Lowry’s laugh was short and contemptuous. “Oh, come off it, doc. You don’t even have to be a freshman in medical school to realize a man is dead when his head looks like that,” Lowry said deliberately.

Brady had edged close to Clayton, too, by this time. The expression on his face was a cold one.

“This time Lowry’s right, for a change, Dr. Clayton,” Brady said. “Carrol was out here at your place for something you didn’t think he ought to know about, wasn’t he?”

“I’m sure I don’t have the faintest notion of what you’re talking about,” Clayton said stiffly, glowering at both men.

“I’ll try to make it as plain as possible,” Lowry said with heavy sarcasm. He took the green earring from his pocket and held it up, moving it back and forth in front of Clayton’s eyes.

“Remember this particular little bauble, Dr. Clayton?” he asked.

Clayton’s face was an impassive mask. “Of course not,” he said.

“Of course you do, you mean. Permit me to refresh your memory a little. A man of your professional stature has so much on his mind that occasionally he lets a little detail slip out of his memory. But I’ll fill in the blank for you, doctor. Your little companion, Doris Blair, used to wear this earring. It matched a light green evening gown of hers. Remember?”

“Hey, lemme see that!” Brady yelled. He took the earring from Lowry’s hand and inspected it closely. Looking up, he said, “We’ve got the mate to this. Found it with all the rest of her junk. We wondered about the singleton for a while.”

“But not long enough,” Lowry said icily. “It was less work just to pinch McKay.”

“Can that,” Brady said angrily. “You didn’t know so much yourself. You were just bluffing right along the whole time.”

“Now, see here,” Dr. Clayton said, his expression becoming one of irritation. “I don’t know what you fellows think you’re about, but if this is some kind of an attempt at humor I might as well tell you that I don’t think it’s awfully funny.”

“Let me assure you, doctor,” Lowry said, “that this is definitely not an attempt at humor. Dr. Clayton, it didn’t do you a single bit of good to shoot Carrol. Your number was up long before that, whether you realized it or not.”