What fact points to the guilty party?
The thief knew there was money in the trunk but didn't know which trunk it was in.
Sergeant Smith's tour of duty ended at 6 a.m. He had hoped to sneak the money and drugs out of the precinct house before Ernie discovered the theft, but it hadn't happened that way.
Smithy nonchalantly grabbed the briefcase and drug bags from beneath the front desk and slipped them under the coat draped across his arm.
If one thinks this case out logically, Smithy was the only one who could have done it. Ernie had no way of knowing a big-money bust had gone down. Nine times out of ten, the evidence the detectives brought back was a few hundred dollars or less.
And the detectives all knew which car held the money. In a chancy situation like that, they would have gone straight for Weaver's trunk and not bothered to break open the others. The three of them certainly knew they would be the prime suspects and there would be no reason to take valuable time setting up some other fiction.
"But me," Smithy thought as he headed for the exit. "I'm the only one who knew about the money but didn't know which trunk it was in."
"Smithy!" a voice shouted.
Detective Phil Weaver was crossing to catch up to him. "I need to talk to you, Smithy. What's that under your coat?"
