons, an orderly entered. In his hand he carried an evening paper "Just brought this in, sir. Thought you and Mr. Carroll might like to read it." The orderly retired. Carroll spread the paper then did something very rare. He swore profoundly.
Carroll placed an exceedingly high valuation on Leverage's opinion even though the minds of the two men were as far apart as the poles. But Leverage was a magnificent man for the office he held: competent, methodical, intensely orthodox but typical of the modern police in contradistinction to the modern detective.
It was plain that he was surprised. "You're arresting me for Warren's murder?" "Yes." "But I didn't do it. I'll swear I didn't." "Of course you'll swear it " Carroll's steely voice excited a vast admiration in Leverage's breast. Many times before he had seen the transformation in his friend from all too human softness to almost inhuman coldness yet he never failed of surprise at the phenomenon.
"You do?" "Yes, I do. What do you think?" "I think this," answered Carroll. "I think that Mr. William Barker knows a great deal more about the case than he has told!" They drove in silence to headquarters, each man busy with his thoughts. It was not until they were alone in Leverage's sanctum that the subject of the recent interview was again broached.
Leverage kept his light trained on it as Carroll dug swiftly through the contents. Finally the eyes of the two men met. Carroll's expression was one of frank amazement; Leverage's reflected sheer unbelief. "It can't be, Carroll!" "Yet it is!" "Sufferin' wildcats!" breathed Leverage. "The suit-case ain't the woman's at all! It's Warren's!" The thing was incomprehensible, yet true.
Finally his face cleared and he stopped before Leverage's chair. "I've got it!" he announced triumphantly. "Got what?" "Never mind," Carroll was surcharged with suppressed excitement. "I want you to do something for me, Leverage and do it promptly." "Sure " "Send Cartwright and bring Garry Gresham here." "Garry Gresham?" "Yes the young lady's brother." Leverage was bewildered.
Carroll did not look at Barker, but Leverage's steady gaze was fixed on the man's crafty face. "I'm going to come clean with you, Mr. Carroll. I'm going to tell you everythin' I know and everythin' I think. I didn't want to do it and I don't want to now. But I'd a heap rather have the job of convincin' you that I ain't mixed up in this murder than I would of makin' a jury believe the same thing.
"Exactly. We know that one of 'em did the shooting. We've covered this case from every angle, and if we believe that the shooting was not done by Mrs. Lawrence, we must suspect one of the two men involved. And if you are sure it wasn't Barker " "Let's wait a little while longer," counseled Carroll. "I want to be absolutely sure of my ground." The two men sat in Leverage's office and talked.
The same logic applied there, as in Leverage's theory that Barker's arrest would be an excellent strategic move. All Carroll had to do now was to arrest Lawrence for Warren's murder and the burden of proof would have been shifted from the shoulders of the detective to that of the suspect.
"If we should find you trying to listen at the keyhole " His manner made it unnecessary to finish the threat. The woman departed, fluttering with excitement. Leverage's hand found the knob, and Carroll nodded briefly. The door was flung open, and the two men entered. "What the "
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