The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-03-18
Chapter Is
Denial

Denial
"DTD you murder Joan Kent?'
- the Sergeant asked Joan'l
uncle.
Mr.. Kimball turned his eyes full
on the officer. He made no motor
and there wasn't a sound in the
room. Mrs. Macdonald bent for
ward as though she were going tc
speak, then leaned back in the
chair again without saying a word
"No," said Mr.. Kimball. His voice
was low, but the room was so still
that it sounded like an explosion
Mrs. Macdonald sighed. And
fumbled in my sweater pocket fol
my cigarette case, but Dirck, see
ing me, gave me one of his and
held the match. It was the first
time I'd ever heard a person asked
if he'd committed a murder. It left
me pretty limp.
Long turned to the girls mother.
as there anything you can tell
me that might be of some help?"
She shook her head. Christmas,
she said, was the last time she'd
seen Joan. She'd been home for a
few days with her friend, Tim
Lathrop. Except for him she knew
none of Joan's friends.
"Were you on good terms with
your daughter?" The Sergeant
was watching her closely.
She stared at him, her eyes
bright with indignation, but her
reply when it came was hesitat-
ing. "YeS," she said There was a
little trouble at one time, but it
would have nothing to do with
this"
Everyone always said that. l
imagined the Sergeant got very
tired of hearing it.
But his voice was patient when
he said. I'D be very much obliged
If you'd tell us about it, Madam. I"
Mrs. Macdonald began with
some reluctance. 1--WE got along
very well in the past year. Before,
we never actually quarreled. but
Joan was headstrong and l felt
that her stepfather gave her her
own way too much. A little re-
straining doesn't harm a girl of
her age. She resented what she
thought was interference on my
part, so she decided to live in the
city. After she left home, working
gave her more of a sense of re-
sponsibility, and since then we've
had no difficulty. In fact. up until
Christmas she was planning to
come home again to live"
'What made her change her
mind?" The Sergeant leaned for
ward tenSely as if unwilling to
miss even a word.
"We didn't approve of her see-
ing Mr.. Lathrop so much. We felt
that she was wasting her time on
him, but she wouldn't consider
breaking off with him. And of
course i she were living at home
he would have come to see her fire.
quently"
"You believe, though, that she
no longer held any resentment
against your"
I'm certain of that. We got
along very we'll"
Mrs. Macdonald seemed such a
mild, lifeleSS sort of person that,
hearing her talk, l could never
imagine her making trouble for
anyone. The Sergeant seemed per-
fectly satisfied with her explana-
ton.
And then she asked if it were
necessary for her to stay in New
York. Her husband was i'll and she
felt that she should be with him.
The Sergeant told her that she
could 60. Up to that time ! couldn't
see that she was hiding anything.
But as she got up to leave, her
eyes as they swept the room held
a look of-well, fear wasn't too
strong a word.
Guilty Look
MAY we make arrangements
NA for the funeral?" she asked
uncertainty. Thursday, perhaps?"
The Sergeant nod ed and
turned away.
Thank you," she said, and it
seemed to me that she was reluc-
tant to leave. She stopped when
she reached the doorway. MAY
see Joan?" Her voice had a little
break in it.
The Sergeant, who was sitting
at the desk now, jerked his head
around. I'm sorry, Madam. The
body had to be taken to Bellevue
an autopsy, you see."
l hadn't realized that. And II
was a relief to know that the room
next to mine was empty now.
Mrs. Macdonald must have
been shocked by it. She didn't
move and there was no sign of
emotion on her pale face, but
when she turned to the door she
stumbled blindly. Her son hurried
TO her side, murmured a few
words, then held the door open
Tor her. After she left he crossed
the shop rapidly and went up
stairs.
Dirck bent close to me. I'm 60
ing TO stick around for a while,
Chris"
I wish you would" whispered
back. "But / guess the Sergeant
has changed his mind about me. I"
He patted my hand. "You have
q guilty look" he said, then
jumped briskly to his feet and