“It—it’s Doc Hess,” he said in a dazed tone. “He just started the autopsy and thought we’d like to know that the point of the murder knife struck a rib and broke off. He just dug out a triangular pointed piece of—steel.”

For several seconds after that there wasn’t a sound. Then Merlini spoke.

“Gentlemen of the jury. Exhibit A, the paper knife with which my esteemed opponent, the District Attorney, claims Rosa Rhys stabbed Andrew Drake, is a copper alloy—and its point, as you can see, is quite intact. The defense rests.”

Doran swore again. “Drake’s inventory lists that letter opener, but that’s all. There is no other knife in this room. I’m positive of that.”

Gavigan jabbed a thick forefinger at me. “Ross, Dr. Garrett was in here before the police arrived. And Miss Drake and Kendrick.”

I shook my head. “Sorry. There was no knife near the door and neither Elinor nor Paul came more than a foot into the room. Dr. Garrett examined Drake and Rosa, but I was watching him, and I’ll testify that unless he’s as expert at slight-of-hand as Merlini, he didn’t pick up a thing.”

Doran was not convinced. “Look, buddy. Unless Doc Hess has gone crazy too, there was a knife and it’s not here now. So somebody took it out.” He turned to the detective who stood at the door. “Tom,” he said, “have the boys frisk all those people. Get a police woman for Miss Drake and Potter and search the bedroom where they’ve been waiting. The living room, too.”

Then I had a brainstorm. “You know,” I said, “if Elinor is covering up for someone—if three people came in here for the séance instead of two as she says—the third could have killed Drake and then gone out—with the knife. And the paper tape could have been. . .” I stopped.

“—pasted on the door after the murderer left?” Merlini finished. “By Rosa? That would mean she framed herself.”

“Besides,” Gavigan growled, “the boys fumed all those paper strips. There are fingerprints all over them. All Drake’s.”

Merlini said, “Doran, I suggest that you phone the hospital and have Rosa searched, too.”

The Lieutenant blinked. “But she was practically naked. How in blazes could she carry a knife out of here unnoticed?”

Gavigan faced Merlini, scowling. “What did you mean when you said a moment ago that she could have got rid of the knife the same way she produced those shells?”

“If it was a clasp knife,” Merlini explained, “she could have used the same method other apport mediums have employed to conceal small objects under test conditions.”

“But dammit!” Doran exploded. “The only place Garrett didn’t look was in her stomach!”