The D.A. Breaks an Egg

“No, I suppose not... What have you there, Doug? Don’t tell me that’s the jewelry that...”

“We won’t tell you it is, but we won’t tell you what it...” He broke off as the door opened and A. B. Carr, accompanied by Phillip L. Paden, entered the room.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” Carr said, in his richly resonant voice, “and pardon me. My dear Miss Martin, I trust that you’re acquainted with the new publisher of your competitive sheet. If not, permit me to present Mr. Phillip L. Paden. Miss Martin, Mr. Paden.”

“I’ve met him,” Sylvia said shortly.

Brandon casually moved away from the desk and jewelry. “What is it you fellows want?”

“I think,” Carr said, “that the jewelry over there is the thing which primarily interests us, Sheriff. Miss Moana Lennox asked me to take a look at some jewelry you had here. You see, among other things, Sheriff, I’m something of a connoisseur of antique jewelry. It’s been a hobby of mine for some time and...”

“The devil it has!”

“Oh, yes. I’ve quite a collection of antique jewelry of my own, and it happens I was talking with Miss Lennox some months ago about antique jewelry generally. She told me she had some very interesting pieces which were heirlooms, and was good enough to show them to me. So I’m thoroughly familiar with them. I believe you thought these might be hers?”

Brandon said, “I don’t think we care to discuss this jewelry with you, Carr.”

“Why not?”

“There are certain confidential aspects of the case.”

Carr walked over to examine the jewelry, said cheerfully, “Well, you won’t need to discuss it, Sheriff, because I can tell you right now that this is not Moana Lennox’s jewelry.”

“It’s not?”

“Definitely not. It’s of the same period and similar design, but it’s not the same jewelry.”

Paden, smiling expansively, lit a cigar. “Do you recognize it at all, Carr? Ever seen it before?”

“Well, now,” Carr said, hesitating, “I wouldn’t want to express an absolute opinion. There’s nothing that’s more difficult than to make a positive identification in matters of this sort, but I think I’ve seen that jewelry before. I think it’s part of a collection belonging — or which did belong to Mr. Stacy Bodega. He had it on exhibit about a year ago and I was very much interested in some of his pieces.”

“Well,” Paden said, “that’s interesting. How about it, Sheriff? Where did you get it?”

Brandon said, “As far as The Blade is concerned, this office has ceased giving out any information whatever. If you want information, go out and get it.”

“Okay,” Paden said, “I will. And when I get it I’ll know what to do with it. Don’t think any two-bit hick sheriff is going to tell me where to get off. You’re holding office, Brandon, until the next election, and that’s the end of it, so there’s no need to push your weight around. A year from now and you won’t have any official weight to push around. Good day, sir.”

Brandon followed him to the door. “The trouble with this community is it’s getting too damn citified. First we get a shyster lawyer, and then we get a crooked publisher.”

Paden said, “Those words are libelous and my attorney...” He turned, saw the look in Sheriff Brandon’s eyes, hesitated a moment, then hurried out into the corridor.

Brandon, following him, said, “That’s what I said. A crooked newspaper publisher, and a shyster lawyer.”

“Come on, Paden,” Carr said suavely. “You can answer him in the columns of your paper. I can afford to ignore it.”

They walked rapidly toward the stairs.

Brandon kicked the door shut, his face white with fury. “Damn them,” he said. “They haven’t guts enough to turn around and make a fair fight of it. They keep sniping away in that dirty newspaper. Hang it, that man Carr! He would have to turn out to be a connoisseur of antique jewelry.”

“Doug,” Sylvia said, “did you get that from Bodega’s collection?”

Selby nodded. “I was trying to lay a trap for Moana. I wanted to get her in here and... well, that’s what happened. How in the world would anyone from the Lennox family ever get teamed up with A. B. Carr?”

Sylvia said, “Oh Doug, I’m afraid you walked right into a trap. Didn’t you ever hear about Stacy Bodega’s son? He was arrested for drunken driving while he was in college. He hit a woman and injured her quite seriously.

“Bodega got old A. B. C., and Carr fixed everything up very hush-hush. Now you can see what must have happened. Stacy Bodega must have been passing the time of day with Carr and undoubtedly mentioned that you’d gone over his collection to try and match the Lennox pieces.”

Selby’s face darkened. “And that’s why Carr brought Paden along with him... Still Carr must have had some connection with the Lennox family — with Moana, anyway. What do you say, Rex?”

Brandon said, “What I want to say can’t be said in front of Sylvia. Damn them!”