Page:Burton Stevenson--The marathon mystery.djvu/50

30 “How did you happen to be here?” demanded Rankin of the Planet.

“Just luck,” explained Godfrey, looking around the group with a pleasant smile.

“Does it mean another scoop?”

“Oh, no; not at all! I dare say you fellows know more about it now than I do.”

“Oh, of course we do!” assented Rankin drily, amid derisive laughter.

“At least,” Godfrey added, “Mr. Goldberg has all the facts and is probably willing to help you out.”

“Yes,” agreed the coroner; “but it’s getting late, and I’m in a hurry—I’ll give you ten minutes at my office,” and he started toward the door.

“All right,” said Rankin; “come on, boys,” and they trooped out of the building together.

Simmonds waited until the last of them had disappeared.

“Well, we searched the house,” he began.

“Nobody there?” asked Godfrey.

“Not a living soul. I didn’t really expect to find anybody; but we went through every room—even to the suites which are occupied.”

Higgins opened his mouth suddenly; then as suddenly closed it.

“Did you find the doors all locked?”

“Every one; the hall windows bolted on the inside and the trap in the roof hooked in place. There’s only one way our man could get out—that was by the front door yonder,” and Simmonds looked sharply at the janitor.