THE CANARY MURDER CASE (CH. 10-11) S.S.VAN DINE

Sgt. Heath comes up with what he believes is a solid case against one of phone operators in Ms. O'Dell's bldg- but runs into resistance when Vance says it is a good theory- but the wrong guy, and the wrong method.  Then they demand he show them what he means.

Vance, Markham, and Sgt.Heath are amazed when, durimng a morning meeting. Skeel calls and says he knows who murdered the Canary- and he wants to talk tomorrow at 10am. 

Markham and Vance grill "Pop" Cleaver when new evidence places him at the murder scene Monday evening at 11pm.  New information comes to light.  Check out our new website at www.bestof1001stories.com and follow us and share at our new Twitter address which is @1001Stories.

Markham questions Dr. Linquist with interesting results, while Vance blows up Mannix's alibi by questioning his performer girlfriend.   Follow our website at www.bestof1001stories.com

Vance manages to find Ms. O'Dell's best girl chum and she reveals a mountain of information about O'Dell's boyfriends.

Markham and Vance narrow the suspects down to 4 men- but more imnportantly, Vance changes Markham's thinking about the nature of the suspect. Vance believes that robbery was not the motive- murder was the motive- and that the killer had planned this all out carefully for a long time. He also believes that Skein was present, hiding in the closet, and saw the murder through the keyhole.

Markham and Vance continue to question suspects but progress is slow. Finally, Vance suggests they go after Mannix- the only remaining love interest. Vance's theory places two men, unknown to each other, hiding in Ms.O'Dell's apartment the night of her murder.

A good lead directs Markheim to a neurologist who was seeing the Canary often at night, and, after beggining the interview in a haughty manner, he became extremely agitated nupon having to give the details of where he was the night of the murder.   Enjoy archives from all 12 1001 shows at www.1001bestof1001stories.com.

As the investigation continues, some breaks come to Markheim - notably, the man who dated Miss O'Dell on her last night comes forward and relates his story to the D.A., who knows him to be a reputable man.  Fingerprints come in showing that one man in the apartment that night had served time in at least 5 prisons- althouhg not for murder. 

Markham and his detective question the key witnesses while Vance observes, but still no answer as to how Ms. Odell's killer got in the apartment, unless he was hiding in there through the day- which the maid's testimony pretty well destroyed.