The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-07-02
Chapter bal

tRde.
Chapter AZ
AGAIN DEATH
HNOU appear to be armed az all
1 points, Harper. It's very pref
ty yarn. YSpsYe almost convinced
ME Of its truth!s' Il
We've had all these pieces Of
evidence" the detective continued
calmly. but we couldn't get them
into a pattern. After we had talk
with Ellen Becker we began to I'M
derstand"
Pierre Dufresne ierked as though
lie felt a knife at his ribs. ELLEN
Beckeahe ECHOED family.
~ once again / can tell
you you didn't know be-
fore. es to her were
waste Of She had already
put her silence in pawn-else
where!"
Dufresne leaped up, hi face
working, his eyes glittering In
rage. He gripped the detectiv
shoulder. MY Wife," he choked.
Harper nodded. ELLEN Becker
has been taking money from both
Of you. When she confessed about
those notes in the sand, 1t became
obvious how you must have planned
to catch that man in your house and
murder him. But you have hope
lessiy prejudiced your case by being
secret and subtle. with the result
that a perfectly innocent man lost
his life as well. That part is not so
easy to forgive"
Dufresne faced the detective.
Harper" he exploded. "what would
you say if | denied everything, COM
pletely and absolutely"
"You may deny all you ike. but
you'll find it pretty hard to explain
away Ellen Becker's evidence, or
those letters. Then there's the pres
ence Of the master-key on your ring,
and the murder gun, first hidden in
your room. Besides, there is any
amount of corroborative evidence"
But didn't you tell me you had
two suspects on your list? Or were
you lying to try to trap me?"
"Not exactly that. Mr.. Dufresne."
Harper threw his bombshell. ''Mrs.
Dufresne's actions are under equal
scrutiny. She is known to have been
away from Mrs. Morlock's house
during that mysterious fire. She has
refused to give any explanation or
account for her movements"
Dufresne halted in his tracks, a
peculiar intentness coming into his
eyes. as though looking at some.
thing far away.
Il suppose you threatened my
wife with arrest?"
Il am giving her every chance to
reconsider her decision" Harper re.
Piled. "but continued refusal to an.
swer my questions will force my
hand"
Pierre Dufresne threw back his
head and burst into harsh. Earring
laughter. Are you mad?" he cried.
no one in this house is ever going
to stand trial for murder"
az HE prize quandary Of all time!"
Sergeant Stephen Harper. still
clad in pajamas. was shaving him
self. He had Just started the razor
down the side of his face when the
telephone by his bed began to ring.
In a moment a voice he did not rec
ognize was pouring out an excited
tale.
wait a minute. Stop shouting.
I'm not deaf" Harper protested. |
who is it? :. O'connor? ;. at
Dufresne's. :. Yes. 80. Who? j.
Donaghy. the chauffeur? Yes.
yes. go on ). Whitmore found him? |
+. !. You've kept the others away? |
That's the stuff, O'Connori Hold |
everything. I'll come right QUIT"
Harper sat down on the edge OF the
bed.
Joseph Donaghy. the chauffeur. a
suicide in his living quarters over
the Dufresne garage! And there was
a letter he had written-an open
letter explaining his action. So this
was the end of the trail for that
cocky young fellow.
He hurriedly finishing shaving, |
dressed. and was ready at the door
when the car from the Homicide Blu.
reau stopped to pick him up. In the
back seat were the fingerprint man.
a police surgeon. and the official |
photographer. his two black boxes
OF equipment wedged between his |
knees.
The snow-laden streets made for |
slow driving but there was not much |
conversation exchanged on the run |
up to Powhatan Terrace.