The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-04-18

| IOOkInS-
| Bertha chatted ON, and when she
showed any signs of running down,
Asey supplied new subjects. Grad
ually he led her to talk of Sara.
but at the bareSt suggestion of her
sleepwaiking. Bertha shut up like
a clam and retired TO the kitchen.
Huh" Asey said.
he took his roadster from the
garage and drove over to the little
one-roomed house Slade had built
for himself on the outskirts of
town.
The door was open, and the
house was empty. On an unmade
bed were laid out immaculate
white flannel trousers and a blue
coat with brass buttons. There
were fish hooks and lines on the
table.
Il bet" Asey said. hes playin'
hockey an gone ishin'. But"
A young mali came to the door
as Asey left.
Mike there? Damn him, where
IS he! He's not at his studio, either.
Never saw such a-have you seen
him? Well. if you do. tell him he's
got work to do, and to get to the
Town Hall in hurry. If this is the
| way he"
Grumbling. the young man got
into a iue-and-yellow- draped
car and tore off. $50 az. NJ
- No Shells 10
a sEY drove back up the beach
II road to He'll Hollow. Jane
waved "A hand to him from the
shop. where she was taking care
of dozen customers. Lane, in dirty
Khaki pants and flannel shirt,
was mending lawnmower.
i wouldn't know YOU" Asey
said, show do you do it?"
'Rumpled my hair. dirtied nv
face. that's all. There's an advan-
tage IN being nondescript. People
who've seen me in uniform don't
know me IN plain clothes, and the
other way around ASey. this BUSH
ness IS not so hot"
Cant find my trace of shell?"
I've raked high and low, and
not a thing. He stood Ii line
what's the matter?"
I'm loOkin' at them fool fig
ureS. ASey said. Those dummies.
There are four of 'em. only
counted three last night"
"One fell Gown" Lane said. 'It
was on the ground this morning,
Has dropsy. It's fallen down four
times since. I'm. going . mend it
after I'm through with this mower.
Listen. from where those balls
were IN the wall. he'siood in about
the line of you and the house, and
that big. pine, That's the line, |
wouldn't know what distance
away. Probably over by the gar
den. Asey. this lads got us. D'you
realize that2" - -
ASey nodded. ''Nu she'll. mo
nothin' We can't tell anythin'
about any gun unless we have that
shell. Whyn't he use pistol, SOS
wed have Somethin' to work on
with a bullet? Anyway. without
the she'll we can't tell the, gun. an
without the gun we. can't tell the
man. An even If we guess some
one, an he's got a shotgun. that
don't prove a thing. We got to find
that shell. an We got TO find it
here"
Probably" Lane said, "the gent
thought of that, and deposited the
shells and gun out in the Atlantic.
I've been wondering about the
ball end of it. We might find out
who bought any deer ball at
Harry's-"
But the ball could have been
bought in Timbuctoo." Asey said.
Its like tryin' to find out where
someone bought stick of chewin'
gum from the wrapper. This is
kind OF clever way of KILN
someone. amt it. Lane?"
We've got dozen shotgun
murders on the files Lane said.
"One since 1914. We still .putter
around with it in our spare time.
/ sort sof think. ,Asey.s you re not
going to have any Garrison finish
in, this case. Yuu might just as swell
dig IN for, the winter. All you've
got is the fact that She was Killed
last night BY someone with a shot.
gun out here i ttss'
"And' the laugh" ~ Il
That? Its probably a reaEiive
loon, or someone taking. And have
you thought, Asey. that there are
going to be lot of fireworks to
Gomez"
Its preyin' on me-" Asey said.
Too much free noise for our lad
to fire under cover of. While we
might be able to keep one murder
quiet, we can't cope with any more.
Gimme the wrench"
lie oent over the lawnmower
as some of the customers ap-
preached the figures.
Mornin'." he looked I'D and
spoke to Jane. Wonder if I could
bring over that footstool for you
to fix up? Do hear that Mrs. RAN
dall'S gone to New York;"
The two local women in the
group drank in the information.
Illness IN the family" Jane
said. I'D be glad.,to tackle the
footstool-oh. and Mrs. Porter's
IL have TO take EN- piece
meal" ASey said-all this CONVEX
Sstion had been previously ar
ranged, they're sort of breakable.
an need a lot of packin'. I'll be
round for EN- Thanks" He nodded
towards Lane. IF he don't do a
good jobsfor you. let me know.
So long"
cantinued tanarrou