The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-03
Chapter SO
Irate Copper

Gregory did not Immediately
follow up the opening had given
when l mentioned my conversa-
ton with Eve. Instead of order
ing that / inform him forthwith
whether or not she definitely had
committed herself and the name
of the person involved. he gave
me long, speculative look. and
said, I'VE will go into that little
later" It seemed to me that every
body in the room appeared bit
debated by this anticlimax and
that Lieutenant Gregory derived
some hidden satisfaction from the
fact.
"Just now" he continued, 81
should like for Miss Dunbar to tell
me how she happened to go to
Mrs. Benedict's room. And before
we start / want TO say that unless
we can conduct this inquiry calm-
ly and without a lot of interrupt
ton it will be my duty to have the
lot OF you sent to the tower and
held on suspicion"
"The tower?" Kirk echoed I'm.
certainly. ofr ia*
"The county jail. the big rock" "
Bill explained.
"Right?" asked Lieutenant
Gregory.
We all sat there dumbly. This,
we had begun to realize, was no
ticket for traffic violation which
we could hand over to Uncle
Henry or to some other member
of the family who had Influence"
This was something we had to
take-or go to the tower.
"Now, Miss Dunbar" said Lieu
tenant Gregory, will you answer
my question:"
'What-what was it?" Alice
gulped.
why did you go to Mrs. Bene-
diets room?"
"Ohl Well, I went there for the
same reason Claire did. THAT is
well, you see Claire and my
brother are to be married. Eve
Benedict came out here unlimited
for the express purpose of break
ing their engagement. She was a
terrible person. She had no scru-
Piles and she appealed to the very
worst in a man. She had been
after my brother since before she
divorced her second husband"
What happened to her first
husband?" Lieutenant Gregory
asked. did she divorce him?"
'Not-until afterward. | mean
not until after he disappeared"
What do you mean. disap-
peared?"
'He just disappeared and no.
body knows what happened to
him, except"
"Stick to the facts. Miss Dun
bar"
well. was just thinking" said
Alice, and look of quickly yelled
craftiness came into her eyes,
shat he must have hated her ter
ribly. Do you think he might have
come back and killed her?"
The question seemed to be adj
dressed to no one in particular,
but / prayed Lieutenant Gregory
would hold Alice to his original
line of inquiry. With all that had
happened at Wisteria Hall | did
not feel that | could listen to two
recitals OF that ugly story in one
day.
"Do you have any reason to
think he might have come back.
Miss Dunbar" Evidently my
prayer was not to be answered.
Il do not believe this can pos
sibly have any connection with
Mrs. Benedict's DEATH" my hus-
band objected.
Lieutenant Gregory. immediate
ly suspicious, turned on Bill an
grily 1--WE were to conduct this
inquiry without interference" he
reminded.
sorry" Bill acknowledged.
MY. mistake"
Nov. Miss Dunbar"
Red Herring
WELL. you see," Alice began,
w and the spiteful CLEAN in her
eyes showed plainly how much
she enjoyed this opportunity to
give what she considered the low
down on Eve, cit all began with
her first honeymoon--Eve's. !
mean"
When the story was finished,
Lieutenant Gregory looked just a
little SheepiSh as he inquired the
whereabouts Of Ewes second huS-
band. No doubt, he guessed by
then that Alice had simply been
trying 20 divert suspicion from
herself.
Il suppose Frank Benedict is In
town." Alice told him casually.
MAKE a note TO get in touch
with Frank Benedict as soon as we
are through with this inquiry. ="
Roberts was told.
But" ! began, then stopped.
remembering Lieutenant Greg
ory's ediet.
"YesF" he asked.
Il was only going to say that /
don't see how he could have any,
thing TO do with Ewes death"
WAS she collecting alimony?"
oh, yes" Alice breathed
Loads Of IT,"
pretty good motive, anyway, I"
said the officer. Miss Dunbar,
when you went 10 Mrs, Benedict's
room. l gather that you meant 10
tell her TO keep of the grass"
Yes ! wanted to tell her to
leave my brother alone. She"
Don't Alice" Bob pleaded.
But IL is true" Aliee's voice
rose shrill and high. She would
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