The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-05-12
Chapter 81
A Laugh And A Scream

A Laugh And A Scream
THAT dishes that" Lane said.
L "Asey, Mike Slade couldn't
have-oh, / forgot. You've got him
placed uptown, haven't you? Her
other boy friend was with you. She
couldn't have done it and been
back here by the time you and Zeb
look, did you know it all the
timer"
"He's SNUG, almost" Kay said.
How did you know, Asey?"
"She had on socks" Asey said,
"Jane did. It's been stickin' in my
mind since Monday night that they
was silk socks, an no pulls an runs
in 'em, an her legs wasn't
scratched. Look at yours, Kay. just
from rompin' around. We-ah. We
have visitors, Sara an jeff. no
lessl"
He walked over to meet them.
"This is Jeff's contribution"
Sara passed over a piece of paper,
''but thought of asking him about
it. Anyway, this is a copy of the
notation. JEFF gave her the permit
himself"
Asey read through the sentences
which announced that Jane War
ren had, two weeks before, been
given permission to carry a gun,
For defense of self and property"
"Gun license, huh? Who issued
81 did," jeff said. "She told me
she was scared to death up here in
the hollow sometimes, there were
awful sounds. could see the sense
of it, so / gave it to her. Edwards
was sick that week, and with
everybody so busy about this Old
Home Week, | did all the red tape
myself. She said she wanted to get
herself a little gun. l asked if she
could shoot-it always Sc m S
rather futile to me to give permits
TO people who can't. They do far
more damage than good. Anyway,
she said she was being taught by
an expert, and she was picking
up"
who was the expert?"
"Zeb, I thought. Under the cir
cumstances, she probably meant
Slade. He's done lot of shooting
ever since he came to town." jeff
looked curiously at Kay. What
have you been doing to the girl,
Asey? She looks exhausted"
"She is" Asey said. Take her
along with you. ! got to do some
putterin' around, an she's chatter
in wet again. Look after her."
Kay made no protest. "It's not
that I'm tired of detecting" she ex-
planned TO Asey, '"but I'm going to
leave the concrete detail to you, for
a while"
Asey grinned and went back to
Lane.
WELL" he said, "here's where
she got permit to carry a gun,
which she can't deny. Legal sort of
step for anyone contemplatin'
murder. amt it? She's got Shout
der bruiSe that might of come
from a gun kickin'. but she says
cellar steps. She bought a gun, an
Slade says she gave it to him an
someone stole it. Turns up in the
pond. but Jane couldn't have stuck
il there on Monday night, an with
you here or one of your men, |
don't see how she could of since.
Besides, where'd she hide it in the
interval? She's got the incest mo-
tive, an she was here. What does
that make?"
1Eapendin' Disaster
4 ANE shrugged. "You tell me.
IL Let's look into Brinley. I'll call
up some of the boys an have'em
stay here. Let's grab at straws."
"An' while we do it, let's find out
why someone plants the gun an
shells here for us. Lane, put two
men up here tonight, will you?
don't know why, but every time ]
look at the place, ] get a feelin' of
what you might call impendin' dis
aster." =
Up in the village he found Mrs.
Brinley issuing orders to a group
Of tired-lookirg women. They
frightened visibly when Asey
managed to drag her away. :.
He cut short her stories Of the
day and brought up the problem
Of Amos. the black dog. and his
lost license tag.
Il appeared, finally, that Amos
had lost his tag, though Mrs. Brin-
ley was sure she didn't know why
Mr.. Mayo cared. She, Mrs. Brinley,
had put on his last years tag, that
was all, because everyone knew
they were honest people, and the
records would show they had paid
the fee anyway, and what with Ar
thur being selectman, it seemed
the best way out, and it was little
things like dog fees, wasn't it. anc
three cent postage, and the gas tax,
and gracious only knew what 9th.
ers, that all made life so hard.
The question of where Mr.. Brin-
ley was during the stuck ferris
wheel episode was harder to gel
anywhere with. Mrs, Brinle J
frankly confessed that she had
never spent such a time in her life
and was too terrified to look over
anyway, and what would have
happened If the thing had col.
lapsed, Mrs. Brinley for one hated
70 think.
Asey finally managed to teal