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Fifty Candles

“Wait a minute.” It was Mark Drew who spoke. “I beg your pardon, Sergeant. You are conducting this case, I know, but naturally my interest is keen. I tell you flatly I do not believe this young man is guilty of my father’s murder.”

“Thank you, Mr. Drew,” I said.

“It’s an old saying and a true one,” Barnes remarked, “that there’s a motive behind every killing. Find that motive and you’ve got your man. The motive in this case is clear—revenge.”

“But there’s another one of us who may have had a motive,” said Drew. His eyes were on Parker.

“I can’t arrest a man because his shoes are muddy,” replied Barnes peevishly. “You know that. No—everything points to this young fellow. He had the motive. His story of his actions after the crime is ridiculous. His knife was found———”

“But before you arrest him,” pleaded Drew, “there are so many matters still unaccounted for———”

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