The Coolidge examiner., 1932-03-11
CHAPTER XII
The Death of Roberts.

a T A ring of the bell Maisie
n opened the door to Ashley and
to boy with ice water.
"Hullo, sister," said Ashley, laugh
ing. "How's the little girl? You
look like a rose in June. Time
hasn't changed you. hasn't
chance"
Ashley had entered the room and
closed the door when he saw that
Maisie had a caller.
How do you do" he said, and
then perceived that it was Lieuten-
ant Stanton. His astonishment was
only for an instant, his composure
being reliable.
"Hullo, Lieutenant" he said
You've found Maisie, | see. You
police devilsl I'm beginning to be
afraid of you. If fellow didn't
stay right and inside the law | be-
lieve he'd get into trouble. And
Maisie's found a new boy friend
and big boy in blue. I've always
been thankful for q clear con-
science"
His glance at her was fittingly
malevolent, but he laughed. "Al
right, Maisie. | certainly walked
right into whatever was waiting for
me. How did you get hold of her,
Stanton?"
Il turned myself in, Howard. |
asked the lieutenant to call.
wanted to talk to him."
Fair enough. | know of my own
knowledge that he's been want
ing to talk to you ever since he had
the pleasure of knowing about the
rest of us. It's all right, Maisie.
We're all clean, clear and above
board. There's never been a time
the lieutenant couldn't come in and
sit down. Always been glad to see
him, haven't we, Lieutenant? We
could have a drink or two. try to
help one another out. talk things
over and part friends. That's right.
isn't it. Lieutenant"
Mrs. Trembly tells me Roberts is
dead" said Stanton.
That's true, Lieutenant. Unfor-
tunately. that's true. Ron passed
out in Fan Francisco just before
he was to have taken the boat. He
had planned to go into the Far
East. You may have known"
Tell me how he happened to die"
said the lieutenant. HE was in ex-
cellent health the last time | saw
him."
He was in excellent health up
TO the last minute" said Ashley,
although he was futtery. You re-
! call he was fluttery when you saw
him. If anything, he was even more
! tluttery in San Francisco. First,
| gel this right. We're not impli-
Gated in his death. We're as inno-
cent as children, although you might
say we caused it, In a way that
could be rue. but there was no re-
sponsibility attached TO US. Not a
| flicker of suspicion. There couldn't
be. There were witnesses who saw
everything and we were right in the
clear"
That's interesting" said the
lieutenant. 'Of course it was un-
derstood in San Francisco what The
Turner will was and that the three
of you were the surviving benef1-
ciaries?"
mo. don't think it was" said
Ashley. I'VE didn't inquire. No
one mentioned it. Very likely it
wasn't understood"
IF it had been known there might
have been more interest in your re-
sponsibility."
! There might have been more Gu
rioSity, Lieutenant. but it couldn't
have changed the facts. The cor
oner's jury found the death acci-
dental. You haven't heard the story,
| | guess. Roberts fell out of a win
dow in his hotel room. Luckily for
US, there couldn't be any question
about it. A bellboy had just brought
him some ginger ale and ice and
was in the room. The chambermaid
was making his bed His room was
IN a courtway. man was stand
ing at window across the way.
1t was all in the open. He fell back
ward out of his window
1T was murder" said Stanton
What did you go to his room for?
What were you doing in San Fran
cisco"