The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-05-29
OLD HOME WEEK MURDER
By Phoebe Atwood Taylor

pocket"
"Then why didn't he come right
back?" Hamilton asked.
maybe he did. But Lanes here,
and the doctor, and Weston, and
Zeb and Jane and /. An mind you
from that time on, there's not q
minute SO m e ne hasn't been
around this house. He hasn't any
chance to get to the dummy. See,
he's got to take the coat of, an
hunt around in the linin'. because
there's hole in the pocket. It's
easier for him to plant shells, an
he does it, prob'ly while Pretty
man is here. It's lot better to give
us fake shells that'u lead us to
Jane an her gun she gave Slade,
than to get caught findin' the real
shells, or have anyone catch on
where they are" -
Gall he really needed to d."
Lane said, "was to pose as tourist.
The tourists nearly picked those
figures apart the last two days."
"Prob'ly would have, if he could
have posed as one. But someone's
on guard here all the time. Any
one tryin' to find anythin' is sus-
pect. If he could be sure of gettin'
the shells right off, that'd have
been fine. But had to grope for
EN-. That's a stiff interlinin'. He
knew he might have to grope, an
that'd have given him away"
What was he after the night !
met up with him." Kay asked.
SCOT to guess at that" Asey told
her. "He had si1encer. shouldn't
wonder if he didn't intend to si-
lence the cop an take his shells
then. Maybe he was just waitin'
for some chance when he could get
to'em. But he runs into you. an
into me-"
"Now, what about Eloise?"
Lets settle this first. Tonight
our friend comes right out in the
open, apparently havin' decided he
amt gettin' places with his skulk-
in. Barges up in his car"
my car" Lane said.
"Your car, that he's previously
borrowed from the film station. I
should think that kid there might
lose lot of cars, if that's the way
he looks after'em. Anyway, fellow
comes with his radio goin' full
blast, to make us think it's bunch
of kids or parkers or tourists, or
all three in one. R'verses his ord
nary methods. Grabs the figure
that's down, thinkin' of course it's
the same one that was down the
other night. Only Lanes mended
the one he wants, an this is the
other. But not bein' a fool, when
he's through his chin. he
dumps it out on the road for some
one to find, SOS we'll think that it
was just kids havin' fun"
Risk Involved
"NTOULDN'T he have done the
w same" Kay said, "if he'd got
the right figure?"
Sure. He'd have dumped that
after he got the shells. But it come
over me sudden about Lane fix
mem, an I just wondered if there
wasn't a chance the Teller got
fooled. If a pranky soul was after,
'em, they'd take the one nearest
the road, not this that was farthest
away. Wouldn't have gone at my
tires so careful, SOS not to be fol-
lowed in case of a slip. There was
a risk involved in stealth that fig
ure, but it was important enough
to him to take it. Well, Lane, there
you are. That's how Mary Randall
was killed. There's your Shells"
isn't there a chance that he
might come back for the other fig
ure?" Kay asked.
"He might. Stick'em back, Ham
ilton, an have someone watch. But
l don't think he'll be back. He
ought to be disposin' of his shot
gun. If you hadn't talked so about
that figure fallin'. Lane, I'd have
passed this off as kids. After all.
we can't prove your car was taken,
even though we know it. Maybe
Kay an i followed two other cars.
Maybe Sammy slashed the tires.
But - we'll. we found the shells.
Now all you got to do is to find
gun that fits
That's ALL" Lanes laugh was
hollow. That's all. But one thing
l know, those shells didn't come
from James gun. Altogether diff
ferent mark. Well play with'em
for prints. Why do you suppose,
Asey, after stealing James that is,
Slade 's--gun, another was iised?s
( "Praps he preferred his own to
a mail order one, Asey said.
"PrapS it was Just his idea to plant
all he could on Jane, in passif'."
What I'd like to know" Kay
said. show did he manage to get
back so quickly. If he took Lanes
carp"
After he whizzed by u.s." Asey
said, after the axle broke. he
might have turned right around.
Might have been the first car that
passed by us. Can't tell. Prob'ly
he'd already thrown the figure out
by then-Lane, hear any number
of cars outside"
Zeb Chase dashed in, followed
by jeff Leach and Weston and
weston and T." Brinley said.
want to know what's going on.S
I've been tearing around Zeb
said, trying to find some trace OF
you, and VIXEN just went back to
Aunt Sara's. jeff said he'd called
Brinley, and Brin1ey said you'd
been there-what's happened?"
Gene on Kay" said Asey.
"Zeb's takin' US home with JeG."