The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-01-24
Chapter IA
FRANKS CALL

FRANKS CALL
@VXTHEN Paula, my maid, said that
w he had phoned and asked If
were home, You construed that to
mean that Ortega wanted to be sure
that was available for abduction
but don't think so. Perhaps he just
wanted to call to say goodbye; but
changed his mind.
when those two men came in, he
wasn't with them. They" She re
pressed an involuntary shudder.
"They held me so couldn't scream,
One of them gave me hyperdermic,
Another mani never did see his
face-was outside. was conscious
that he was there when they put me
In the car. :"
did he have a beakish nose?"
asked Frank.
Janice shook her head. 81 don't re-
member" Greene made a little
sound. He breathed:
what a story! What a storyI
I've got most of it here" He held Ut
asheaf of paper. When | break this
what a."
eff them here" said MybeFg,
looking coldly at Greene with his
obsidian eyes.
Greene passed them over. Myberg
grasped them with his pudgy hands
and ripped the sheaf across. He
dropped the torn paper into a waste
paper basket. Greene made small,
strangled sound. Winslow chuckled.
Greene" he observed, considers
that vandalism. He is an artist"
$50 wass Munchausen," grunted
Myberg. But the newspapers get
nodding of this. The public wouldn't
believe It. They would laugh at It
for a lie. don't mind II they laugh
at you, Greene, but Miss Kent ISIS no
joke"
Greene looked miserable.
Frank said Kindly, Don't take 1t
30 hard. old man. You'll get other
chances. You're a good publicity
man. Miss Kent told me so herself.
She couldn't do without you, really"
At Janice's nod, Greene looked
pleased and important.
IL work hard" he said. an fact, l
go to considerable time and expense
to develop these stories. T."
Janice interrupted him with a
swift look. "He gets perfectly stu
pendous salary for developing these
stories, and ! couldn't do without
him, really. That is, he would be
most difficult to replace. Wouldn't
you. Mr.. Greene?" She smiled at him
engagingly.
At the fieeting expression Of dis
content that arrived and vanished
on Greene's face, Winslow laughed
aloud.
Myberg drummed his knuckles I'm.
patiently on the desk.
There is nodding to do now ex.
cept TO get on production. We will
not try to find out any more why's
and wherefors. With the police in
II. the newspaper fellers would COON
out with stories. l will get some men
from an agency to watch oudt for
Janice. That :. iss ALL"
THE discussion had been conclud.
Il ed early in the afternoon. Janice
had gone home and rested. She had
eaten light dinner. and thought
once IN little furry OF agitation
that she might run over to q friends
house. and not be at home-actually
when Frank Grahame called.
But this device. she realized.
would be useless. Sooner or later
she must talk with Frank. She sus-
peeted also that It would be a little
eowardiy. She'd see him tonight.
since be wanted 1t and -. Her conis
pressed lips relaxed. What would
she tell him? =
II was nine-flfteen when she en-,
tered the drawing room on the lower
floor. Frank stood before the log fire
that burned cheerily In the crate.
His wide shoulders bulked against
the glow. He held q newspaper
eienehed in his hands; he seemed TO
be hypnotiEed by the cracking logs.
90 intense was his concentration.
She spoke his name twice before
he seemed to hear her. He turned
the fixed, absent stare OF the thinker
upon her. II was apparently an effort
Tor him to bring his thoughts back
20 this room.
Janice. have you read the eve
ming papers?"
"No. T. What Is II, Frank! Is 1t
something about last night? Tell
me-"
He shook his head impatIently.
"It's about Bill Langton. The dead
nyer. Ny friend. But perhaps he