The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-04-13
Observation-Disclosures
OLD HOME WEEK MURDER
BY Phoebe Atwood Taylor



maybe"
why shouldn't she be a. little
soured?n z G b demanded defen.
sively. Her father was one Of the
brokers who jumped out of win.
dows in '29, and her mother went
of and married a fat Argentine, OF
some sort Of Spig. so as to keep ur
her standard of living. But Jane
and the Spig =. oh, well. you've
5 e e n it in the movies. Anyway,
she's a nice girl. wish she'd pause
and reflect on what fine catch ]
am. There's where you could come
in, Asey. The old build-up. I need
a better build-up. If ! bring the
great detective along, she'll-boy
was that an explosion Sounded
like a gun. It's spelling something
- listen to that crash! ] bet it's
spelling out the words Of Billings.
gate Beautiful.
Get along" Asey said, climbing
into tn e roadster. Hustle. Turn
around an get going. will your"
What? Oh, b ack. to James?
Changed your mind, h ave, you?
Softened by thu glow of Phil"
Turn around, an hustlep
whats your hurry" Zeb back
e d the car around. Whats I h e
matter with you? First you say no,
no calling, not on your life. not by
the well known jugfu1. Next min
ute you're marrying me to get there
in a hurry. Peryerse. huh? A new
slant on the Mayo character-'
will you," Asey Numbered.
'hurry?"
stop your ch after, and get
there"
."Oh, all right"
There were things in Asey's tone
which compelled Zeb to obey with.
out further fiippancy.
He glanced curiously at Asey as
he shifted. Odd sort. he decided.
Clipper one moment, grim the
next. Why, the old boy seemed al
most afraid of somethingl
He shrugged. n d pressed his
foot down on the accelerator.
> It had not occurred to Zeb, as II
had to ASey, III a the blasting
sound of the last piece of fireworks
had preceded the flash of lights by
good ten seconds. It had sounded
like a gun because it was a gun,
behind them somewhere in He'll
Hollow, And in that interval be-
tween the gun shot and the real
sound of the fireworks explosion,
Asey's keen ear had caught some
thing that sounded like the cry Of
a loon.
Man In HE iron Mask,
JANE WARREN opened the door
ito Asey's idsty knock, but he
noticed that, she didn't slip off the
guard chain until she saw who was
outside on the step.
Mr.. Mayor s h said. "Why,
come in. Look, I'd no idea this af-
ternoon that you were the Mayo,
the Great Aseyi Sara didn't tell
me. But Mary said it must be. She
was quite excited. She wanted to
see you about something, and if
she hadn't been so dead tired. she'd
have driven over to Sara's. Go into
the living room and sit down-oh,
turn that radio off. will You. Zeb?
The static is simply terrific. I've
been trying to get a London con-
cert on the short wave. I'll see if
Mary won't get up. It's time for
h n h t milk. anyway, and she
might as well have it in here"
Tender, way to greet your
suitor." Zeb grimbled Jane
went out of the room. $50 tender
and touching. Turn of the radio.
punk, the static's lousy We might
almost be married. Asey. WI at
eats you? Why this Man in the
Iron Mask attitude? You wanted
to come here. didn't you? You vir.
tually forced me - oh. sit down
and stop being grim and tight
Ippedl You m a K e me - janet
Jane"
She wavered on the threshold,
clinging to the door knob for SUD-
port. Her face was CHASTITY under
its tan.
Look after her." Asey said.
She's goin' to faint. Grab her
while I see what"
What do I do?" Zeb asked help
lessly.
Grab her fore she topples.
chumpl Put her on the couch"
He hurried into the lighted bed
room on the other side OF the front
han, stopped short. and swallowed.
For ten minutes he stood there.
Then. locking the door behind him.
he returned TO Zeb and Jane.
She's dead" Zeb said. She
Asey, she won't come tol"
From under the girls shoulders
Asey removed three sofa pillows.
and thrust them under her knees.
linen ne swung her head over the
side of the couch.
"What're you doing?" Zeb said.
Her head.
The idea,r Asey informed him.
is for. the blood to run that way.
Find some whiskey. or spirits Of
ammonia - find somethin', can't
you? Haven't you ever seen any,
one faint before? What you mod
ern boys do miss. Probly wouldn't
know even how to cut a stay
string
"Asey, what's happened? What's
the matter with Mary Randall?
Pm going to see"
No, you're not!s Asey grabbed
him. Someone h 9 said firmly,
amt a nice sight to think Of. LET
alone see. II you act this way over
. faint you'd probably faint. too