The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-09-07
Chapter l8
Definitely Murder

were crimson - not, l thought,
with rouge. She wasn't Just my
idea Of the radiant bride - she
was more feverish than radiant,
more excited than happy, more
determined than eager. But while
never for a moment doubted
that she was getting what she
wanted - she had the air of
achieving a long-felt purpose
could not reconcile that air with
the swollen eyes and twisting
hands Of the girl / had admitted
to my rooms only an hour before
"a girl who had lost her lover
and was wracked with grief. That
Sandra was genuine.
Her tortured words came back
to me:
They made fun of him. They're
glad. They thought he wasn't
good enough"
And now all that forgotten in
feverish triumph. Or was it for
gotten? Wasn't there a quality of
malevolence, of vindictiveneSs in
her excitement? Was she, in some
way | could not imagine, PLAN
ming to avenge Ivan's death?
I am altogether too magma
tive, fact which is always being
pointed out to me. | mentally
shook off chill of foreboding
which knew was nothing but an
Irish ancestor hanging crepe; but
/ could not shake a reasonable
question which kept asking itself
of me. Why lUaS she marrying
JEFF?
"Sandra," I said, without pre-
meditation - if l had thought
twice / might have kept silent
"have you considered that people
will say you are marrying Jeff to
keep from testifying-because you
think"
For some reason I was unable
to finish; and it was not neces-
sary, | saw. She understood what
meant and it was not new idea
2 to her.
1--WE thought of that" she said
patiently, as one explaining to
backward child. But I'm doing
what l think best"
Her eyes met mine perfectly
steadily, but without candor. She
was not rebuffing me; but on the
other hand she was making me
no present of her thoughts.
l gave up. After all, it was no
business of mine.
1t was a Sunday I shall not for
get.
Sandra made no move to go.
She curled up in 4 chair and. like
a well-behaved guest. turned the
pages Of magazines. The sound,
repeated too often to permit her
10 do any reading, so annoyed me
that all could do was sit and
glover at my typewriter and de-
eide that I'd better be going back
to Chicago where the roar of the
ell seemed to have no tendency to
derail my train Of thought. and
where | could get SOM work
done before l had to break out
my safety fund and start spend
ing it. Here | was again, mixed
up in murder
l quit listening to the annoying
rasp of the turning leaves and
wondered why I thought it was
murder. l remembered that Ger
aid had so referred to it and that
/ had not challenged his assumr-
ton. / wondered now if he knew
or was only guessing. And if he
knew, how?
After the discovery of the bodv
the night before, Adam had sent
Gerald to take us home from the
barge for the last time and to
bring back help. Adam had stayed
there. keeping a lonely vigil. and
! had not seen him since. What
discoveries had they made down
in that horrid black hole-what
clues to murder-and to a muir
derer?
Very Painful
FELICIA raped twice and
i opened the door. She was
dressed, hated and gloved, and
looked moderately devout.
Going to church." she an
nounced self-righteously.
Where, in town." asked, and
she said no, the chapel.
Services announced for today.
Want to Gomez"
Sandra said YES" eagerly, be-
fore had time to reply. IF Kath-
crime viii lend me a hat and
gloves?"
I said that I would lend them
gladly. and I meant it. I was in
one of those moods when I felt
there was a conspiracy TO keep
me from doing any work and that
if it persisted l might as well cut
my throat before ! starved to
death. A mood common, ! dare
say. to most writer's.
While / sought out the required
articles Felicia was expressing
her sympathy to Sandra. 1t WIS a
rotten way. she said, to lose an
old friend.
Eyes" said Sandra. 'Very pain
full"
She said it quite steadily. and I
began to wonder If ! had mag
ined the grief-tortured face she
had brought to my door.
Thankfully I watched then. de-
part. Now I could work. But first
I ought to see Julia. After all, it
was Sunday, a day Of rest. And /
really ought to see Julia.
Because it was Sunday ! had
dressed with care: ! would not