The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-06-16
Chapter ID
Five Ring Circus

l noon before Asey set about the
tedious task of coaxing Syl's truck
back to Wellfieet. That excursion
to Roddy Struts house after he
left Jennings and the hospital had
turned out to be 2 complete bust.
The Strut place was surround
ed by a tall, iron spiked fence, and
the driveway gates were locked. a
Filipino with squint had ordered
him of the entrance, and another
Filipino with caulifiower ears had
chased him away from the wharf:
Both men belonged 10 the general
classification Of undesirable COM
panions for dark nights in narrow
alleys. Even in broad daylight they
were slightly repuisive.
A logged series Of duestionfngs
in4she neighborhood of the Strut
house had netted him almost noth-
ing. He learned that Rcddy's plane
was an amphibiarl. which he hadn't
guessed from the wreckage, and
he learned that Roddy had spent
practically the entire previous day
buzzing around in his new toy. BY
noontime, people had almost
ceased to pay any attention TO its
comings and goings, other than to
hope as they heard 1t pass over.
head, that if Roddy was going to
crash it in his characteristic fash
ion, he would crash out 70 sea.
One man said very definitely
that Roddy's plane had left at six
thirty with the plane that was go
ing to New York. He was sure
about the time, because the noise
Of the two planes setting of had
interrupted his favorite radio pro.
gram. And everyone was positive
that Roddy was returning from
that iaunt when he crashed.
Asey eased the truck around q
reverse curve.
II Roddy left at six-thirty. and
had not returned until the crash
late that night, hours after the
murder. why was he paying that
hush money - Nettie Hobbsa
And how In the name Of COM
mon sense could Roddy have iand.,
ed that plane in the square, any.
way, without causing more dam
age? Roddy was just learning to
fly. He had never touched the
controls of a plane until the day
before. And the descriptions Of his
first fight were nerve SCATTERING.
But If Roddy Strut wanted to
advertise his homecoming. and TO
set the time In everyUne's mind.
he had picked the right place.
Everyone Asey had talked with
knew of the crash In the square.
OF course it had been a fine
moonlight night. There were cars
In the square, and possibly some
had headlights on. There was an
all night lunch cart there which
had q couple of flood lights Even
so. Il would have taken a far bet
ter pilot than Roddy to bring that
plane down there without more Of
q mess. And would Roddy have
thought to turn of his engines?
The more he thought about II,
the more apparent IL became 70
Asey that Brigham, and not Roddy
had brought the plane down, no
matter what Roddy said. Brigham
must have brought the plane down.
And probablg with Roddy standing
over him, bfandishing monkey
wrench. And probably Roddy bad
returned hours before to- 9nanQs
met. And the plane landlh 4 Ms 81
act" a part of q brain wave OF
Roddy's to abb himself. The pilot,
Brigham. would clear that up.
sThat stna
At home. Asey was greeted by
"A Jennie Mayo and DR.. Cum-
mings, both Of whom talked loud
" and steadily In unison on wide
" separated subjects. Asey sorted
out the information.
A delegation OF Quanomet's
leading citizens had called on him
to request his aid in their nnisfor-
tafnes-they put It in the plural.
apparently feeling that the MUIR
der was not their only problem.
what you got 20 report, Doc.
from Octagon Housel"
Il seemed that Hanson was still
hunting Pam. The police had found
no fngerprints on the knife. Or
anywhere else. The crowd was stlll
bothersome.
~You don't mean Asey said,
shat Hanson is still after her?"
sHe's q peculiarly one-track
minded soul. Asey, more than any
thing, / wish you'd insert yourself
into OcEagon House and find"
That stuff" Asey said swiftly.