Three to Conquer Read Online Free PDF Page A

Ledsom. "You wouldn't be in the habit of carrying a second one, such as a .32, would you?"
     
                  "No I wouldn't."
     
                  "There's a large, deep pond in the woods about fifty yards from where Alderson was killed. Did you notice it? "
     
                  " I didn't enter the woods. "
     
                  " Did you know of the pond's existence? "
     
                  " No."
     
                  "You told us you went up that road for a certain purpose. Presumably you were balked by what you discovered. Did you achieve that purpose?"
     
                  "I did."
     
                  "When?"
     
                  "After I'd called Forst on the radio."
     
                  "You found Alderson, called the police and then went into the woods?"
     
                  "It wasn't necessary to go into the woods, there being no ladies present."
     
                  Ignoring that point, Ledsom went on, "At what time did you leave your hotel yesterday morning?"
     
                  "You've asked that one before. N in e-thirty."
     
                  "And you were all morning where?"
     
                  "At the Pest Control Station. If you're trying to catch me in a contradiction, you're wasting time and breath. We can go on this way for a week."
     
                  "All right," said Ledsom, changing tactics. "If you had a deal in prospect with Schultz-Masters why didn't you go there until today?"
     
                  Harper gave a resigned sigh and said, "First, because my appointment was for today, not for yesterday. Secondly, I reached Hainesboro too late for any business calls—in fact, it was already too late when I left here."
     
                  "That's what interests us," informed Ledsom, gazing at him steadily. "You'd been badly delayed by the time we finished with you. All the same, you took time off to hunt up four people in a Thunderbug. Why did you do that?"
     
                  "Alderson died in my arms; I didn't like it."
     
                  Ledsom winced. "Is that your only reason?"
     
                  "It's the major one."
     
                  "What's the minor one?"
     
                  "My day was messed up. A couple of hours one way or the other couldn't make any difference. "
     
                  " No other motives whatsoever? "
     
                  " One," admitted Harper.
     
                  "Name it."
     
                  "I got some personal satisfaction out of finding a trace on the killers myself."
     
                  "If they were the killers," commented Ledsom. He switched off the recorder, meditated a minute, and continued, "Up to a couple of hours ago I didn't doubt it; now I'm not so sure." He kept his full attention on his listener, watching for reactions. "We're pumping out that pond. Maybe we ' ll find the gun and lea rn who used it."
     
                  "Meaning me?"
     
                  "I haven't said so."
     
                  "You're hinting at it with every muscle in your face." Harper made a gesture of disparagement. "I can't blame you in the least for suspecting anyone and everyone. I could have killed Alderson; the time, the place and the opportunity all fit in. The only things lacking are the gun and the motive. You're going to have a hell of a time tying a motive onto me. I had never seen Alderson in my life until that moment."
     
                  "We had a senseless killing near here four years ago," answered Ledsom. "Two brothers fell out over an incredibly trivial matter. Finally the hotter-tempered of the two killed the other, and made a very clever try at concealing his guilt by distracting attention elsewhere.