"_I was about to say_, but the evidence so far is merely cumulative.
Mrs. Warshofsky jumped--fell--or was pushed--from the dining room
window. The machine gun was found beside the window.
"There are no known witnesses. Mrs. Warshofsky's history presents no
unusual features. An acquaintance submitted a statement--based, she
frankly admitted, on nothing definite--that Mrs. Warshofsky sometimes
talked in a way that led her to wonder if she might not be a member of
the secret terrorist organization known as the D.A.R. In this
connection, it should be noted that Mrs. Warshofsky's maiden name was
Adams.
"Robert Orsino, killed April 21st by a thermite bomb concealed in his
pillow and fuzed with a pressure-sensitive switch. His valet, Edward
Blythe, disappeared from view. He was picked up April 23rd by a posse on
the beach of Montauk Point, but died before he could be questioned.
Examination of his stomach contents showed a lethal quantity of sodium
fluoride. It is presumed that the poison was self-administered."
"Presumed!" the old man snorted, and puffed out a lethal quantity of
cigar smoke.
"Blythe's history," Reiner went on blandly, "presents no unusual
features. It should be noted that a commerce-raider of the so-called
United States Government Navy was reported off Montauk Point during the
night of April 23rd-24th by local residents.
"Charles Orsino, attacked April 30th by his bodyguard James Halloran in
the lobby of the Costello Memorial Theater. Halloran fired one shot
which killed another bodyguard and was then himself killed. Halloran's
history presents no unusual features except that he had a considerable
interest in--uh--history. He collected and presumably read obsolete
books dealing with pre-Syndic Pre-Mob America. Investigators found by
his bedside the first volume of a work published in 1942 called _The
Growth of The American Republic_ by Morison and Commager. It was opened
to Chapter Ten, The War of Independence!"
Reiner took his seat.
F. W. Taylor said dryly: "Dick, did you forget to mention that
Warshofsky, Blythe and Halloran are known officers of the U. S. Navy?"
Reiner said: "You are being facetious. Are you implying that I have
omitted pertinent facts?"
"I'm implying that you artistically stacked the deck. With a rumor, a
dubious commerce-raider report and a note on a man's hobby, you want us
to sweep the bastards from the sea, don't you--just the way you always
have?"
"I am not ashamed of my expressed attitude on the question of the
so-called United States Government and will defend it at any proper time
and place."
"Shut the hell up, you two," Edward Falcaro growled. "I'm trying to
think." He thought for perhaps half a minute and then looked up,
baffled. "Has anybody got any ideas?"
Charles Orsino cleared his throat, amazed at his own temerity. The old
man's eyebrows shot up, but he grudgingly said: "I guess you can say
something, since they thought you were important enough to shoot."