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Rh "I am not so sure," Odell demurred. "I've only been on the case a little over twelve hours, you know; and I still have hopes. As to the note, you may remember I told you a few minutes ago that it would be turned over to the bureau which it would ordinarily concern if I said the word, I have not said the word; for I am not sure yet that it concerns any bureau other than mine."

"But you—you are a member of the homicide squad!" Drew stammered, and the stub of his cigar slipped unnoticed from his fingers.

"Exactly. I am not sure that that note has not a direct bearing on the murders I am investigating."

"You're mad, I tell you, man!" Drew sprang from his chair. "You know less than I thought of what that note refers to, if you imagine such a ridiculously far-fetched thing!"

"Not so far-fetched if you remember the wording of the note and compare it with the events of the past month," Odell remarked quietly. "I quoted a sentence or two from it before, but do you recall the rest?—'Your mother's went through without a hitch, and the next one will if you only keep your nerve. It's got to be done by the sixth or you know where the first one will send you.' I believe that is it word for word, Mr. Drew. When you consider that Mrs. Lorne has already been done to death 'without a hitch' and that the sixth of the month was the date of Julian's death, it appears to lend the note quite another significance; doesn't it?"

"My God!" Drew retreated a step or two. "What a devilish misconstruction. But you don't believe it yourself. Sergeant; you are trying to bluff me. Do you think I