The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-11-17

board operator ana as Ddili'Iei
moved forward he heard the OPP
erator's softly slurred, what
MURDER are you calling"
Bannister addressed the clerk.
"Are YOU Mr.. Link" he asked.
'Mv name is Bannister and I've 4
note here from Chief Henley"
A swift change of EXPRESSION
was it alarm or something strong
er?-came over the clerks face.
ayes Pm Mr.. Link he admitted.
"You say CHIEF Henley sent
you?"
Bannister presented the envelope
containing the note. 1t had been
scrawled with pen and was
nothing more than request that
Mr.. Bannister, the bearer, be per-
mitted to see the rooms Tracy
King had occupied in the hotel.
"Why - why, yes, certainly"
the clerk agreed quickly. "In
take YOU up myself. If you'll
just wait moment while | get
someone to take charge Of the
desk"
:: :: -
He disappeared. The telephone
operator, a pretty girl whose
Irish ancestry was unmistakablc,
had been watching Bannister with
open interest. Now she kept her
ewes avertad, became deliberately
preoccupied with her switch
board.
doesn't want to talk" Ban
mister decided. He turnd his
back on her and continued to in
spect the large room.
Link was back shortly, a
Younger man beside him. The
newcomer stepped behind the
desk. Link said, "Now Mr.. Ban
mister in the tone he might
have used with a prospective no.
tel tenant, and led the way to
the elevator.
Neither spoke during the ascent.
Rannister thought that the uni
formed youth who operated the
elevator displayed considerable
interest as they stepped out on
the third floor and that he
fingered to see which direction
they would take. Then the slid
ing door closed and the elevator
was on its way.
Side by side the two men moved
down the corridor. Evidently MIR;
Link was not overly experienced
in the ways of police departments;
and detectives. "You're a special
Investigator, are you? Mr.. Ban
nister?" he asked "Is that why
you're here" =,
Bannister said, eyes" and felt
that he was not misrepresentlnS
the facts. =,
OTIS terrible thing - Mr..
Kings DEATH" the hotel clerk
went on. Nothing like it has
ever happened since I've been
here. It's been a shock to every
one-the guests, the help, every
one. They all knew Mr.. klng'
He was always so pleasant. Such
a fine looking young man:
1T was you who found him,
wasn't it," Bannister asked.
eyes. Mr.. Drugan and !. he
didn't come back to the theater
and Mr.. Drugan came to find out
what was the matter. When he
knocked and couldn't get an an
swer he came downstairs and we
went back together
81 suppose the police are sure
it couldn't have been sulclde!
ooh, impossible! The coroner
said that was out of the question
because there were no powder
burns-and then there wasn't any
gun. No. it couldn't have been
Suicide. Besides Mr.. King had
no reason to do such a thing"
II wonder said Bannister: a
moment later he asked, Ism [
there anyone from headquarters
here now" g.,
"Not now" Link said with a
shake of his head. There We're
half a dozen herr last night. The
Chief, too. This morning there
were two Observation-Disclosures,
asking questions of the servants
and some of the tenants. In
afraid they didn't learn much. II
they would only find that wo
man"
His words broke off as he turned
the key in the lock. The door
swung open.
Bannister saw a living room
longer than it was wide, witt
three windows at the end. There
was an attractive dark rug or
the floor, attractive, figured
draperies at the windows. Aside
| from these details the room was
completely in disorder. A desk
standing before the window ha'
been rifled. Chairs were at al
angles, one of them upturned
Pillows from the davenport hat
! fallen to the floor. Dirt has
been trampled into the carpet
and there were several places
where ashes had been spilled.
eve haven't done anything &c
the rooms dJ All, Lin was HNtSH
to explain. "Everything is Just az
they left it last night. CAPTAIN
McNeal said they weren't to DC
touched. ! locked the door my:
self and it hasn't been opened
since"
Bannister considered the wreck
age before him. That was to be
expected, of course. The photo:
graphs at headquarters would
give a record Of the appearance;
of the room exactly as it had
been when Kings body was
found. The disorder indicated
that the search of the apartment
had been most thorough. Nc
chance that Henley's men had
missed anything.
"In there" said Link, sis where
we found him. In the bed room"