The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-06-15
Chapter IT
The IndestructibIe Man

The IndestructibIe Man
~QY the way, how's the crowd
- over to Octagon House gettin'
along?" Asey asked the traffic cop.
"Hanson's got 'em in order now.
! guess. But they ripped up the
flower beds, though. and couple
was tryin' to make off with that
iron deer before he got EN- under
control. There's some still around
the garage at Lornes'. Someone
went by a while ago with load
Of barbed wire, an there was a
state cop on the truck. guess
they're settin' up I barrier. Where
you bound?"
"Hither an yon. Oh, if you know
where pickle lines come from,
Jerry, 90 tell the minister's wife
over at the Exchange. Tell her |
think she could prob'ly palm off
lemons dipped in brine, If she got
hard up. Oh-an' tell 'em they're
missin' a good bet in taffy apples.
They'd ought to fetch half dol
lar, an the prime expense IS
sticks" HOO
He extracted Syl's truck from
the maze Of parked cars, and
bounced over to the little Pochet
hospital.
The nurse In charge was the
daughter of a neighbor of his. She
hesitated a moment when Asey
addressed her by name, and then
she laughed.
"Why, Asey." she said, Il hardly
recognized you in that outfit. |
don't think I'd have known you if
/ hadn't seen Syl's truck. That
truck used to belong to Father, you
know. It's q family legend. Isn't
this business over in Quanomet
simply hideous? And is il true that
you're not helping with the case?"
what do you think?" Asey
asked.
"You can't fool your neighbors. /"
she said. "Of course you are.
You're up to something, dressed
this way, and driving that truck.
suppose you want to see Earl
Jennings. don't your"
who's he?"
'sThat Quanomet selectman who
got bumped in Roddy Struts
plane crash last night"
"As matter OF fact" Asey said.
s'I'd like 20 see 2oddy Struts
pilot. Can ~"
She shook her head. I'm afraid
not" she said. Hes in pretty bad
shape. We hoped Roddy would
agree TO sending for DR.. Carter,
but Roddy wasn't interested. Rod
dy isn't even interested enough TO
notify the fellows family, If he's
got any. We telegraphed all the
people whose names and addresses
we found in his wallet. but no ones
answered. and two wires came
back. Unknown, or something.
Get Carter Asey said. land
charge him to me, viii you?
And"
"Asey, that's swell OF you'll"
mot a bit" Asey said. And
when he gets so that he can be
asked questions, let me know. Be
sure. And-just for fun, If Roddy
should take II into his head to see
the what's his name?
Brigham? Well. if Roddy asks to
see Brigham, cause him to be
thwarted, win your"
'Somethin' Queer
q viii. and I'll tell the rest. We're
all so mad at him. and anyway,
you'll be taking charge. That1l
make It all right. You know she
added, Il shouldn't say this. but
there's something queer about this
crash. Brigham's sleeping now, but
he's been unconscious, and he kept
muttering about the plane. and
Roddy, and calling him names. and
telling him 10 keep of. II was sort
Of hloodcurdling.a
could you say, Susan. IL all
Brigham's injuries come from the
crash?n
Where else-oh. Oh, / see what
you mean. That someone might
have hurt him before IL. couldn't
say. Asey. Carter might be able to
tell you. and Brigham can. GER
tainly. when he's better. II was
quite a crash, enough to bang UP
those cars Ia the square and shake
up Earl Jennings look. won't you
take pity on him and see him9 He's
simply raving about this Quano-
met business, and everyone In
towns so busy making money out
Of the tourists. they haven't time 10
do more than send consoling mes
sageS by phone. His wife has been
over twice. for ten seconds. She's
making doughnuts by the hundred
thousands. and she says IL she can