The Casebook of Sidney Zoom

by Erle Stanley Gardner

  They walked rapidly and in silence. Captain Mahoney was put to it to keep the pace. From time to time, his anxious, speculative eyes turned upward to Zoom’s face. But the rigid profile was as though carved from solid rock.

  It was not until they had approached the place where the body of the murdered man had been found that the dog suddenly barked three times, came running toward them, then back toward a vacant lot.

  Here was a patch of brush, back of a signboard. The ground was littered with such odds and ends as invariably collect in vacant lots. There were two or three automobiles which would never run again, a few tin cans which had been surreptitiously deposited.

  “I think,” said Zoom, “the dog has found something important.”

  Captain Mahoney sprinted into speed, was the first to arrive at the patch of brush. He parted the leaves. The dog pawed excitedly, as though to help.

  Captain Mahoney straightened and whistled.

  “Call back the dog, Zoom. There’s a forty-five automatic on the ground here. There may be finger-prints on it. I want to preserve them.”

  Zoom snapped a swift command.

  The dog dropped flat on his belly, muzzle on forepaws.

  Captain Mahoney took a bit of string from his pocket. He lowered it until he had it slung under the barrel of the automatic, then he tied a knot and raised the gun.

  Zoom muttered his approval.

  For there were finger-prints upon the weapon, prints that showed unmistakable ridges and whorls. Those finger-prints might have been developed by an expert, so plain were they.

  “A man’s fingers,” said Captain Mahoney.

  Zoom nodded.

  “Now, captain, if you don’t mind, we’ll return to the house where Raine lived and see if we can identify the gun. As a favor to me, I wish you’d tell no one where this gun was found until I give you permission.”

  Captain Mahoney sighed.

  “Zoom, I’m going to give you a free hand, for a little while.”

  “Come then,” said Zoom.

  And they returned to the house as rapidly as they had made the trip from it, presenting a strange pair, the tall man with the hawklike eyes, the shorter officer, carrying a gun dangling on a string, careful lest the finger-prints should be obliterated.

  Sam Mokley, the butler, let them into the house.

  Zoom ordered him to summon the lawyer and the cook.

  They gathered in the living room, a restless group of men, very evidently under a great nervous strain.

  “Ah Kim,” snapped Zoom, “is that Mr. Raine’s gun?”

  The Chinese let his eyes slither to the gun, then to Zoom’s face, then about the room.

  “Same gun,” he said.

  “Beg your pardon, sir,” interposed the butler, “hut it’s not the gun. Mr. Raine’s gun had a little speck of rust on the barrel, just under the safety catch.”

  Zoom’s grin was sardonic.

  “Oh,” he said, “I thought you described Raine’s gun as being a thirty-eight revolver, not a forty-five automatic.”

  The butler’s wooden face was as a mask.

  “Yes, sir,” he said.

  Captain Mahoney regarded the man curiously.

  “Anything further to say, Mokley?”

  “No, sir.”

  Zoom nodded, slowly.

  “No,” he said, “he wouldn’t.”

  Captain Mahoney’s eyes were thoughtful.

  “We’ve got to have proof, you know, Zoom. We may satisfy ourselves of something, but we’ve got to get enough evidence to satisfy a jury before we can do anything.”

  Chapter VIII

  The Killer Shoots Again

  Zoom started to talk. His voice was crisp, metallic.

  “Let’s look at the weak points in the case they’ve built up against the girl, look at the clews and see what must have happened.

  “Raine had the gems here. He heard a noise, found the gems gone — stolen.

  “Something made him sufficiently positive to start out after the girl. That something must have been some tangible evidence. Let’s suppose, as a starting point, it was the finding of part of a broken necklace with some synthetic rubies strewn over the floor.

  “Naturally, he scooped up some of those rubies, to be used in confronting the girl. He started after her. He was walking toward the wind. It was rainy. He got wet. That didn’t deter him. As I see his character, Raine was a very determined man.

