The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-12-30
CHAPTER FoRE-FIvE

SUPPOSE he's rig" Tom had
= listened attentive to Linda's
report of her talk It'll shaugh-
Messy. After all, the murder
happened yesterday inning and bv
last night We had alne on all of
them.
I think Shaughnesy's definitely
out of it, Linda, simy because he
couldn't have gotten , to the room
: Friday night, or raer Saturday
morning, without onof us hearing
him.
When you thinkback and see
now the small SCUM that were
made were magnifieI by the quiet
OF the house, you IN see that
man couldn't come through the
screen door"
That is, allowingou forgot to
lock the other"
yes. 1 wish cid rememberl
And 1 can't mentio1it TO Shaugh-
Messy, because it Wild show I still
have suspected him.
Well, anyhow, aSou started to
say-the screen dooIbangsl"
That's it-unless bu hold it with
your hand, which pu know he
wouldn't think TO dc If he had, he
would have had tosreep up the
stairs without eithe Of us hearing
him"
In other words,it would have
been deliberate -wlch is exactly
What we feel sure ilwasn't."
But as for StaAnder-in spite
of the trouble withhis hearing I'm
again undecided. hat man has
something en- his md!
He had the md curious air
about hiln-very ihportant and
what shall call it9 -valedictory, as
We went over the apers. He was
doing nothing less tan giving me
full, detailed repor of his entire
work as manager Of Valeska's mid
dlewest factory-froh the day he
came. Systems, buying, profits, en-
ployment-everythirg.
Nov man doesn't go away for a
pleasant weekend and launch into
a rehearsal like that-back to the
year one-unless his mind is some
how disturbed and he feels 1T his
last chance to get it of his chess"
Guilty conscience"
Possibly. Over conScientiCusness
as far as the office is concerned.
He certainly gave me the impress
sion that he had arranged b leave
everything in my hands imperfect
shape.
I'D say it was the habit e mind
Of a person who always ha been
systematic and suddenly ! faced
with the possibility Of a Heak in
the routine. He may otlantici-
pate arrest, but he's ACTIN as he
would If he did"
"He is the only one whoshowed
the slightest sign Of knowig what
was driving at when I mde him
talk about it ALL" unused Linda.
HE didn't start and flush nd act
like a villain on the stage, but he
wasn't bit anxious to go yer the
ground and I'm convinced ne saw
perfectly we'll what 1 was leading
up to.
1.-THE nearer I got to the cart OF
the matter, the more reSve he
was"
"THERE are two things hold
i against him STILL sad Tom
slowly THE way he said nothing
when you asked if he'd foud any
thing.
Remember, Linda2 He after
wards admitted to the toTel, APP
parently without seeing tina he had
contradicted himself"
"Yes. And what was the other?"
"The way he turned awy from
the railing when he was stnighten-
ing it up, according to Shaugh-
nessey's account.
That's one of those curbus, un-
necessary acts that often reveal a
lot-and it's also the sort Of thing
no one could make up"
But you didn't notice when he
appeared in pajamas and oathrobe
that he looked as If he'( had
tussle?"
He'd have had time to fix up if
he'd shown the marks of one. OF
all of them, his escape would be
easiest.
His room is right across from the
nursery. He could slip in there
and tidy up in the time was COM
ing up the lawn and then join us
later"
Tom" She made a gesture of
WEAKNESS and distress. You're go
ing round and round"
IT know, Binks-but I honestly
think we're going further ahead
each time. Like a spiral stair
case, we go round and round, but
we also go up.