The Wilmington morning star., 1940-06-01
RKG<uE KILLER SPEAKS
~1 6Dhs RlcHARD/AouGHToN
kDA WRITTEN FOR Nd nMapM RmM R& AsoaAns
cuApTER

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
I did not tell Louise of my dis
eovery in Tony Pappini's room. 1t
might mean nothing. On the other
hand, if it meant what l thought 1t
did. it was going to lead me into a
dangerous adventure in which
was determined she Would not
share. She was a brave girl, but
this was a mans work.
WED better put this room IN
order" I told her. IF we tell the
police we saw our murder suspect
running out of here, they'll start
looking for fngerprints. ours are
all over the place."
The hunt for Tony was contlnu-
ing and we had plenty of time to
hang his clothes back in the closet,
drop his other belongings back into
the drawers and straighten tn e
rug. We left the bed in some dis
array knowing the officers would
expect to find it that way.
We heard the shouts Of the Off
GERS, who found the missing man,
and went downstairs to meet them
as though nothing had happened.
Hes in a bad way" one of the
men informed us. 1.-THE doctor is
taking him to a hospital"
poor Tony" gasped Louise. II
thought he wouldn't be nurt, fall
ing onto that soft ground"
''He's not, ma'am. He's out of
his head"
There's nothing more we can
DO here I told the girl. I'll call
a cab and take you home.
Reluctantly she agreed.
In the privacy of the cab she
asked me, what can you do now
without help from Tony?'
I'm going to see Belzer. He's
hopeful of identifying u man
through the bullet that was fired
into the roWboat."
He won't tell you anything until
after it's in his paper" she said.
I'm afraid you're right"
F'You'd better get a good nights
sleep,'' she suggested. "You need
it,"
I nodded, meaning only that
agreed with her statement that
needed sleep. When we stopped at
her front door, she made me prom
Use TO meet her there in the morn
ing.
Re-entering the cab I told the
driver to take me to Eberhard
street, Belzer's address. 1t didn't
occur to me until we arrived, and
the cab drove on, that of course
Belzer wouldn't be home at this
time of night. He would be work.
ing.
1 walked up the steps of the
three-story rooming house, think
ing that while I was here I might
as well leave him a note. The di-
rectory in the hall said his room
was 301, from which I assumed
that visitors were in the habit of
ascending without the Formally of
notifying the landlady of their
presence.
I knocked Oh his door. Apparent.
ly the catch was faulty, because
the door swung open. There was
no n in the room.
I hesitated. I had intended mere
ly to be sure he was not home,
then slip a note under the door,
but the room was inviting. I re-
membered the informal call he had
paid on me the night before. And
on his table was a telephone. !
could call his office.
I walked in, and a minute later
had him on the line. I didn't tell
him where I was. After all, I
Thought, he didn't announce his
visit. I'd take pleasure in giving
him the midnight shock he gave
me.
II thought you and I were all
washed up, Butch" he said,
whats on your mind?"
"You a forget that story about
Jerry Montcalm and his Knives" I
told him. "Tve found something
that links someone else into the
case"
Spill it! I'm all ears"
'Not unless you agree"
"Nuts! The story's already in
type-another Belzer exclusive.
I'm not going to kill it now"
"But suppose T give you a better
story?"
Nothing doing. Give me your
story. if you want, and I'll put
them together. If it makes things
REIA - OIIRT p