  “But, before he reached the apartment where the girl lived something caused him to turn back. What was that something? We can be fairly sure he didn’t get to the apartment. Otherwise he’d have raised a commotion. He was that sort. And he was facing in the other direction when he was shot from behind, with his own gun.

  “Now what would have caused him to turn back? What would have caused him to surrender his gun? Certainly some one in whose advice he must have had implicit faith overtook him and convinced him that he was going off on a wrong track, that he should return and summon the police.

  “Then, when that person had secured possession of the gun, he waited for a clap of thunder from the passing shower, shot Raine in the back of the head.

  “That person had picked up more of the scattered rubies. He used them to leave a trail to the front door of the apartment house where the girl lived. Those rubies weren’t spaced the way they would have been had they come off a necklace. They’d have hit the sidewalk in a bunch and scattered. They were spaced just as they would have been had some one dropped them with the deliberate intent of causing the police to go to that apartment house.

  “Now the only person I can think of who would have been able to dissuade Mr. Raine, cause him to surrender his gun, turn him back, is...”

  And Sidney Zoom stared at the lawyer.

  That individual laughed.

  “Very cleverly done, Zoom, but not worth a damn. Your theory is very pretty, but how are you going to prove the necklace was broken here in this room? You got down on your hands and knees when you first came in here. You were looking for some of the rubies. You were disappointed. Your interest in the girl has led you to concoct a very pretty theory. It won’t hold water — before a jury.”

  Zoom turned to the Chinese.

  “Bring me the vacuum sweeper, Ah Kim,” he said.

  The servant glided from the room on noiseless feet.

  The butler exchanged glances with the lawyer. The attorney cleared his throat, then was silent again.

  The Chinese returned with the vacuum sweeper. Sidney Zoom opened it, took from the interior the bag where the sweepings reposed. He opened that bag, spilled the dust upon the floor.

  Instantly it became apparent that that dust contained several of the rubies. They glowed redly in the light which came through the massive windows.

  “Yes,” said Zoom, “I looked for the rubies here. When I couldn’t find them I knew I was dealing with an intelligent criminal. But I did find that a vacuum sweeper had been run over the floor very recently.”

  The butler looked at the lawyer, wet his lips. The lawyer frowned meditatively.

  “That, of course,” he said, “is rather strong evidence you’ve uncovered there, Zoom. Ah Kim would have profited by the death. He has acted suspiciously several times. There’s a chance you may be right.”

  Zoom’s smile was frosty.

  “Ah Kim couldn’t have dissuaded Harry Raine from going on to the girl’s apartment,” he said, slowly, impressively. “And I don’t think it will be Ah Kim’s fingers that’ll fit the prints on that gun.”

  The attorney regarded the gun more intently than ever.

  “Ah, yes,” he said, “the finger-prints on the gun. Well, it’s certain they’re not mine, and I wouldn’t have profited by the death of my client. I have lost by it. He kept me in a law practice.”

  The butler squirmed.

  “Meaning that you’re directing suspicion at me?” he asked.

  The attorney shrugged his shoulders.

  “The finger-pri
nts,” he said, “will speak for themselves.”

  Sam Mokley regarded the attorney speculatively.

  “Well,” said Captain Mahoney, “we’ll take the finger-prints of the men here, and—”

  “Perhaps,” suggested Zoom, “we can also look over the clothes closers of the men. We might find evidence that one of them was out in the rain last night. And it’s peculiar that the bed of Harry Raine shows no evidence of having been slept in. Every one agrees he jumped out of bed to pursue the burglar.

  “I wouldn’t doubt if there were clean sheets put on the bed, and the bed made up fresh because the old sheets and pillowcase might have shown that he kept a gun under his pillow.”

  The attorney spoke, slowly, in measured tones.

  “The finger-prints on the gun are the most important evidence. A jury will act on those. The other things are mere surmise.”

  Captain Mahoney stared at the lawyer.

  “Humph,” he said.

