The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-04-05
Chapter 20
Warning Number Two

Warning Number Two
I LOOKED up at Dirck, but he
4 wasn't paying much attention.
He was staring out of the Win
dow, a cigarette smouldering be-
tween his fingers.
81" 81 questioned everyone as a
matter of FORM" the Sergeant
said, "but that was only to check
up on the time he did it. / guess
it was when you and Mrs. Evans
heard the noise"
was mixed up. The Sergeant's
line of reasoning didn't seem any
more logical than my own. Just a
few hours earlier he was con-
WINGED that Joan had been muir
dered, first by me and then in
succession by everyone in the
house. And he hadn't even asked
Dirck whose apartment he'd been
IN all night. / wondered why?
After all, Dirck wouldn't have
seen Richard lying there in the
yard if he hadn't been in my
apartment or Richards. Perhaps
Dirck had told him about it in the
shop.
What about Miss Rogers?" l
asked, hopeful that the Sergeant
might volunteer some informa-
ton.
He frowned. "She met Mac
Donald night before last outside
here. as he was leaving for the
train. He took her into the Knife
and Fork and the counter-man
says they stayed there pretty
late. until 1870 at least, and may
be later. After Miss Rogers re-
turned to the house, l think Mac
Donald came back a few minutes
later, murdered his sister, then
left for Williamson" He got up.
I'll have a talk with her. She
lied about the time she left her
aunt's."
Then Mr.. Kimball called up the
stairway that the Medical Exam
liner was waiting to see the Ser
geant, so he left us.
WED better go out and catch
some breakfast" Dirck said in a
tired voice. -..... ...,..
nodded and got up to get my
hat and coat.
1t wasn't showing any more,
but the wind was cold as we hur-
ried down to the Knife and Fork.
Neither of us was hungry, so af-
ter couple of cups of coffee and
no conversation at all, we left.
I'm going to the hospital"
Dirck said as we walked back to
the house Perhaps they'll let me
in to see Louise Lathrop. And
I've got one or two things to look
into. This afternoon" he added
abruptly, I'D like to have you go
out with me for a few hours"
II suppose the Sergeant will let
me go out whenever / please
now"
He nodded. BE careful, Chris"
he said, taking me by the arm.
you're probably tired of my
warning you, but for heavens
sake be careful. Don't go prowl-
ing around the house. Lock your
door and all of your windows.
I'll call you here as soon as l
can"
He got into the car in front of
the shop, and after considerable
trouble warming it up he drove
of, leaving me pretty shaken.
! walked slowly into the house.
What did he mean? If Richard
had murdered Joan, why was
there any danger? Anyway, why
should anyone want to harm me?
I'd done nothing.
went upstairs reluctantly. The
house was drafty and dark and
the halls seemed suddenly mar
row and full of shadows. At the
head of the stairs | stopped stock
still. There were curious. muffied
sounds coming from Joan Kent'S
apartment. It wasn't the Ser
geant, either, because I'd just
seen him in the shop when I
came in the house, talking with
Mr.. Kimball.
Belligerent
THE door to her apartment was
L open an inch or two, but l
didn't rush right in. Dirck's warn
ing made me cautious. did want
to know what was going on,
though, so I took a couple of deep
breathS and raped on the door.
Inside the apartment there was
a long silence and then a frightened
yelp. Feeling 4 little Drawer l
pushed open the door. Mrs. Evans
was sitting on her launches in
the middle of the room and Sarah
emerged on all-fourS from under
the studio bed. They looked so in
dignant and so ridiculous that /
almost laughed out loud.
We'll" said Mrs. Evans, red
faced and belligerent.
Have you found any clues?" I
asked very calmly.
Maybe we have and maybe we
haven't. I know one thing. young
lady," she said as she got to her
feet. THAT so-called lawyer,
whatever his name is, would do a
lot better hunting clues than
spending the night in your apart
ment. And I told the Sergeant so,
too"
With that gentle shot she
stalked Indignantly out of the
room with Sarah trailing in her