In other words, he figured that if we declared our belief in Collins guilt and forced him to trial, we'd be glad to drop the case and permit the public to forget it, after Collins was acquitted.
"Did Collins actually commit the murder ?" Britz shook his head gravely.
"You can bet your last dollar he didn't.

In the first place, had he fired the shot, Luckstone would have worked furiously to divert suspicion from him.

Every bit of damaging evidence would have been destroyed.

It was because Luckstone knew that Collins was innocent that he was willing we should accuse him of the crime.
"Equally convincing is the attitude of the others in the case.

You must remember none of them had any use for Collins.