The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-08
Chapter 40
Alice Escapes

T LOOKED at Andrew question
L ingly, but his eyes were po-
litely noncomnital. IF you will
excuse me-" / shouted to Mrs.
Warren, "some trouble in the
kitchen"
"She's gone, Miss Sally" An
drew burst forth in a sibilant
whisper the moment we were
outside the door.
who's gomez"
Miss Alice. see her slip out
the back door with her coat and
hat on. l think she just gone for
a walk. But it amt safe with all
what's goin' on, so keep my eye
out and / see her run over to Mr..
Bob's car and get in and start it
up. Next thing | know, she off
like a shot out gun"
ooh, dear" l said, staring at
Andrew stupidity. Harassed by
Mrs. Warren. had not even
missed Alice.
s eff you tell them policies, they
sho' will bring her back" he re-
minded me. Right or wrong, An
Z drew could not find it in his heart
to take sides with the police.
ANDREW" l asked, "do you
know anything about this second
murder? Miss Alice. -"
Nom, Miss Sally. I amt had
no time to be upstairs since
lunch. Sides. / was feeling too
bad bout what them policies made
me tell"
Gall right. Don't say anything
to anybody about Miss Alice un-
til I've had a moment to think. :"
Should | 60 to Bob or to the
police? AS / stood there. it seemed
to me there was only one thing
could do. Diminishing Andrew and
walking across the hall as calmly
as / could. lest eyes be watching.
paused for a moment outside
the library door.
Should I knock? No, that would
mean going through preliminaries
which would consume more time.
And Alice was racing along that
darkening road toward town or
toward ablivion. Her driving had
always been VIGOROUSLY bad. She
might wreck herself at any mo-
ment. That big tree at the turn
II Alice were gUilty-or even
if she only knew something-and
her car was wrecked by accident
or design. where would the rest
of us be?
All this went through my mind
like lightning, actually in the
small space of time between
grasping the silver handle of the
library door and turning it.
Excuse me-" / said. leaning
against the door as closed it be-
hind me, breathless as runner
caught up in midsprint but Alice
Miss Dunbar - has gone. |
though you would want to
know"
Lieutenant Gregory, already on
his feet, went into action like a
machine gun, issuing orders in all
directions even before / could
answer the questions he asked.
How did she get away? Go after
her, Anderson. What sort of car
is it, Mrs. Stuart? Maroon sedan.
What color is that? Brownish-red,
Anderson. You wouldn't know the
license number. would you, Mrs.
Stuart? All right, Anderson if you
don't catch her before she reaches
the highway. pick up the number
when it is broadcast. Roberts. tell
headquarters to get the number
and have county and state troop
ers look out for the car"
Bob would know the number"
suggested Bill. COR he would have
his ownership certificate"
Never mind" Lieutenant Greg
DRY waved him aside. II want An
derson to be on the way before
we have any relatives messing up
things"
Threat
of course, Bob went into tail
" spin when he heard the news.
IT'S all this damned third de-
gree" he stormed. MY sister isn't
able to stand it. You've scared her
out of her senses and she'll prob
ably wreck the car and be killed.
II anything like that happens
he glared at Lieutenant Gregory
fnr a Yn0p1eut then finished in a