The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-04-12
Chapter IS
Death Strikes Again

w again could see that she'd
been crying, but passing the door,
she looked in and thought she
seemed relieved. She beekoned to
Mary Ann and they went into the
apartment together.
I tried to take nap. The short
rations and lack of sleep hadn't
improved my looks. don't stand
up very well under excitement.
There were dark shadows under
my eyes and looked pretty drawn
around the mouth. With Mr..
Whitefield and Louise Eathrop
both in the hospital and Norton
guarding the house, felt as though
there was nothing to fear-at least
for the present.
I was mistaken.
For about half an hour I dozed
and then sat up quickly, Weakened
by noise. It seemed to come from
Richards apartment overhead.
There were footsteps somewhere
upstairs and then heavy thud as
though something or someone had
fallen. My breath was coming in
quick, short gasps.
I slipped into my 'frock and
opened the door to the hall. The
house was quiet except for the
murmur of voices from the front
apartment. Evidently they'd heard
nothing. So perhaps I'd imagined
the sounds. Nevertheless decided
to 60 upstairs and investigate.
All of the doors were closed on
the third floor and the hall was
dark and shadowy. / tried the door
to Richards apartment, but it was
locked, and / pressed my ear to the
keyhole, but couldn't hear anyone
inside.
The artists apartment was un-
locked, but after a hasty search !
could see nothing out of the way
except that his water colors were
the toy store variety for children,
and his heavy blue overcoat was
there, thrown over chair.
That left only Mrs. Evans apart
ment up in the attic. ! went up the
short flight of stairs and knocked
at the door lightly, thinking she
might be in. but there was no an
swer. Then / thought ! heard
James whine. l tried the door. 1t
was unlocked. l pushed it open a
couple of inches and peered eau
tiously in the room. The blinds
were drawn and the light was so
H.. - ,,,ac l;Qcn,,1h -. Gao
Evidently Mrs. Evans was out
working, so | thought il would be
all right to investigate little fur
Their. I tried to push the door open,
but it stuck. l pushed little
harder, then forced myself into
the room to see what kept it from
opening.
James was lying in the middle
Of the room. He whined when ]
came in and tried to get to his feet,
but sank back on the floor with a
whimper.
And then | looked behind the
door. On the floor ! saw a figure,
a body with arms thrown out,
sprawled there lifelessly.
1t was Mrs. Evans.
3af Screams
7 MUST have screamed. Yet the
i sounds that / heard seemed to
come from far off, from another
person. | clutched at the door, /
know. and tried to get out of the
room.
And then | must have screamed
again, because / heard footsteps,
then Dirck telling me that it was
all right, and, taking me by the
arm, he led me into the hall.
Going down the stairway | was
dimly conscious that Adrianne and
Mary Ann were standing in the
hall. Then Norton rushed up the
stairway with Mr.. Kimball and
Ishi. But their faces made no def
mite impression. 1t seemed like a
dream.
/ stumbled into my room and
Dirck made me lie down while he
ran down to the shop for Mr. Kim
balls brandy. And after / drank
it, he called Mary Ann to sit with
me while he went upstairs.
We didn't even talk while he was
gone, and by the time he got back
I was sitting up and feeling more
like myself. But Direk was very
much upset. He closed the door and
stood there, leaning against il.
Mrs. Evans wasn't murdered"
he said, 'They think it was heart
attack"
swallowed. shes dead.
thought"
He nodded. Chris" he said, his
voice quiet, yet terribly convinc-
ing, 81 know who caused it, but |
can't pin it on the person without
proof. She wasn't murdered, but
someone hit James. He must have
been knocked unconscious. If
only :" He jerked his head up.
Then without another word he
rushed out Of the room and down
the stairs, leaving Mary Ann and
me gasping at each other.
"Adrianne's clear of this" she
said Unexpectedly.
why, what happened?"
And then she told me about
Whitefeld. He was still in the hos
pital and he was under arrest and
so far they couldn't pin the MUIR
ders on him. But he was fence
for stolen pictures.
What did Adrianne have to do
with it," ] asked.
He was paying her to stay in
his apartment evenings to answer
his telephone and pretend that he
was there or had just stepped out
or something like that. The night
Joan was murdered he was out and
Adrianne was up there alone. He
gave her money to keep quiet