  “As a matter of fact,” pursued the attorney, “the butler was out for a little while last night. I tried to locate him just after Mr. Raine went out, and—”

  The butler’s motion was so bafflingly swift that the eye could hardly follow. He had edged near the gun which lay on the table. With a sweep of his hand he scooped it up, fired, all in one motion.

  The attorney’s stomach took the bullet. A look of surprised incredulity spread over his countenance; before that look was wiped out by the crashing impact of two more bullets.

  Sam Mokley jumped back, waving the gun at Zoom and Captain Mahoney.

  “Get your hands up,” he said.

  But he had forgotten something — the police dog.

  The animal made a swift spring, a tawny streak of motion. Teeth clamped about the wrist that held the gun. Seventy-five pounds of hurtling weight, amplified by the momentum of the rush, crashed downward upon that extended arm. The dog twisted his powerful neck, flung himself in a wrenching turn.

  The weapon dropped from nerveless fingers.

  Captain Mahoney stepped forward, handcuffs glistened.

  “Let go, Rip, and lie down,” said Sidney Zoom.

  The police dog relaxed his hold.

  Sam Mokley extended his wrists for the handcuffs, the right wrist dripping blood from the fangs of the dog.

  “Put ’em on,” he said, his voice calm, his face utterly without emotion. “I got that lying, cheating, murdering double crossing lawyer. You’re right in everything, only both Gearhard and I went after Raine.

  “The lawyer put up the plan to me on the way. I had a criminal record. He knew it. He got me the job here. He proposed that we had a chance to kill off old Raine, blame the murder on the girl. He’d stick by me, and I’d split my inheritance with him.

  “He made me do the shooting so I’d be in his power. But I don’t know how in hell you ever found the gun. We took it down to the bay and dumped it in the water.”

  Captain Mahoney turned to Sidney Zoom.

  That individual was smiling, a cold, efficient smile.

  “Certainly, captain. I had to victimize you a little to set the stage just the way I wanted it. Rip’s well trained and intelligent, but even he couldn’t have done what he appeared to do. The finger-prints on the gun are my own. I knew that the murder had been committed with a single shot from a forty-five automatic. Therefore I bought a similar gun, put very evident finger-prints on it, buried it where Rip could see it.

  “When I told him to search for the gun, he naturally thought we were playing a game. He went to the place where I had placed the weapon — after I’d led him to the general vicinity. I thought it might help us in a third degree.”

  Captain Mahoney stared angrily at Zoom.

  “And you left it loaded, ready to shoot because you thought that—”

  Zoom shrugged his shoulders.

  “As you said, you need evidence to convict.”

  Captain Mahoney sighed.

  “Zoom, you’re the most ruthless devil I ever saw work on a case... And how about the girl? Even if you have the right hunch about her, she must have come here and stolen the gems. She broke the necklace, didn’t realize it until she got to her room. Then she found a part of the string and, of course, tried to conceal it... and she tore the name off the mail box. I wonder if she didn’t conceal those gems in the mail box. Do you know?”

  Sidney Zoom met his gaze.

  “Do you know, captain, you’re rather clever — at times. But I don’t think even you are clever enough to ever find out what became of those gems — or to get a case that you can make out against the girl for their theft. You know it takes evidence to convict.

  “Personally, I have an idea those gems will eventually be sold to a collector who will be glad to pay a top price with no questions asked — and that the girl will receive the present of a sum of money.”

  Captain Mahoney licked his lips.

  “Zoom, your ideas of justice are, perhaps, all right at times. But you’re sworn to enforce the law. You’ve got to do your duty.”

  Zoom grinned.

  “You forget you made me turn in my star and commission. Come, come, captain, you’re going to get lots of credit for having solved a murder case swiftly and efficiently. You’d better let it go at that.

  “And while you’re talking about law, remember that there’s always a higher law than man-made laws. Personally, I rather like that biblical admonition about the man who is without sin being the one to throw the first stone.”

  Captain Mahoney took a deep breath.

  “Zoom, what a strange mixture you are! Big-hearted about some things to the point of taking risks, ruthless about others!”

