The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-01
Chapter "a
BiOod-Stains

TT also struck me as a little
strange that we were not dis
cussing the murder. Then / real
lied that perhaps this was be-
cause we all felt that Alice was
guilty. But what had Alice meant
when she said to Bob. "She had
the dart in her hand when / came
In the room?"
Did she mean that Claire or
Eve had it?
It was a question ! would have
70 wait for Lieutenant Gregory
to ask.
Bill came in, pulled up the
equity stool and sat down between
Kirk and me. "They are certainly
turning everything upside down"
he said. Searching the servants
quarters, even looking in the au-
tomobile trunks. Must think the
murderer is a contortionist. | got
to the kitchen just in time to see
Roberts having a fit because
Bessie couldn't produce the
fugitive when she opened the
silver storage closet for him.
From the look in her eye | think
she was pretty well tempted to
lock him in there He kept on
asking if there were any old
wells about Probably be going
down the coal chute next"
"Oh," said Alice, suddenly
Strengthening up and looking
around at us with a sort of
drowned expression. "Do you sup
pose that's where Plutarch is? |
could hear him when was In
the basement, but / couldn't find
him. At least / thought I heard
him. Perhaps he was out of
doors"
The crying hadn't helped
Alce's looks and her lipstick was
all smeared giving her mouth a
grotesque twist to one side.
Here" I said, digging into my
pocket for a handkerchief. "let
me fix your lipstick-"
"pll get a towel" Bob offered,
rising to his feet.
you'll find Llenty in the
powder ROOM" told him.
For we could see-we could all
see-that it was not lipstick, but
dried blood. on Alice's cheek.
Claire glanced away quickly. and
q moment later | saw her take a
surreptitious look at the palms
~ hn~ hnvJ 4bar cf1ro hay. en-
gers into tight fists in her lap.
As my eyes met those of Mr..
Marshall, I knew that he also had
seen that strange gesture of
Claire's.
Who else might have been
looking. I did not know.
Bob was back now. bathing
Alice's face with a wet towel.
"Tll bring you some powder"
! told Alice. "Claire. wouldn't you
like some powder, too?"
"Yes," she answered, not look
Ing at me, and we went out of
the room together.
"I'll wait until you've finished"
Itold her at the door of the pow
der room. ''Then I'll repair my
own damages. It's such cubby-
hole"
II knew now what Alice meant
when she said. "She had the dart
In her hand"
SURPRISING Evidence
WENT back TO the library and
4 gathered up the towel Alice
had used and when Claire
emerged from the powder room
took that towel, too. and de-
livered them both to Bessie with
instructions to hide them in the
silver clnset.
Since that room had already
heen searched. it seemed a safe
place, and I had read too much
about blood stains on towels TO
leave them lying around where
the police might find them.
Bessie took the towels withous
word and padded off. Why
should be trying to suppress pos
sible evidence / did not know and
Bessie did not ask, but we under
stood each other. And. of course,
II IL came TO a question of estab-
fishing Bills innocence, / could
always produce them.
When l returned to the library
again, feeling almost as guilty as
though ! had just disposed Of the
corpus deficit, il gave me quite a
start to find Lieutenant Gregory
waiting. Mr.. Marshall, il seems,
had persuaded him to conduct his
inquiry in the more cheerful sur
roundings Of the library, and
Roberts had already seated him-
self at the reading table and was
hdgetfng with notebook and per.
Alice, still concerned about
Plutarch. was insisting that the
coal chute be more thoroughly in
vestigated and everything had TO
be delayed until Andrew could
be summoned and told to make
q search.
"All | got to say is he sho'
won't be no white cat if that's
where he's at" Andrew numbled
as he went his reluctant way.
Lieutenant Gregory, who had
been bearing things as patiently
as possible. took his seat at the
reading table. Can anyone tell
me whose property this is9" he
asked, helding up a mans hand
kerchief for inspection. SIT has a
p in one corner" he announced
as we all Strengthened I'D and
stared at the square OF white
linen.
at looks like one OF mine" said
Kirk. as be rose and went over
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