The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-04-10
Chapter 80
The Man In The Garage

I COULDN'T hear what the Ser.
geant said on the telephone, and
while he was talking IShi poured
the coffee. I slipped it gratefully. It
was warm and comfortable in the
shop and felt drowsy. Mr.. Kim
ball took a cup of coffee from IShi
and bent over to talk to Dirck. 81
don't believe that Whitefield knew
Joan at all WELL" he said in low
voice. HE can't be the man."
Dirck rubbed his forehead
YEARLY. "ItS hard to tell" he
said. ''The most amazing things
crop up, things you wouldn't be-
lieve."
His voice made me feel shivery.
Mr.. Kimball and l both eyed him
curiouSly, but neither of us said
anything and the Sergeant COM
pleted his call then. He drank a
cup of coffee hastily and left the
shop. Tim Lathrop came over to
us and took the Sergeant's chair.
'It's terrible" he said. 81 can't
believe it yet. Have you any idea
what could have happened to
Richard to make him do such
thing?" He looked at Dirck, his
face miserable.
Dirck shook his head.
"Pve been nearly frantic" Tim
Lathrop went on. "The time since
Monday evening has been like a
bad dream"
Mr.. Kimball bent forward.
"How is your wife. Tim?"
"a little better" He hesitated.
The Sergeant talked with her
this afternoon for a few minutes"
We were silent for a long mo-
ment. each one of us wondering
what the Sergeant heard from
Louise Lathrop.
Then Dirck rose. WED better
get some dinner, Chris"
We went to the Knife and Fork
but it wasn't a very successful
dinner. Dirck read the paper. eat
ing little. and l attacked the
wheat cakes without enthusiasm,
even though we'd had no lunch.
Meals at the Knife and Fork
were getting too frequent to be
stimulating Finally Dirck re-
moved his face from behind the
paper and said we'd better be
running along. | had nothing to
run for, but he apparently had
something on his mind, so he took
me back to the house and stood
there for a moment
81 know what you're going to
say" / said to him. Don't let me
worry you, Chris, but for Gods
- sake be careful. Stay in your
room and don't go prowling
around"
"Wrong again," he laughed
"Our friend. the Sergeant. has a
man stationed in the hall to guard
you. darling"
And he left without telling me
where he was going.
So | decided to spend a quiet
night. sitting up in a chair with
all of the lights on, and the poker
from the fireplace in one hand
and the carving knife in the
other AS long as was with Dirck
[ felt very confident, but as soon
as | was alone. the dimly lighted
house and the oppressive quiet
that weighed it didn't make me
feel any too cheerful.
The red-haired Mr.. Norton was
stationed in the lower hall and
saluted me with a bow and smile
rs / went upstairs. | saw with re-
lief that from his chair he had a
fine view to the door of my apart
ment. Nevertheless. | decided to
lock myself in Of course, there
were keys at large. but one has
10 have faith in something. Then
! fastened the windows securely
and turned on every light in the
whole apartment
In few minutes Patrick came
up with a basket of wood. He
looked very queer when | I'M
locked the door to let him in. but
he built fire and left without
saying anything.
The Noise
ONE evening can't go on forever,
~ thank goodness. l roamed
around the apartment, tried all
Of the chairs. and finally curled
up by the fireplace to read.
The house was very quiet,
everyone seemed to be out, and
don't know when | first noticed
the noise. 1t was a muff1ed, mo-
notonous sound and it might have
been going on for some time, since
il wasn't particularly noticeable.
Finally / sat up, realizing that
whatever it was I'd been hearing
il for quite a while. 1t seemed to
be coming from the yard. / went
10 the window and drew the cur
tain. but the garden was dark and
/ couldn't see beyond the path by
the house There was nothing
there. but the noise continued,
steady hum. So went to the door
and unlocked it. expecting to call
Norton from the lower hail.
AS / walked to the stairway
telephone somewhere on the third
floor rang Shrilly. 1t seemed to
come from an open doorway, be-
cause it was so loud. Norton
rushed upstairs past me and on
up to the third floor with Mr.
Kimball following him YEARLY.
The telephone was ringing in
Whitefeld's apartment and he was
missing. 1t gave me queer feel
ing.
When they came back stopped
Mr.. Kimball and told him about
the noise ! had been hearing. He