The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-04-06

never kept a duplicate set myself
is that I don't believe in having
extra ones around"
The Sergeant was speechless.
He finally exploded. Ever since
the night Joan Kent was murdered,
someone has been lUalking around
1oith keys to this 10hole house"
That explains why the books
are missing" Mr.. Kinball said in
tired voice. It suppose if they
have been sold it wouldn't be hard
to trace them, would it?"
The Sergeant left right away,
promising to put man on trail of
the books Immediately. And, with
wan smile at me, Mr.. Kimball
followed him out of the room.
Shortly after they left, Mr.. Kim
ball called me to come downstairs.
There was a telephone call for me
in the shop. It was Dirck and his
voice was so low and guarded that
l could barely catch the words.
However / gathered that was to
meet him at noon on the southeast
corner of Fifth Avenue and Eighth
Street. was to dress warmly and
wear galoshes.
"You are all right" he asked
anxiously, after giving me the di-
rections.
"Of course" I said.
as Patrick around?" he asked
surprisingly.
II haven't seen him. ..
Cali right. Now listen to me,
Chris. Don't tell anyone 1Uhere
you are going, and keep an eye
out to see If you are follo1Ued"
After that I felt more uneasy
than before, and thinking that Mr..
Kimball might find such a one
sided conversation odd, for I'd said
very little to Dirck, I stayed in the
shop for few minutes to talk with
him and with Ishi. It was pretty
difficult to seem natural, for the
call had excited me tremendously.
Finally I left to go upstairs.
Within fifteen minutes / was bum
died to the ears in my fur coat, a
beret and a red wool scarf and was
leaving the house.
TraiIed
THERE wasn't anyone around.
L Norton wasn't stationed out
side of the front door today and
there were only few people on
the street, mostly women with
market baskets. wondered if the
Sergeant would bother to have
anyone follow me. 1t was grand to
be out of doors. The only fresh air
I'd had were the hurried trips out
to meals and Ne ride to Four
teenth Street when l hadn't had
time to breathe. And the day.
though it was gloomy and cold.
was invigorating.
After l passed the Knife and
Fork | turned back to look in a
shop window, and less than half a
block behind me | saw Ishi. He
hesitated when l stopped, crossed
the street and headed back to the
shop. When l saw his back turned
l slipped around the corner and
hailed a taxi.
At a little before noon l landed
at Fifth Avenue and Eighth Street.
but Dirck's long yellow roadster
was already parked near the cor
ner.
The less said about the first leg
of that drive, the better. Dirck
tucked me in the car, heavy blan-
ket around my knees, and headed
up Fifth Avenue without a word.
His attention seemed to be entire
ly on the driving, except for q
preoccupied frown that showed he
had something more important
than the car and me on his mind.
1t was noon when we started and
the little sun there'd been during
the morning had disappeared be-
hind heavy clouds. New York lay
in an oppreSsively somber mist.
And Dirck's continued silence
didn't make me feel any too cheer
full. We drove block after block,
finally turning right on Fifty-sev-
enth Street, and l was one large
question mark in regard to where
we were going.
When we stopped for a red light
at Second Avenue I said in a ten
tative voice, "Ishi was following
me when | left the house. When
/ turned around and saw him he
went back towards the shop"
Dirck whistled softly, then
laughed. IT think Ishi is playing
detective" he said. HE waylays
me every time see him, to find
out more of my methods"
HE couldn't leave the shop just
because he felt like playing hide
and go seek" I said little shortly.
Qirck grinned at that. ''Nobody's
going to put anything over on you,
are they, lady?"-
I'm not too bright" I snapped,
"but / do know when I'm being put
off,"
He swung the car onto the upper
level of the Greensboro bridge be-
fore he spoke again. ''Mr. Kimball
is keeping an eye on everyone in
the house" he said. "Long instruct
ed him to. After all, he can't force
you people to stay indoors all of
the time. A couple of people are or
were being watched carefully, but
don't believe the Sergeant is wor-
rying about YOU"
Hes not suspicious of murder"
I told him, 'but of my morals.
Mrs. Evans told him that you spent
the night in my room."
He chuckled.
Then / remembered the list of
questions. ''Dirck, someone wrote
on my list of questions again while
we were out to breakfast"