New Britain herald., 1929-02-25
THIS HAS HAPPENED

Between one and four o'clock Sat' urday afternoon Handsome Harry Borden, promoter of dubious stock companies, is shot. Monday morning Ruth Lester. his secretary. finds his body sprawle beneath the airshaft window of his private office. Police Detective McMann's first suspect IS Mrs. Borden. wife of the promoter and mother of his two children. She admits calling on him SaturdaS afternoon for her monthly alimony check but insists he was alive when she left him.
 The next suspect is Ruth Lester. who confesses Borden's attempted familiarity with her Saturday morning. The third suspect Is Jack Hayward. Ruth's fiance. whose or flee is just across the narrow arr shaft from Borden's. He explains ms return to the seventh floor Saturday afternoon by saying he left his ana Ruths matinee tickets on his desk'
 Further suspicion is cast on JACK by the testimony of Bill Cowah' who tells of hearing Jack threaten Rorden's life Saturday morning. lie also tells of telephoning Jack salur- day afternoon, of being plugged ID on a busy line. and of hearing bor- den's voice shouting angrily.
 While plainclothes detectives are dispatched to bring in Benny smlth Rorden's office boy, and Rita pu- tois dancer friend of Borden's, Mc- Mann questions Ruth about the pro- moter', previous love affairs. she tells him of Cleo Gilman, who pre- ceded Rita in Borden's affections They are interrupted by Detec'lVe Clay. who announces himself anu Rita Dubois. o,, NOW GO ON WITH THE sloR1
 CHAPTER NXlll
 Detective Sergeant McMann made ouick work of his preliminary queS- tionins of Rita Dubois Her rephes as to name. age, profession ana nlace of employment were gwen coolly, even nonchalantly. but Rutn seated near the dancer, so that bo@a of the girls faced the detective across the dead mans desk, saw that Rita's hands were tishtly locked.
 And so you and Borden. after your first meeting about lhreH weeks ago, became lovers?' Mc- Mann bounced suddenly.
 "That's a. lie." Rita denied ve- hemently, her black eyes blazing
 "Then -" McMann grinned crookedly-'I take it that your weekend at Winter Haven With Handsome Harry was to have been in the nature of a honeymoon? Let's not waste time, Miss Dubois! I know that you and Borden had planned to go to Winter Haven on the 2:15 Saturday afternoon, that Borden had bought drawing room for the trip and that he had re- served a suite for you and himself at the Winter Haven Hotel. Now what want you to tell me Is - why didn't Borden meet you at the station as he had planned ?"
 The dancer laughed. but 1t vas not gay sound. That was what [ wanted to know. too-and found out when I saw the headlines about the murder at noon today"
 For two hours Ruth Lester had been praying that Rita Dubois would furnish Jack Hayward an alibi. by admitting that Borden was alive when she had visited him after 2:15. The collapse of that hope now was so unnerving that the girl feared she would faint.
 "So it was news to you that Bor- den was dead. was it. Rita?" Me- Mann grinned.
 "I'll say it was!" Rita assured him, nonchalant again. T was knocked out. Painted right on the street. My girl friend. Willette Wilbur. who was downtown with me. had to call cab and take ma to her home. She can tell you. And then I find a dick waiting to grab me"
 Were you in love with Harry Borden. Rita?" McMann interrupt cd suddenly.
 Color swept over the thin. exotic face. That's my business! God knows I didn't wish him any harm"
 McMann st ldied the girl for a long minute through narrowed, glinting eyes. Then: Well, Rita. let's have your story. Did you go to the station?"
 Rita flung up her head defiantly. Sure I did. I'd promised to go away for the weekend, and ] was ready to keep my bargain. I got 70 the station at two. and went to the in- formation desk. where he'd said he would meet me. At five minutes after two I began to get nervous for fear we'd miss the train and de- cidcd to phone him. There's a tele- phone booth near the information desk. and I called from there. where could see Harry if he came while l was phoning His line was busy. so l knew he'd not left the office. ' waited for about five minutes more and called again, and his line Nas still busy
 Just minute" McMann inter- rupted. "Can you fix the time Of that second call exactlyc"
 Sure, Ten minutes after two." Rita asserted confidently. T had my eye on the big clock"
 Ruth did not need the flick of McMann's narrowed eyes in her di- rection to remind her that the dancer had partially corroborated Fill CoWan's damaging testimony against Jack ayward-that. when he had called Jacks number at 2:1", he had been plugged in on a busy line and had heard Harry Borden's voice raised in violent anger. With a tremendous effort Of will she controlled the waves of dizziness that were pouring over l.