The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-12-19
Chapter 81
A Talk With Clint

WRENCHED myself free and
and reached out for the light.
Ny hand met nothing but black
emptiness.
HeIlol Anybody down there,p
Its Haila. Clint, and Alice
As soon az / ina nv damn
ngnfer =. here il ISIS say the
fare Of his lighter Ike a NINA
fare torch nigh above me. ssTr
coming down.
I'll be glad to see you.
! wondered where he he ri
popped from and inmcc istelv re-
memhered that a COP oDenea
from MS Offices onto the balcony.
lac halne disappeared as he start
cd down the steps and vas there
again as he reached the orchestra.
he CROPPED his way down the CEN
ter aisle, shielding the fickering
lighter with his hands Hel
climbed M On the stage.
y thought Alice was here"
She IS. But ! couldn't find her.
Maybe she's afraid Of the dark
she might have gone out"
think she's afraid of herself
WHAT'S wrong with the iights7"
They're out IN nv Office too
And the street lights are OUT. That
happens sometimes during an
afternoon storm. Every light IN
town burning at once, the strain
Is TOO great Hey, Nick" he
shouted.
There was a startled grunt as
MEX awakened in his cEbicIe and
shuited u Clint sent him out for
a hashlight. then said 10 me
Where's Je1f29a
Ee's due at three" tI
4 khews-he called me this
morning" urTW4W
res getting hot, Clint, or
thl1ksrh IS. he thinks he knows
@noWs2 Knows who.
yes. He knows VINO the muir
deref IS AAi.t H1s
There was a long pause and
when Clint spoke again his voice
was grave and quiet. Il hope to
God ne does. / want TO get this
whole mess over with. You know.
haila, that child'S face IS haunting
me. A kid ike Carol living with
that thing over her head. a kid
VINO never bothered anyone. God
l see those big frightened eyes
every place look. And her brav-
cry makes i all the worse. II
she'd break down -. If she'd. n
/ said, Carol can take care of
herself. Clint"
He didn't seem TO hear me. 81
tel myself that its none OF nv
dong, that all did was give her
q break that a thousand other
girls would give their right hands
for, a chance to be an actress. Yes.
that's the way doctor il up for
myself. I gave the poor kid a
break al right. A chance 10 be
murdered, to live IN fear and ter
ror, a chance to spread herself all
over the front pages in a grue-
some raEraer case. If she should
be.
The bitterness and seif-reproach
IN his voice were beating az ne
In the quick fame Of his cigarette
as be drew on it / could see his
face, the sad tight lines around
his mo1th, the burrows between
his ewes. / couldn't stand II.
Clint ] said, there's no rea-
sen Tor you to reproaeh yourself.
Nothing going TO happen tc
Carol Nothing was ever meant 10
happen 10 her. She II was Eve.
Clint who was supposed 10 be-
killed The murderer meant Ia
stab Eve. not Carol The murderer
meant 70 poison Eve"
I could hear him catch his
breath. "Eyel mol God, ROT Wncl
would
yes. Clint" said gently.
his voice was shocked. almos.
breaking. ..No, no. Not Eve. The
poison Haiia, the poison was
PCT il Carols glass. Not ives"
Yes Yes, ! don't -" stopped.
Suspicion
II Eve was 70 Be the viefira, Their
4 the poisca T1usg have been
pleced IN her glass. That much
was certain. How had JEFF figured
II out last night2 Something
about Philip Ashley and bis fight
with I've, Did he mean Ashley
was e. murderer II Hes some
thing IT. f,ihiil1 y a saAa y Eve.
WhE Llan't yoll uuset the tahle7s
he I'D SD =, - lsrzxa f:az rahule
play Is - Il and 81 80 sla.-e
TO stfaH EaH asXe &c s1enae. YOU
have - rgie es'e< inN - tn
table fst.fe sssier.. Z .1i,.g n re
tablet Hh-n II M atllesl
the gaes I So h4s2 clssngea
Clint. 7 said. Gin. that pol
son was put in Ewes glassl And
she changed the glasSas herself.
There we're no flowers on The
table for her TO arrange and she
ad Ibbed business with the
glasses. And Carol got the one
that was meant for herl"
yes" he said slowly. "YeS.
"But the next night there was
no mistake. Oh. Clint, who could
have wanted 10 murder Ever Who
could have hated Eve? You must
know, Clint. you were her friend.
the only one who really knew
her. You've been so close to her
and SO loyal producing for
her when she was no longer
great, running yourself 10 keep