The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-02
SN1UPIOA 90
Denial

WE sat in a sort of frozen 81
w lence. Then Alice said. "Yes,
that's what she said. Can you
blame me for screaming when /
saw Eve all covered with blood
and Claire started toward me
with that horrible dart in her
hand?"
Il had no intention of hurting
you, Alice" said Claire. her voice
edged with contempt. II just
wanted to stop your Mysteries, if
possible"
But the DART" interposed Lieu
tenant Gregory. ut was lying on
the floor when we came upstairs"
''It fell" Alice explained. 81
tried to take it away from her
and it fell"
Miss Harper" said Lieutenant
/ Gregory, leaning toward Claire in
that way I had learned to dread,
suppose you tell us exactly what
happened from the time you first
went to Mrs. Benedict's ROOM"
"You don't have to 60 through
this, Claire" Kirk Interrupted
savagely. "Just refuse to answer"
! Claire gave him a curious look,
then her gaze shifted to Lieuten-
ant Gregory and under his prob
ing stare her face went white and
her hands flew to her throat.
"Oh," she gasped, "you think /
killed her. But | didn't"
drew a long, choking sigh of
relief. In fact, there was an au-
dible lessening of tension in the
room. 1t was like a scene in the
! theatre, actually. where everyone
has been sitting on the edge of
his seat and then suddenly the
play is over and the lights go on
and you realize it was all just
make-believe.
| Only, in this instance it was not
play. l may have imagined it,
but it seemed to me that even
Lieutenant Gregory seemed a
little relieved at Claire's Mortified
denial. Certainly his voice had lost
a shade of its gruffness when he
I said, But the dart? How did you
! happen to have it in your hand?"
Don't - don't ask me that"
Claire shuddered.
But Miss Harper, you must re-
member, we are trying to clear
up a murder"
II know know. But it is so
horrible"
"Can't we postpone this?' Bob
demanded angrily. Miss Harper
has just told you she didn't kill
Mrs. Benedict Isn't that enough?"
Claire smiled at him wanly.
'It's all right" she said. "Pll try
not to be so silly" Claire's hands
pushed back her Titan hair: she
Shut her eyes, and long dark
lashes swept her cheek. Then
/ looking up at Lieutenant Gregory
in unconscious appeal, she said
simply, "When l thought Eve
failed to hear my knock, I pushed
open her door and went in" Again
Claire's hands flew to her throat.
"She wasn't quite dead"
| did she say anything?" Lieu
tenant Gregory demanded. strain
ing forward. And | think we all
held our breath, waiting for
Claire's answer.
Slowly she shook her head.
''Not-not anything could un-
derstand. But her eyes - they
seemed to be begging me to do
something. | saw the dart-and
the blood | knew she wanted me
to-remove the. dart. At first |
thought / could no bear to touch
it. but / knew / must"
"She didn't say anything?"
Lieutenant Gregory asked again.
Death Intervenes
MO, she didn't say anything.
~ asked her who did it, ! said,
Who, Eve, who?' But she could
not speak; and as ! stood there
with the dart in my hand. there
was a strange, gurgling sound in
/ her throat and her head slipped
! to one side and ] knew she must
be dead.
at was horrible" Claire shud-
dered. Il knew ! should be sorry
( for anyone who was so hated that
/ she had been murdered. But
I couldn't be. Not just then, any
way. And / thought that at least
/ she would never bother me again
That - that was when | said -
what ! did. Then ! heard a sound
which / thought came from the
bathroom, and ! was terribly
frightened. for ! was sure il must
be the murderer. I didn't know
what 10 do. Then I realized Alice
was in the room and | knew
must have been mistaken abou;
hearing anyone in the bathroom. >
please tell US how you were
standing when Miss Dunbar came
in the room. Could you see both
the bath and the hall doors7"
Il couldn't see either. Bats--as
though she suddenly realized
where his question might lead
81 am sure Alice came in from
the hall. That door was was
much nearer. Besides. il was open
when ! turned around and saw
Alice. and l had pushed /; shu;
before | saw Eve on the chaise
Tongue"
what was the purpose Of your
call on Mrs. Benedict"
y just wanted to speak 10 her.
~You were just dropping in for
q Nttie-Social chat?"
TeS-no--that is, rot exactly.
! dug my nails into Bills hand
until he WINGED and gave me an
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