  Zoom shrugged.

  “I live life as I see it.”

  It was Mokley who interrupted.

  “Come on, cap, let’s get this thing over with... to think that damned crook Gearhard fell for that third degree stuff! And him a lawyer! He was the one who was going to see that I had a cinch... stand back of me in a crisis, and all that! Then the dirty snake tried to squirm out from under and let me take the rap!

  “Well, if there’s anything in this divine justice business, this guy talks about, he certainly got his — the crook!”

  Captain Mahoney went to the telephone.

  “Send the homicide squad, the coroner and the wagon,” he said, when he had contacted headquarters, “and tell Sergeant Gromley to lay off that Raine woman. He’s got a wrong hunch.”

  The Green Door

  Chapter I

  The Fleeing Girl

  Sidney Zoom swung the big sedan at the corner, crawled in close to the curb. He drove after the manner of cruising cab drivers who prowl the midnight streets looking for belated fares.

  But the big sedan was no cab, nor would it readily be mistaken for one. It was low to the ground, long, slim, built for speed. The engine purred in powerful pulsations under the glistening sweep of the long hood. The body was streamlined for speed.

  Beside the driver sat a police dog, yellow eyes glinting with a hard gleam of intense interest as he scanned the sidewalks, swept his gaze down the dark side streets.

  The night was calm, and Sidney Zoom did not like the tranquillity of calm nights. He preferred, instead, the howl of the wind, the whip of rain, the lash of savage seas.

  Upon such nights of storm Sidney Zoom could usually have been found out beyond the heads, aboard his yacht the Alberta F, fighting the crashing seas, the light of joy in his eyes.

  Zoom enjoyed the thrill of conflict, whether with man or with nature. And this night, being too calm to offer adventure in his yacht, sent him patrolling the midnight streets, searching for some adventure which would offer excitement.

  The car crossed an intersection. The dog gave a throaty growl, flattened forward on his forefeet, muzzle pressing close to the windshield.

  Sidney Zoom’s foot touched the brake.

  A running figure was coming down that side street, and the figure was that of a woman. Once she shot a g
lance over her shoulder, and then increased her speed.

  She was running, not as most women run, trying to maintain some semblance of grace, careful lest their modesty shall be sacrificed to speed; but she was running as people run who are in a blind panic, heedless of appearances.

  Her skirt impeded the action of her legs, and the left hand grasped at the folds, pulled it well above the knees. The feet spurned the pavement with a force and vigor which would have done credit to a trained sprinter.

  Sidney Zoom brought the car to a dead stop. He reached back and flung open the rear door on the side next to the curb. The running figure made one final spurt, a leap, a grasping clutch of frantic hands. The car lurched with the weight of her body, the tug of her arms. Then she was on the rear seat, panting, gasping inarticulate words.

  Sidney Zoom slammed the door.

  A man’s figure rounded the far comer, paused. The man took in the situation, raised his arm. There was the spat of a bullet against the side of the car, the sound of a revolver.

  Another man joined the first figure. Then a third.

  Sidney Zoom’s hand flashed beneath the lapel of his coat.

  The girl managed to get out words.

  “Please, please don’t. For my sake. I’ll die. Please take me away!”

  Sidney Zoom flashed her a glance, and knew the answer he must make. He disregarded the men who were running toward him, shooting as they ran, disregarded the snarling dog, fangs pressed against the glass of the door, begging with whimpered pleadings to be allowed to get out and launch an attack of his own.

  Sidney Zoom snapped in the clutch, pressed on the throttle and the multi-cylinder power of the car produced instant results. The wheels gripped the pavement. The headlights swung, the car roared into speed.

  It was not until they had gone some twenty blocks, straight down the road, shooting like an arrow from a bow, that she made explanation.

  “They’re gangsters,” she said. “I run a little millinery business. These men were organizing a racket. I blocked them. I refused to pay tribute for myself, and also organized the other shops in a resistance. They... they were taking me for a tide. Can you imagine that?”