The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-03-28


then was afraid she might get
caught. So she decided to kill her
self and her husband, too"
l shook my head. It didn't
sound logical to me. ft
ooh. Sergeant. | forgot to tell
you something" Mary Ann said
excitedly. Last night a friend of
mine. girl. dropped in. She lives
in the next block. She rang the
bell downstairs and when there
was no answer. tried the street
door and it was Open"
"Open!" The Sergeant sat up.
Il thought it was always kept
Mary Ann nodded. "It is, or at
least it's supposed to be. And
when came home after twelve it
was locked. Anyway. Kitty came
upstairs and left a note for me,
but forgot all about it until this
evening. so | called her"
did she know anything?"
Il asked her and she said that
when she was walking down the
hall on this floor she saw a wo-
man come out of Joan Kent's
apartment"
What time did you say that
was?"
"A little before eleven. She'd
been to the movies and dropped
in on her way home, so she was
pretty certain about the time. The
main picture was over about
twenty five of eleven"
The Serge groaned and
leaned back in the chair. II don't
suppose she could describe the
woman"
She couldn't remember much
about her except that she was
tall and dark"
That sounds like Mrs. La
throp." the Sergeant said moodi-
ly, "but it sounds like two million
other women in New York. too.
She was here before eleven. !
think, and was found after mid
night in the river. In the mean
time her husband was here. but
he didn't stay very long"
He leaned forward and his eyes
were resting thoughtfully on the
fire. What could she have been
doing in the meantime and where
did she and her husband meet
up?" he unused.
Then he jerked his head up and
said in harsh voice. with that
street door open, anyone could
haze come IN and done it"
A Handsome Man
CUDDENLY the room seemed
, hot and close with the pungent
scent o. wood burning. And | had
a queer frightening sensation
when | realized that last night
the street door had been un-
locked. Mary Ann was staring at
the Sergeant. her hands clenched
in her lap.
do you-do you suppoSe-?"
The words choked in her throat.
She looked frightened.
She didn't have time to finish
whatever it was she was trying to
say, because Dirck leaned in the
open doorway then, and asked if
he could come in. There was a
man standing behind him in the
hall.
sure, come in" The Sergeant
got up and limpcd around, trying
his foot gingerly. Hello, La
throp."
For some reason I'd pictured
Tim Lathrop as thin and pallid. a
little down at the heel, with a
flowing tie and hair. 1t was quite
shock to find him as different
from that as you could imagine.
He was pale. but shock and SUBJ
mersion accounted for that. From
his right eye we'll back over his
thick brown hair he was band
aged. And even that didn't de-
tract from his good looks. He was
one of the handSOmest men I've
ever seen.
When Dirck introduced us,
though. Tim Lathrop spoke al
most listleSsly. His voice was low
and held. an unexpected warmth
and his gray eyes were deep and
penetrating. Mary Ann, ! noticed,
was all of a-flutter over him.
Il got part of your story from
the officer" the Sergeant said,
but | want to hear it from you.
When did you meet your wife
last night?" s4
He faced Tim Lathrop, who had
seated himself on the low stool
close to the fireplace. And Dirck
sat down on the arm of my chair.
Tim Lathrop started haltingly,
as though he were having a diff
| ficult time gathering his thoughts.
When | left the house. Louise,
my wife. was waiting for me. Her
car was parked a few doors down
| the street in front of the laundry.
When she got out of the car and
I came towards me | could see that
! she was upset about something.
/ had to get into the car to avoid a
| scene because the minute she laid
| eyes on me she started to quarrel.
Sne was raVlng- Id mad woman.
he paused and his eyes sought the
Sergeants WTetChedly
1t must have been hard for him
TO talk before all of us. After all.
even though he had been sepa-
rated from her. she was still his
wife. and he seemed a pretty sem
Sitive person.
What time did you leave the
house," tine Sergeant asked. S.
1T must have been about half
past eleven. You see | left the
shop, thinking I'd 90 back to the
hotel. and then | decided to go up
to see Richard. so | came in the
house door and went upstairs"
The Sergeant looked at him in
tently. Richard wasn't here last
night, was he?"
Continued tomorrow