The Key West citizen., 1940-12-18

didn't think the law was trying
to set a trap to catch them. They
get the idea. we don't care whom
we send to Jail, just so we send
somebody"
Bill said, 81 am even more anx-
ious than you are to clear this up,
Lieutenant. Fire away and ask
anything you wish. Of course, this
has all been pretty much of an
ordeal for my wife. She was fond
of her aunt. and hope you won't
make it any more difficult for her
than is necessary"
Examination
"OKAY," said Lieutenant Greg
~ ory. Then, fixing me with
you found the body, didn't you.
Mrs. Stuart?"
1 started involuntarily. 1t was
something of a shock, having
Aunt Maggie referred to as a
body. Eyes" answered. my voice
grown suddenly small.
From the position of the body,
would you say that she died
where you found her, or could she
have been dragged or carried
there from somewhere else?"
81 didn't think of that" I said.
"and l don't think anyone else
did at the time. At least nobody
suggested it. l thought she had
tainted or had fallen down the
stairs "
But looking back. what do you
think?"
II saw nothing to indicate
that she had been dragged or car
ried. mean her clothes looked as
l imagine they would have if she
had fallen or had been allowed
to fall"
"What was your opinion, Mr..
Stuart?"
"She looked to me as though
she had fallen" said Bill, reso-
lutely patient. I knew he thought
this was all a waste of time.
"Where were you at the time of
her death?"
"On the second floor. I had gone
upstairs shortly before to bring
down some ping-pong racketS for
the game room. In fact, l came
up from the basement, passed the
place where a few minutes later
we found Aunt Maggie. went up
the back stairs to the second floor
and was there, rummaging
around. when Andrew came for
me-"
Lieutenant Gregory leaned for
ward toward my husband. "You
mean you were on the spot. say
hVe minutes before she was
ki!.cd. bat saw nothing to arouse
your susriciocs?"
That IS right" said Bill, giving
him loof for look. ''Of course,
can't be positive about the exact
4umJer Of minutes. But there was
certainly nothing to see"
"And when you came out lust
few minutes after your husband
had gone upstairs" he asked.
turning to me, you saw nothing
either, Mrs. Stuart?"
No"
And you have no idea of the
murderer's IDENTIFY" Lieutenant
Gregory looked hard at me. then
focused his gaze on Bill.
NO" we both said. Except"
Bill added, some funny things
did happen"
'Funny?"
eyes, odd. Things we couldn't
explain" And Bill told him about
the telephone call to Andrew.
What else happened that
seemed suspicious?"
"These," said, extracting The
scraps of green paper and the bit
of silk from my pocket.
Lieutenant Gregory looked at
the notes for a long time. He and
Roberts exchanged glances snd it
seemed to me there was a gleam
of excitehleht in their eyes,
"Odd they should use that
paper" Lieutenant Gregory mur-
INJURED just above his breath.
That's what / thought. too" /
answered.
"How do you mean that's what
you thought?" he asked quickly.
Wrapping paper from de-
partment store" I explained.
ooh, that"
Wasn't that what you meant?"
l asked.
Again the two officers ex-
changed glances. Suppose we go
on to this piece of CLOTH" Lieu
tenant Gregory suggested.
l explained that it was IN
doubtedly torn from the new
eiderdown comfort brought out
for Aunt Maggie's room and that,
although it was seen on her bed
after the murder, it was mystic
riously missing this morning.
Anything else?" he asked.
We told him about the red
light. about the door which Kirk
and l saw open and close, about
Bills collision in the hall. He lis
tened silently and Roberts kept
busy with his pen.
"Can you make any sense out
of it?" / asked.
I'D rather not say just yet" he
answered, with something that
was as near a smile as I suppose
he ever allows himself while on
duty. Whats all this about a Sc
cret room?"
I told him of Aunt Maggie's
conversation the evening before
and of how ! had come to believe
that her murder was in some way
connected with the secret room.
''The trouble is the only clue we
found was a note made by Aunt
Maggie. which obviously refers TO
the silver storage closet in the
kitchen"
THAT note, where is it?"
Bill produced it from his pocket.
To be continued