The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-01-01
Chapter SO
The Inquest

The Inquest
IF THE tension at Tuck's garden
party had been unbearable, that
at the inquest was beyond words
The announcement tn at there
would be an inquest on the body
of AliX Lissey had thrown the cam
pus into turmoil, or, rather, those
Of the group who did not already
expect it.
The day was very hot. The in
quest had been called in the coro-
ner'S Office. stuffy little room in
the court house. The windows were
dusty and Streaked, and the var
nish on the heavy plain chairs and
tables was sticky in the heat. But
no one seemed to notice. They filed
in silently. and sat down without
murr1uring about the weather or
the discomfort.
Alix LIssey. Spinster, was dead.
She had died of the effects OF poi
sOnlng on Sunday, at the age of
fifty two. Only Mrs. Deane
showed any interest as that fact
was read out.
The coroner was an apple
checked little man with a figure
like robins, and high chlrping
voice quite out Of keeping with
death. and death by violence in
particular He put his questions
cheerfully, with no apparent reali-.
cation of the dreadful meaning that
might lie behind the answers Yet
he let no single point escape him,
and once or twice let his gaze wan
der as if by accident to the District
Attorney and the Police Commits
sioner, sitting quietly at the back
of the room.
Tuck was the first witness called.
Mrs. Forester, the deceased
was your guest on the afternoon of
the day she died?"
"She was"
"At what time did she arrive at
your house?"
About quarter after four.
think"
Just what do you mean? Ten
minutes after four or twenty five
minutes after?"
Almost exactly quarter after.
IL had been watching the time"
why had you been watching
the time, Mrs. Forester"
Il -"
The exact reason, please"
THE conversation wasn't going
very well" Tuck said bravely Il
was hoping for a diversion, when l
saw Miss Lissey coming"
That does not place the time"
THE DEVICES had come exactly
at four o'clock" Tuck explained.
'They had been there about fifteen
minutes remember looking at my
watch at twelve minutes after, and
in Just a minute Miss Lissey came"
$50 it was with he DEVICES that
the conversation lagged?"
YES"
'Why?"
Il don't know"
Just what was this converse.
ton that Jagged, Mrs. Forester?
Can you repeat it?"
"Why-it wasn't really a CONVEX
sation at all. Mr. Devoe, l think,
was talking to Miss Temple. | said
something to Mrs. Oevoe about the
sundial and he broke in. His moth
er didn't seem to hear me, and he
explained to her"
Had you noticed that Mrs. De-
voc was deaf before that tirNe?"
'PreOccupied'
MO. l didn't think she was deaf
' then. 1t was just-just that
she was preoccupied."
There was more to the CONVEX
sation?"
mo. Miss Lissey came just then.
Seating the DEVICES and greeting
them and Mrs. MurchiSon had
taken the rest of the time"
Then Mrs. Devoe was preoccu-
pied when she first came to the
party?"
She seemed to be-"
did you note signs of preoc-
cupation in any other of your
guests?"
mo"
did this preoccupation of Mrs.
Devoe's continue all through the
afternoon?"
Perhaps shouldn't have called
ii preoccupation, DR.. Mayhem"
Tuck said honestly. Mrs. Devoe is
always very quiet and self-con-
tanned"
What do you mean by always?"
Since | have known her"
That is. within the last ten
dayS?"
Yes"
He paused, His round little blue
eyes regarded her seriously. Mrs.
Forester. you are ready to swear
that there was originally no poison
in any of the food served at your
house on Sunday?"
Certainly, DR.. Mayhewl"
Your Servant-would you con-
slider her to be capable of putting
poison in anyone's food?"
Charlotte Jean, at the side of the
room, gasped audibly. Tuck gave
her little reaSSuring smile.
Most certainly not. She is the
last person in the world who would
do such a thing"
''She has worked for you for
some timer"
fsTvyO tyaorcD