Why were Chief Brown's suspicions regarding Nolan and Davenport justified, even when there was a lack of concrete proof?
Chief Brown's suspicions were justified because several circumstances pointed to Nolan and Davenport's involvement in the jewellery robbery.
They had met in prison, suggesting criminal backgrounds.
Davenport arrived just a week before the hold-up and disappeared immediately after.
A clerk recognized Nolan during the robbery, though she could not testify with certainty.
Most importantly, Nolan's dying message about the hidden jewellery proved that the stolen goods were indeed concealed, confirming Chief Brown's hunch that they had hidden the loot until things cooled down.
Explanation
The chapter shows that while there was no concrete proof initially, the circumstantial evidence was strong—the timing of Davenport's arrival and departure, their prison connection, the clerk's partial identification, and ultimately the discovery of the jewellery exactly where the coded message indicated.
Solution Steps
Nolan and Davenport had met in prison, suggesting criminal backgrounds
Davenport arrived just a week before the hold-up and disappeared immediately after
A clerk recognized Nolan during the robbery, though she could not testify with certainty
Nolan's dying message about the hidden jewellery proved the stolen goods were concealed