The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-12-20
Chapter 25
Random Suspicion

D~~ t@-~AOA
WAS wounded to the quick
i that anyone should seem so
anxious to make me out a GRIM
lnal. and my red-headed husband
was ready TO fight Either you
apologize for that. or get out of
this house." Bill ordered.
apologize" Lieutenant Greg
DRY gTowled TO his subordinate,
"and then keep out of this"
Sorry" Roberts mumbled, red
to the roots Of his sandy hair. q
just"
'Thatll do" Lieutenant Greg
DRY cut him short. Now. let's all
try to keep our shirts on" he said.
Il tried TO explain at the start that
some Of the questions l have to
ask may sound-er-as though |
was trying to set a trap, but this
IS not the case. / have drawn no
conclusions about anybody and
am only interested in clearing
things up. But in order to do this,
/ am going TO need eVerybody's
help.
"Yo1 see," ne went on, we've
got TO get something somehow.
to work on. Frankly. from the
Situation as whole. the inaccessi-
bility of the place. it looks like
an inside job. Yes. I know Mrs.
Stuart thinks she saw the tall
light of car last night. But that
was long after the murder was
committed, and you say you had
searched the place several times.
Mr.. Stuart ran into somebody in
the hall, but in the dark it could
have been anybody. What about
your guests, Mr.. .Stuart?"
DO you mean, do l think | ran
into one of them? Because, of
course. | wouldn't know positive
~ But | don't think it was one
of our guests"
Have you cause to suspect any
of them?"
NO" said Bill.
Lieutenant Gregory turned to
me And you, Mrs. Stuart?"
l have never had what IS known
as a poker face and | felt myself
flush But | said, No, l have no
real cause to suspect anyone"
A lot Of things went through
my mind as Lieutenant Gregory
held my gaze with those probing
black eyes. Ewes conversation
with Aunt Maggie. The man on
the walk whom l had mistaken
for Kirk. The nocturnal perambu-
lations of Eve and Alice. Bob's
excessive drinking. The opening
of the front door and Kinks IN
explained absence.
Isn't there something you are
not quite sure about, Mrs. Stuart?"
the Lieutenant asked politely.
Wen get TO the bottom of this
lot quicker if everyone viii put
his cards on the table"
Bill" | said. you know every
thing about this that l do. Do you
think we have left out anything
which Lieutenant Gregory should
be told?"
Bill looked thoughtful for a
moment. What about your visi-
lot on the driveway.
"Oh, yes" l said. when | was
taking things out of the car in
the back yard, / heard someone
on the walk at the side of the
house. | went over 10 see who II
might be and a man was running
away. At first l thought" l
stopped, realizing l had gone
further than | meant to.
"Yes?" asked Lieutenant Greg
DRY.
l looked at Bill. who nodded.
81 thought it was someone l knew,
but when | called him he only
ran faster. SO. Of course. l knew
! had been mistaken"
Are you so sure rOW?"
Eyes. Oh, yes / said.
Just the same, ] should like
TO have you name that person,
he insisted. The person YOU
thought you recognized.
Mutely my eyes sought Bills
again 1t couldn't have BEEN" he
said.
Lieutenant Gregory" 1 asked,
may | wait until you have fin
ished questioning the others?
Then if you still feel that il is
necessary, | will give you the
name. | am so firmly convinced
that l am mistaken that | should
not like TO feel | had created any
false impression in your mind"
TANNED
"CO?" said Lieutenant Gregory,
- and MS eyes took on an extra
CLEAN.
SO what?" asked Bill. a oil
belligeTently.
so il was one Of your gueSts?"
fell back weakly in my chair
81 only said l thought l recognized
the person" | pointed out q
could not possibly swear 10 his
identity"
I'm not asking you TO swear to
anything" the officer reminded
me. Then. changing his tactics. he
asked Bill whether there had
been much drinking the night be-
fore.
No one got drunk, II that's
what you want 10 know" Bill told
him shortly. I was glad Bill had
not seen Bob take all those extra
drinks.
This party" said Lieutenant
Gregory. 4 judge it had not been
planned very long in advanced"
I wanted TO ask, And how
did you get that idea?" But after
SKIDDING AUTO KILLS MAN