The Wilmington morning star., 1940-06-04

I could think OF no bettef place
to hide the box I had stolen from
Belzer than under the bed. No
matter where else I put it, I could
think of a dozen reasons why he
might want to look there.
I tried to look calm when 1
opened the door for him.
Hi, Butch" he greeted me Jo-
vially. Nice of you to invite me
over. I thought this afternoon that
we were enemies for life"
Il didn't invite you over l re-
minded him coldly. I was feeling a
I was feeling a little uneasy. How
ever I couldn't stay angry at him.
l was going to feel ashamed of my
self if he found that box, even
though I felt that he, too, had taken
it without permission-Wlthout Jer-
rvs permission.
Belzer dropped into my best
chair. AS usual, he neglected to re-
move his hat. He ~carelessly lighted
a cigaret, held the match nicer
tainlv a moment, then dropped 1t
on the floor. Now, what's this
new angle you've uncovered on
Markham's murder?" he asked.
If 1 tell you, how do l know you
won't use it, and the knife story,
too"
He looked hurt. 1--WE told you,
Butch. I'll use one or the other.
And if your new dope is any good
Ill probably use it, because I've
got the knife story sewed up. No
one else knows anything about it.
l couldn't help wondering what
he'd do if he knew how wrong he
was. but l said. Il cant tell you
who killed Alfred Markham, but
do know that there was a drug ad-
dict or a dope peddler somewhere
in the background
Belzer sat up. ''W-what? Go on
Tony Pappini is an addict" I
told him. He was taken to a hos
pital tonight. 1 searched his room
at the Rio Vista club and in a
pocket of his clothes l found this"
I held out the small piece of paper
with the number 1872 written On
Belzer studied the paper and
frowned. Il don't get it," he said.
"A card with that same number
was found in the pocket of Mark
ham after he was killed." I re-
minded him.
Belzer pulled a notebook from
his pocket and thu1nbed through
it. He found the notes he had tax
en- at the inquest. BY golly, you're
right"
Tony Pappini's supply of dope
had been cut off," l continued. cal
fred was interested in helping dope
addicts. He often told me he
wished he could put his money into
a hospital"
Belzer snapped his fingers.
That's it Markham interfered
with the guy who was supplying
Tony, and was bumped off"
But Tony didn't do it," I said
hastily. you remember that Tony
was sitting in the kitchen with
Agatha, one of the maids, all the
time Markham was in the garden
That's right"
I handed Belzer the note of
warning that had been left in the
fuse box at the Rio Vista club.
"Read this"
He scanned it, and whistled.
"Who wrote it,"
THE same man who kidnapped
me. He was in Tony Pappini's
room tonight"
Then he's the guy we want
l held up a hand. "Wait a min
ute. He knows something about
Tony's secret. And you remember
that it was his note to that poor
boy-Tony's helper-t h a t caused
the boy to commit suicide. He was
a dope addict, too. But my kid
naper is not the killer of Alfred
Markham"
IO! WHY llOl.
because he attacked me a full
hour after Alfred's death. No MUIR
derer would stay at the scene of
his crime for an hour-not when
he had a boat handy in which to
get away"
MAYBE he hoped to find the dia-
monds Markham was carrying"
But the body was taken away
at least a half hour before"
Belzer rubbed his chin. That's
right. Why in hell do you think UP
all these answers and then knock
them to pieces?"
"You shouldn't object" I told
him. "Your story will last longer"
you've got something there.
And I'll have to admit I've already
figured out why that big guy was
waiting in the garden-and it's got
nothing to do with murder. He was
a bootlegger.",
. "Bootlegger?"
"Sure. They didn't go out with
repeal. There's plenty of bootleg
gers in the business now, selling
bad liquor cheap by not paying
taxes. That's where the Rio Vista
club has been getting its drinks,
and that's how st. Clair, president
of the club, has been making a lit
tie extra money on the side"
"You don't mean st. Glars
mixed up in it,"
"Only as a customer. Remember
how he was fustered by the cor
oner's questions about the drinks
nA-.A - 4lA al.,lO paAa.-I-