The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-04-15
Chapter 81
"A Domestic WOman'

I9L speak in a low, awful voice:
MY brother has been plotting
this for years, SIM Richard and
Joan were children. suspected it
long while ago and, as my hus-
bands health grew worse, | was
Convinced that Nicholas was 60
ing to get rid of them in some
way. He tried to poison their
fathers mind against them, or at
least against Joan, since he was
not her own father, so that Rich
ard would get the money when |
died. But that is all that my hus-
band wanted, just to have Rich
ard provided for. My brother
went further. He didn't want to
share my money with Joan or
Richard" Her voice broke. had
the feeling that she wasn't con-
scious of us. She seemed to be adj
dressing the four walls.
when they left home - Joan
and Richard - and came here,
their uncle couldn't do enough
for them. and ! was certain all
of the time that he was making
plans. BY that time it had be-
come an obsession. He was mad
to get money for his antiques and
his books l tried to warn him.
I told him if he harmed them he
wouldn't get a cent of my money
and he laughed at me. He knew
that if they were gone he could
force the money out of me. But
he pretended he didn't know what
! was talking about And all of
the time knew he was plotting
slowly 90 do away with them. I've
lived in hell. Richards father
was failing steadily. Then my
brother called - after he had
killed Joan in cold hlood-he
called to tell me that Joan had
been murdered, that he didn't
know who had done it."
Her voice was scarcely above
whisper, yet every word pierced
our ears. when / came here
with Richard the other day |
knew there was nothing l could
do. My brother was in a frenzy.
/ could tell it by his eyes. He had
succeeded. Yesterday afternoon
when the man and girl" she
looked at Dirck and me, "cane
to the house, l was beside myself.
After they left / drove to the
nearest town to call my brother,
to warn him that I would expose
him, not that it would do any
good. Richard was dead then, and
50 was Joan. Now they are dead
and my husband is dying. How
could he do this to me?"
At last she stopped. The relief
vas so intense as to be painful
and still no one in the room
moved or spoke. couldn't bear
to look at her face, torn with
emotion. 1t wasn't possible to
watch anyone suffer so terribly.
From somewhere on the first floor
a voice called for the Sergeant
aid the tension that held us les
Sened. The Sergeant drew a quick
breath, turned to the stairway
and called to his assistant.
When Norton came upstairs
Sergeant Long said, Mrs. Mac
Donald isn't very we'll. See that
she gets home safely"
He followed them downstairs
aid Mary Ann left with back
ward glance at Dirck. And now
that we were alone we just sat
and stared at each other. The
past hour had left me shaken and
bcwildered.
AS calmly as | could manage,
I said to Dirck, Would you mind
explaining all of this in words of
one syllable? My mind got be-
logged somewhere along the
line"
no Motive
ITS this way, Chris" he said. 81
L was fairly certain all along that
it was Mr.. Kimball, and ! finally
convinced Richard or almost con-
WINGED him. But the Sergeant
wouldn't agree with me because
there seemed to be no motive"
I leaned back in the chair and
asked when he'd figured out the
motive.
You're the perfect Watson"
he said with smile. Il hit on it
when Mr.. Kimball showed me
some of his antiques and particu-
larly some of his books. He had a
passion for collecting the most
valuable things. and he didn't
want to sell them. You see, Chris, !"
he said, taking my hand. 81 tried
to buy one of his books and he
just smiled. He wouldn't have
parted with it for the world. Just
as Mrs. Macdonald said, he was
mad about collecting. He wouldn't
stop at anything to get what he
wanted and" he added soberly.
che didn't stop. Joan and Richard
were in the way, so he got rid of
them"
where did the necklace come
from?" said, extricating my
hand.
"He bought it a long while ago
and then took it to a jewelers.
way downtown to have it strung
on a heavier chain. / found the
store last night"
as that where you were? I
thought you were probably sit
ting up with Mary Ann"
81 slept in chair down in the
shop to keep an eye on things"
I frowned in recollection. $50
it was Mr.. Kimball who wrote on
my lists of questions"
Dirck shook his head. mo, it
was Ishi. Kimball must have seen
the list and told Ishi you had
something to do with Joan's
death. Ishi didn't know, you see,
who had done it. And he was so
devoted to Mr.. Kimball that he
did exactly as he said. You see,
Kimban gave Ishi the keys that
Carnh Iorf Hn xran The ana x,rhr