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Page 83
The police sergeant knew Kennedy by reputation and approached him
after a visit to the dead man's body with the doctor. His glance,
including Mackay and myself, was frankly triumphant.
"Well," he exclaimed, "I don't suppose it occurred to any of you
SCIENTIFIC guys to search the fellow, now did it?"
Kennedy smiled, in good humor. "Searching a man isn't always the
scientific method. You won't find the word 'frisk' in any
scientific dictionary."
"No?" The police officer's eyes twinkled. There was enough of the
Irish in him to enjoy an encounter of this kind. "Maybe not, but
you might find things in a chap's pocket which is better." With a
flourish he produced a hypodermic syringe, the duplicate of the
one I had appropriated, and a tiny bottle. "The man's a dope," he
added.
"I knew that," replied Kennedy. "I examined his arm, where he
usually took his shots, and found no fresh mark of the needle."
"That doesn't prove anything. Wait until the medical examiner
gets here. He'll find the fellow's heart all shot full of hop, or
something. I guess it isn't so complicated, after all. He was a
hop fiend, all right."
"Still, there's nothing to indicate that he was a suicide."
"Not suicide; accident-overdose," was the sergeant's reply.
"How could he have died from an overdose of the drug, when he
hasn't taken any recently?"
"Well"--unabashed--"then he croaked because he hadn't had a shot--
the same thing. Heart failure, either way. Excited, and all, you
know, making the scene. Maybe he forgot to use the needle at
that."
"Perhaps you're right." Kennedy shrugged calmly. What was the use
of disputing the matter?
I started to protest against the detective's hypothesis. The idea
of any drug addict ever forgetting to take his stimulant was too
preposterous. But Kennedy checked me. All were now keenly
listening to the argument. Better, perhaps, to let some one think
that nothing was suspected than to disclose the cards in Craig's
hand. I saw that he wished to get away and had not spoken
seriously. He turned to Mackay.
"Walter and I will have to hurry to the laboratory. Would you
like to come along?"
"You bet I would!" The district attorney showed his delight. "I
was just going to ask if I might do so. There's nothing for me in
Tarrytown to-day and this is out of my jurisdiction."
As we turned away the police sergeant saw us and called across
the floor, not quite concealing a touch of professional jealousy.
"The three of you were here at the time, weren't you?"
"No," Kennedy answered. "Mr. Jameson and myself."
"Well, you two, then! You're witnesses and I'll ask you to hold
yourself in readiness to appear at the hearing."
I thought that the policeman was particularly delighted at his
position to issue orders to Kennedy, and I was angered. Again
Craig held me in check!
"We'll be glad to tell anything we know," he replied, then added
a little fling, a bit of sarcasm which almost went over the
other's head. "That is," he amended, "as eye-witnesses!"
XXIII
BOTULIN TOXIN
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