“It’s worth trying,” Brandon said. “In fact, at this stage of the game almost anything is worth trying.”
Selby reached over and picked up the sheriff’s telephone, said to the operator, “Get the Lennox residence. I want to talk with Miss Moana Lennox. Tell her it’s the district attorney calling.”
He held the phone a moment, then heard Mrs. Lennox saying very firmly, “I’m sorry, but the child simply cannot be disturbed. This is her mother and...”
“I’ll talk with her,” Selby cut in. Then in his most suave tone said, “Hello, Mrs. Lennox. This is Mr. Selby, the district attorney. We’re working on a very important clue. I’m going to have some jewelry here in about an hour that I want Moana to look at. I have reason for wanting to keep the matter very confidential. Will you please have Moana come to the sheriff’s office in about an hour?”
“Couldn’t you bring it out here?”
“Under the circumstances,” Selby said, mysteriously, “circumstances which I am not at liberty to explain, that would be very inconvenient. I’d like very much to have Moana come to the sheriff’s office.”
“In an hour?” Mrs. Lennox inquired.
“In an hour,” Selby said. “And please have her come alone and without letting anyone know where she’s going.”
“Very well, Mr. Selby, and thank you for your efforts. However, Mr. Selby, I certainly hope that you’re not going to let that creature pull the wool over your eyes.”
“That creature?”
“That Dorothy Clifton person. She has completely hypnotized my son, Horace. I am very much pained to see that he is so credulous. I have spent a great deal of money giving him a legal education, and I certainly think that an attorney should be a little less naive. Particularly so far as designing females are concerned. I certainly hope, Mr. Selby, that you’re not going to be taken in by this creature’s wiles. If the jewelry you have is Moana’s, it came from Dorothy Clifton. If it didn’t come from her, then it isn’t Moana’s jewelry.
“This creature is not only responsible for all of our troubles, but I’m certain that she’s the one who entered Moana’s bedroom and stole that jewelry. We had been talking about Moana’s jewelry that night before Dorothy went to bed. She must have committed the murder and then taken Moana’s jewelry. When the case is finally solved that will be definitely and positively established. In fact, I shall insist that it is definitely and positively established so that my son can come to his senses.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Lennox,” Selby said. “In about an hour then.”
“In an hour,” she said, and hung up.
Selby turned to the sheriff with a grin. “Well,” he said, “we’re starting to burn bridges, Rex. Let me have those sketches of the stolen jewelry. I’m going to see Stacy Bodega, dig up some earrings, a brooch, and a pendant.”
Brandon looked at his watch. “It’s two now. She’ll be in here at three o’clock then.”
Selby nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll be here in time with the jewelry. I’m certain Stacy Bodega will co-operate.”
20
Selby spread the antique jewelry out on Sheriff Brandon’s desk, glanced at his watch, and said, “Well, I have a few minutes to spare. I hope she’ll be prompt.”
“That stuff certainly matches the sketches,” Brandon said. “Gosh, Doug, you don’t suppose that by any chance it could be the same stuff, do you?”
“Not the same stuff, Rex, but it could be almost the same. Jewelry of that particular period all followed a certain fixed pattern. This is close enough to it to give us something to work on. We can say that...”
Selby broke off as the door of the sheriff’s office opened and Sylvia Martin entered the room.
“May I interrupt long enough to see if there’s any new lead?” she asked.
Selby nodded, said, “There isn’t anything definite yet, Sylvia, but I have a good human-interest story for you, if you want to go to Santa Barbara.”
“What is it?”
“Moana Lennox’s closest girl friend lives up there. She’s married now, Mrs. Jordon L. Kerry. Moana apparently went up there last night. She’s all worked up about the things that are happening, and about her brother’s broken romance.”
“I don’t see anything broken about it,” Sylvia said.
“It isn’t, but Moana thought it would be. She naturally couldn’t conceive of a Lennox turning against the sacred Lennox family.”
“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.”