The Shadow 321 by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

XIII

VIC MARQUETTE was in Gilmar’s study when Cranston and Gloria arrived there. With Vic was the lieutenant of the San Francisco homicide squad, who had been at Kremp’s. Vic introduced him as Lieutenant Wade, then gave a nudge toward Gilmar’s desk, where the Jade Dragon squatted in all its green glory.

“We’re custodians of this,” explained Vic. “We brought it here and we’re waiting until Gilmar gets back from his office. I’m glad you came, Cranston, because we’re going to discuss the Kremp case. But meanwhile we can talk about Sangju.”

With that, Marquette turned to Gloria.

“Did Sangju ever behave suspiciously?” quizzed Vic. “While you were around, I mean?”

Gloria shook her head.

“How far did Gilmar trust him?” persisted Marquette. “Did he give him full charge of the strong room?”

“Absolute charge,” replied Gloria. “He even had Sangju prepare the key and keep it. Mr. Gilmar was afraid that if he kept a key of his own, he might mislay it. Then if somebody picked it up, even somebody like myself” - Gloria was speaking quite impartially - “Sangju might have been blamed for something that wouldn’t be his fault.”

“That’s what Gilmar said himself,” nodded Vic. “He likes to accept responsibilities and believes that others should have the same privilege. But did Sangju ever leave that door open - say when you or Gilmar were here in the study?”

“Never. That is, not until last night.”

“That was so you could look for some things in there,” reminded Vic. “Like items stamped with the Wei Hai Wei trade-mark. Did you ever take other things in and out of the strong room?”

“Of course,” replied Gloria, “but Sangju was like a watch-dog; though, now I know it was only pretence. Often Sangju carried things in and out himself; but when there were big batches of curios, I took the light ones and Mr. Gilmar took the heavy ones.”

“Such items were delivered here often?”

“Only occasionally,” recalled Gloria. “I hadn’t been in the strong room for a week before last night. A few new things had been brought in there, meanwhile. One was a small Oriental clock; another was that heavy taboret, the one Takara jumped on when he sprang at me. Of course there was the Jade Dragon, but we know that it was put in there night before last, which was when I brought it here. You’ll have to ask Mr. Gilmar about the other items.”

“They won’t matter,” rejoined Vic. “I only wanted to know if Sangju had sole access to the strong room. He had, so therefore only Sangju could have loosened that brass shutter so Takara could get in.”

“I’m positive,” said Gloria, “that only Sangju could have.”

Cranston was standing by the desk while Marquette talked with Gloria. Cranston was turning the Jade Dragon under the glare of a desk lamp, studying it closely. Now, a police car was giving a siren signal outdoors, so Lieutenant Wade decided to go down and find out what it wanted. Catching a slight nod from Cranston, Marquette decided to do the same.

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