Geraldine Bonner

“ But you couldn't phase Jones, he said as calm as a May morning:
"He could have done that. But I don't think he did. He didn't need it. The tool box of the car was nearer to hand. A large-sized auto wrench is a pretty formidable weapon, and a tire wrench—did you ever see one? One well-aimed blow of that would crush in the head of a negro."
"Gentlemen, the evidence is all in," said Babbitts.
"Your case might hold water," said Jasper, "if it wasn't as full of holes as a sieve. Why, you can make out as good a one for almost anybody."
"Who, for example?" Jones asked.
"Well—take Reddy." ”

“ I said that, sitting up suddenly and staring at them with a piece of jelly roll halfway to my mouth.
"He's as good as another," said Jasper, and then he added sort of dreamy: "I believe I could work up quite a convincing case against Reddy, allowing for a hole here and there. But our illustrious friend here admits holes at this stage."
"Fire away," said Babbitts. "Give it to us, holes and all."
"Well—off the bat here it is. You may remember that no one saw him coming back from Maple Lane that night. There is no one, therefore, to deny that he may have had Miss Hesketh in the car with him. ”

“ He met Miss Hesketh at the Junction, either by threats, persuasion or coercion made her enter his auto and carried her up the road to the turnpike.
"And now," said Babbitts, leaning his arms on the table, "we come to her appearance in the Wayside Arbor."
"We do," Jones replied, nodding his head. "You may remember that both Hines and his servant said there were twigs and leaves on the edge of her skirt and that her boots were muddy. Traces of this were still visible in her clothes when they found her body. She did get out of the automobile, but not so far from the turnpike as he said. ”