The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-03-16

me who the woman is your niece
mentioned in her letter-the wo-
man who dropped in to see her last
| night"
Mr.. Kimball and Richard looked
at each other, and it seemed to me
that a glance of understanding
| flashed between them. It was Mr..
Kimball who replied:
II know of no woman who was
here last night"
But he didn't say anything about
the woman in the letter. Either the
Sergeant was mapping or thought
it unimportant, for he asked how
long Joan hat been working for
her uncle. It seems she'd been in
New York for about a year and a
half and had taken an art course
for about six months and then
given it up.
"Why?" the Sergeant asked.
1T was quite expensive" Mr..
Kimball told him. Il believe that
she felt she couldn't afford it,"
IF it's not too personal a ques-
tion," pursued the Sergeant, docs
the family have any money!"
The girls mother interposed
with quick glance at her brother.
There was plenty of money for
her art course, but after she had
gone for six months it was decided
that she didn't have talent enough
to go on with it."
81 see," said the Sergeant. "You
and your niece" he said, again di-
recting his attention to Mr.. KIM
ball, "did you get on well?"
Very WELL" Mr.. Kimball an
swered readily. "She enjoyed
working in the shop. In addition to
antiques l have quite fine collec-
ton of books here, and she was
always interested in them. In fact,
you will find quite nice collection
of her own in her apartment. Some
gave her and others she got from
her father"
"Then she was perfectly happy
in her work."
Perfectly" He nodded.
No Alibi
you have been accused of the
murder, you know, Mr.. KIM
ball?" the Sergeant said unexpect-
eddy.
Mrs. Macdonald gasped and
Dirck Kolff flashed a questioning
glance at me.
NO." he said quietly. Il was not
aware of it."
We'll, you have been, so you'd
last night"
Mr.. Kimball regarded the Ser
geant thoughtfully. THAT will be
unfortunate for me. Sergeant. l
have no alibi." He sat perfectly
still, his long slender hands resting
on his knees.
The Sergeant was taken aback.
Did you go up to see your niece
last night?"
eyes"
"When?"
after Mr.. Lathrop left. I was
worried. naturally"
"Why?"
Mr.. Kimball turned on the Ser
geant angrily. Because was fond
of her, because she had been i'll,
and because she had not wanted to
see Mr.; Lathrop. That's why!" he
shouted.
eyes, yes" the Sergeant muir
INJURED placatingly. GO on"
Il had a customer directly after
Mr.. Lathrop left" Mr.. Kimball
continued, his voice still shaking.
$50 wasn't able to close the shop
and go up to her until about a
quarter to eleven"
did you go into her room?"
Eyes, / called to her from the
hall and she opened the door"
Mrs. Macdonald reached for
ward and took her brothers arm.
Il didn't know Joan had been ILL.,"
she said in a dazed voice. "Whv
didn't you write to me?" There
were tears in the woman's eyes
and her hand, resting on Mr.. Kim
balls sleeve. was shaking.
she had a bad cold, that's ALL"
her brother told her soothingly.
1T was quite lot better last night,
but | told her not to work. The
shop is drafty."
1t made me shiver. The poor
woman was upset about the girls
cold when she had been dead for
hours, murdered.
The Sergeant was pacing the
shop impatiently and finally came
to a Standstill by a side window.
Then you were the last person in
her apartment?" he shouted sud-
denly at Mr.. Kimball
Il couldn't have been the last
person in the apartment"
''Why?"
Because the last person must
have been the murderer" the man
said evenly.
Not necessarily" snapped the
Sergeant. and then he paused. He
stared out of the window and his
mind seemed more on the snow in
the side yard than on Mr.. Kimball.
There could have been someone
in after the murderer, who for
some reason didn't raise an alarm"
Mr.. Kimball stared at him Curl
ouSly.
You say she was still alive
when you went up there?" the Ser
geant went on.
YES" >g..ES
The Sergeant swung around and
faced us. IF she was still alive
when you went up there, was she
still alive when you left? Did you
| murder Joan Kent?n 5EICT