The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-10-20
Chapter IA
RAYAL

WHEN they had driven short
w distance in the direction of the
Little's house Lawson tapped on the
glass In front of him and signalled
to the driver to stop.
"You must excuse me for a
moment" he said, 81 want some
cigarets."
The taxi stopped. and Lawson got
out and entered a small tobacco
nist's. Mahony noticed outside the
shop a sign which said: Public Tele-
phone. He frowned. Lawson, he
knew. smoked Balkan Sobranies. II
to get them at that small, shoddy
shop. In that case he had probably
entered the shop in order to use the
telephone.
But what for? What the devil was
Lawson up to now. he wondered.
Was he planning to have the taxi
intercepted before it reached the
Little's house? He slipped his hand
into his pocket; his fingers closed
on the butt of his automatic. The
feel of it comforted him. II Lawson
was planning to put over fast one
he was ready for it. He felt fine.
But nothing happened to interfere
with the taxi. 1t drew up safely out
side the Little's house and Lawson
paid the driver and rang the front
door-bell. A trim maid admitted
them and showed them into a draw.
ing room where Elsa, short, fair
man, and tall, dark-haired man of
thirty-three or -four were sitting.
The dark man was Inspector Ken
nedy.
"Good morning, Elsa" said Law
son. tive brought Mr.. Mahony along
to see you. Well, Kennedy. how are
you?"
where did you meet Mr. Law.
SOM" asked Elsa.
Her lovely face was pale and her
eyes showed signs of recent weep.
ing. AS she asked Mahony that sim.
pie question there was an air of sup
pressed but intense excitement
about her that was not easy to ac-
count for. 1t affected the others in
the room: both Lawson and Ken.
nedy were listening in attitudes OF
expectant attention.
81 met him at the end of Dull.
verton Street. near his house." Ma
hony answered.
Now both Kennedy and Lawson
were looking at Elsa. And Elsa was
looking at Mahony. On her face was
an expression of the most utter hor.
ror and dislike. He might have been
some sort of big. white. poisonous
slug. the way she looked at him.
She spoke slowly and clearly:
IL recognize this mans voice. He
was the man who was with me in the
study last night" she said.
uER words struck Mahony with
l. L all the force of an unexpected
blow between the eyes. He had
thought 1t in the last degree improb
able that Elsa would remember his
voice. And be objected strongly to
her thinking that he had killed her
uncle. The horror and contempt in
her eyes stung him. The CLEAN Of
satisfaction In Lawson's eyes In.
furiated him. For a second he was
n1nvoH 70 INDIGNANT
at wasn't | who murdered your
uncle" he said hotly.
At that Inspector Kennedy leaned
forward slightly with the eager air
Of tiger about to grip its prey.
$50 you know Mr.. Little has been
murdered" he said keenly. will
you explain how you know that?
The news has not been published
in any OF the newspapers yet"
He paused.
Il have to warn you that am a
police officer. and that anything you
say may be used as evidence" he
added. "You are not obliged to
answer my questions now"
Ii was obvious to Mahony that he
had made bad slip. The knowledge
jerked him into a realizati ton that he
had to keep his wits about him.
How do you think | know he's
been murdered?" he asked bluntiy.
Lawson told me on the way here"
whats that?" exclaimed Lawson
For a moment he showed his
white teeth IN a smile. He would
have smiled in the same way at an
opponent who had made a good shot
at tennis. particularly II the shot
was not quite good enough to win
the point ~
Il didn't mention the murder to
you on the way here" he said.
Mahony stared at him with an ex.
preston Of utter amazement on his
face. He appeared to think that
Lawson had suddenly gone quite
mad.
"You didn't mention it?" he ex