The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-03-09
Chapter Six
Accused

Chapter Six
. Accused
HOW do you known" the Ser
H geant demanded.
Don't humble your words"
she snapped. Il can't hear you"
Il said, how do you know he's
the one?"
'T never did like the looks of
the man. He has all the earmarks
of murderer"
The Sergeant groaned. $50 you
think that proves he killed his
niece"
Mrs. Evans settled herself in the
chair, adjusting a cushion care
fully at her back. ooh, I have proof
enough" she said in a complacent
voice MY husband warned me-.
Sarah, her face pale, uttered a
faint moan. "He did tell her. l
know. because she told me all
about it,"
"Where is your husband?" the
Sergeant asked Mrs. Evans.
She didn't seem to hear and
Sarah, nervously twisting her blue
bingham apron, stared at her.
After a moments silence the
older woman said, "He is not dead,
he is just away"
The Sergeant dropped his cigar
on my best hooked rug. what IN
hell are you talking about?"
"She means he has passed
away" Sarah said with whimper.
The Sergeant looked close to
murder. He was speechless and
Sarah was staring first at the Ser
geant, then at Mrs. Evans, her
mouth agape.
go on" the Sergeant said to
Sarah after he had recovered.
The maid swallowed and with
an apologize glance at Mrs. Evans
said, "Well, Patrick's the janitor,
but he doesn't live here. just comes
in to fix the furnace. Then there's
that Jap, whatever his name is.
He lives in back of the store and
works for Mr.. Kimball, does cook
ing and everything" She shifted
with disapproval. "But come to
think of it. he wasn't here yester-
dav hasn't been here for week"
where is he?"
She shrugged her shoulders and
half closed her eyes mySteriously.
81 don't know. You never can tell
about them Japs. Me, / don't trust
'en."
The Sergeant was irritated.
"Never mind about that. Who
else?"
Sarah's earlier pleasure in the
questioning had vanished and she
answered ungraciouSly, "On the
second floor over the shop is Miss
Wells and Miss Rogers. They have
an apartment together. That's the
front one on this floor. Miss Wells,
she's on the stage, but she doesn't
work steady. And the red-haired
one-Mary Ann Rogers, her name
is-works in swell dress shop up
town somewhere, not all day,
though, only part time. Miss Kent
lives lived" she corrected her
self hastily, Gin the middle apart
ment, and the back ones been
empty" Then she added with a
sharp look in my direction, "That
is. il was empty until she came,
and goodness knows when that
was. She wasn't here last night
when left and Mr.. Kimball wasn't
expecting her neither"
The Sergeant swung around to-
wards me this time. "Well?"
There was some misllnder-
standing about the date" ! said.
Mr.. Kimball apparently expected
me on the 10th and I'd told him
that I would come in on the 18th"
The skeptical faces of my audi
ence surprised me. Were they actu-
ally connecting me with the muir
der of the girl?
'I'll see what Mr.. Kimball has
10 say about this" the Sergeant
said. After long look at me he
turned back to Sarah. Nov for
the third floor"
Sarah moistened her lips. an
the front is a Mr.. Charles White
field and in the back is Mr.. Mac
Donald. There's only two apart
ments to that floor. Mr.. Macdonald
does something down on Wall
Street. And Mrs. Evans lives in the
attic apartment. That's the fourth
floor"
'An Artist
THE Sergeant was scrawling
l. away in his notebook. What
MI. IA9O
IT think he's an artist"
Tell me about this morning."
he said after a moment. you were
going about your work as usual
and went to Miss Kent'S apart
ment. Did you knock?"
Eyes, sir" Sarah said. 81 knocked
like always do, because she keeps
her apartment locked at night"
did you try the door when she
didn't answer, or did you Just use
your key to open it as usual?"
Sarah was laundering in the sea
Of questions. No, sir, the door
wasn't locked. I just opened it
without the key" She gulped
Then saw the window was still
I'D and then saw Miss joan" She
shuddered dramatically.
After the first shock of seeing
the girls body had worn off Sarah
was enjoying herself thoroughly.
To be in the hmelight was nov
city and she was going to make the
most of it.
Nov think carefully before you