The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-05-23
Chapter 40
Pushed

Chapter 4O
Pushed
IT WAS mid afternoon before
i Asey remembered that he had
failed to ask Jane and Eloise about
the path Kay had found. Turning
in his last judges slip. he drove up
to He'll Hollow.
The fine drizzle had not cur
tailed the tourists enthusiasm.
The Randalls' house and barn were
surrounded by customers.
II WISH" Lane said. "all the his
torical spots weren't on this road.
They see those figures. and stop.
and-there. There goes one drove,
and another. That helps. Jane?
She's up to her ears. Eloise just
went indoors, into the house. At
least think she did. There's Jane
now-yell and ask her."
Asey called to her.
"Eloise?" Jane said. "She went
for heavy cord and boxes to pack
some stuff in before some man gets
back from viewing the wishing
well. In the house cellar, she is.
I've got to dash-tell her to hurry.
will your"
Asey went into the house and
walked out to the kitchen. The cell
lar steps, steep and protected only
by swinging railing. were in the
corner.
"Eloise!" he bent over the rail
and called. miss Randall! l Won
der if"
At his hand was the electric
light switch. He fiicked it on and
peered down into the tiny circular
cellar.
Eloise lay in a heap at the foot
of the steps.
AS Asey mounted the stairs a
few minutes later. Lane hurried
into the kitchen.
Say, Asey." he began, Jane
wants you to tell Eloise she must
hurry. that man is back"
"You go tell Jane" Asey said.
Ito carry on without Eloise Say
I'm busy with her. Then you lock
the doors an come back here"
WHAT 5 the matter!
Look down there"
Lane stared down at the figure
in the cellar.
as she badly hurt? Fell. did
she?"
"She's dead" Asey said. Fell,
or. was pushed. Probably the last,
if you want the bitter truth"
why Not Suicide?'
I'LL go clear these people out"
l. Lane said. starting for the
door.
."You,ll do nothin' of the kind"
Asey told him. Look, this business
can't be made public any more
than the other. You can't send EN-
off-you're the gardener. You can't
say who you are without givin'
everything away. Go find Jane,
like | said. an tell her I'm busy
with - no. change it. Say that
Eloise has had a sick spell. an
we've called the doc, but not to
come in an excite her. Just to car
ry on with the customers. Now.
hurry. Before she comes in"
He managed. by a miracle, to
get Cummings at his office phone.
Hollow" he said briefly. Gel
lar stairs this trip No. not Jane.
Look. can you get someone to help
Jane-your wife? Good. Tell her
all you have to. want her."
An hour later. Cummings, Asey.
Lane and Hamilton sat in the
kitchen. The shades were drawn.
On the table were Cummings
open bags, and Lanes camera, and
a suitcase with more of his para
phernalia.
All right" Cummings said,
we've hashed enough. Now. Asey.
why not suicide?"
.-o""She fell backwards an landed
on her back. You say her head hit
the cement floor. an she died in a
second"
True, but couldn't she trip up
the stairs as we'll as down'em?
When / first got my bifocalS. l
tripped upstairs for a week"
"She went downstairs" Asey
said, "for heavy cord an boxes.
Neither'S been touched. Therefore
she never got downstairs to get
what she was after. Never had a
chance to"
wait" Lane said. There was
that pair of shears on the floor.
Suppose she got halfway down. re-
mernbered she'd left the shears,
and started back. and then
tripPed?" .
"was way over by the stove. She
come in the dinin' room door. If
she'd detoured way around to the
stove an >dropped'em there, she
certainly would have recalled the
fact before she got halfway down
the steps. B'sides. what'd she de-
tour for? She was after somethin'.
an she was on her way to it. Why
cross over to the stove?"
Lane pounded on the table with
his fist.
Then why, will you tell us, are
the scissors there? She had them
in her hand when she entered the
house. / saw them. Now, you ex-
plain why they were on the floor
by the stove!"
"She threw them at someone"
Asey knew perfectly we'll what
Lanes reactions would be, and he
was not disappointed.
threw them at" Lane began
a