The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-04-08
Chapter 81
Breaking The News


at may amuse you. but don't
like it. Every time go out OF the
apartment someone comes IN. l
feel just like Mrs. Evans. One
more night in that house will be
the death of me"
81 hope not, darling" he said,
very calmly. Il surely hope not.
I'd miss you"
! ignored him and lighted a
cigarette.
You're not really afraid, are
your" He looked down at me
quickly.
"Oh, no, Mr.. Kolf," I said,
avoiding his eye. Being mixed
up in murders is an everyday &C.
currence for me. There's nothing
] like better than having MUIR
der next door. another one over
head. people whisking around the
fire escape at all times of night,
notes left in my room warning me
of my imminent death. and the
police badgering me-"
"You know Chris" he said lazily,
"Pm beginning to like you more
and more" He leaned out of the
side of the car and looked up at
the sky. "It's good | put the top
up. Now it's showing, damn it.
Well ne yer get through at this
rate"
BY the. time we hit Grand Cen
trail Parkway it was practically a
blizzard and it was pretty difficult
for Dirck to see. It seemed to take
hours before we turned off for
Garden City. l looked at my
watch, but the light was so dim /
couldn't distinguish the numerals.
] guessed that it was going on
two o'clock.
Would you mind telling me
where we're going?"
The words were no sooner out
of my mouth than | realized how
stupid I'd been. Of course, we
were heading for Williamson
wherr Joan's mother and step
father lived. But what reason had
Dirck for going to see them?
Il didn't tell you we were 60
ing to Williamson because l
thought you'd start imagining
things. AS it is. you'll go into it
with an open mind. I'm counting
on your help"
"I'm afraid won't be much use
to you," / told him doubtfully.
Another day of this and I'll sus.
pect myself of murder"
Take it easy" he said as he
rubbed his glove over the wind
shield. 'The trouble is that you
aren't accustomed to thinking
things through. First you suspect
one person, then another PUSHES
in waving a red flag and you for
get the first one And when a
third and fourth appear you are
completely befogged." .
| laughed ''Me and Sergeant
Long. If he arrested everyone he
ever suspected we would all be
languishing in jail today"
Hes a smart man." Dirck said,
shut ! think he's wrong about
Richard" He shrugged his Shout
ders. well, I'm counting on you,
Chris. A woman's eye seems to
pierce the chaff, he added with
grin.
After few minutes he stopped
to clean the steam from the wind.
shield, then he switched on the
dashboard light and took a hand
drawn map out of his pocket.
eve take the next turn right"
he said. 80 stop me if / drive
past. And then we 60 on for three
miles. then we head east again.
It's an out-of-the- way place and
they live quite far back from the
road. That's why ! told you to
wear galoshes. doubt if the car
will get through. The snow is
pretty deep in these parts. It's
lonely out here in the winter. You
and l, precious, aren't going to be
commuters. We're going to walk
to work"
"Since I'm a china painter" l
said, II don't even have to 60 out
and scrub floors to support YOU"
Binding Snow
LIE leaned over.
L mot on Wednesday after
noons," / said, backing away.
He grinned. ats your face.
Funny as it is. I'm getting at
taehed to it,"
''Will you keep your mind on
the road?" said. We'll wake up
at Montauk Point if you aren't
more watchful."
In a minute or two he said,
we'll have to get out here.
think We'll find it better on foot"
] got out reluctantly. The snow
had been accommodating all Win
ter. because in some places the
drifts covered an old wooden
fence that bordered the path. We
tramped on, not making much
progress. 1t was pretty difficult
to walk because the snow was
binding and it was dark for early
afternoon. Dirck broke a path
ahead, and after ten minutes Of
stumbling he saw light.
This must be the house." he
called back to me. "And, Chris,
have to tell you now that we
might not be particularly well
come" ~
"WhyY" / shouted. and the cold
air hurt my teeth. tf8R
The wind bowling around the
trees may have drowned my ques-
ton. Anyway, he didn't answer,
so all ] could do was follow him
meekly, wondering why the Mac
Donalds wouldn't want to see US.
OF course there was no reason for
a visit, but certainly they had
nothing to fear from us.
was astonished at the size of
the house It was hard to see
much because l had to keep my