Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-07


crime But that seemed the most
logical eXpla lion of their
strange behavior. -
the only reason for the
behavior of this fantastic taxi
driver with the crooked mouth
who, If he really existed, must
have some very powerful reason
for logging the girls in re-
Venge
What eetiid that reason be?
Obviously that taxi driver must,
in some crucial way have been
involved in Norma's former
crime Was he the onl menace?
Who were the other pople whom
Normas act had hurt" =? Norma
had called her fiance Oliver. An
Oliver had been mentioned in
Lihby's letter. Was he the same
man? And Toni. What OF him
or her?
-TheIe-Mere- endless -unaHsWeF-
able questions floating around in
my mind But primarily / felt
"A sense Of urgency. If the dan
ger for Norma Hale were real, il
looked immediate Somehow il
had 10 be neutralized
Even though il was none OF
my business. / could not stand
idly by when girls life was be
ing threatened
L thought of calling my old
friend Inspector Cobb of the
Grovestown police. But Norma
Hale had made il very plain that
| wasn't TO break her confidence
particularly not to the police. {.
My hands were tied
I slipped the letter and wallet
into my pocket, just as Dawn
appeared
IT was the ono who's going 10
be married wasn't ii ?" She
looked at me hopefully. Did she
invite ~ 20 the wedding %
No I said And then be
eaHse an idea came. added
Maybe she will though If we 90
=e.s=t=s=;tftfii ffTeTI7 s.-
THAT seemed the most advis-
able step 10 take next AS a
good neiChbor. ! should have
called on the Rowleys anyway.
Now. under cover of a social visit
with my daughter, ! would be
able to return Norma wallet 10
her | might even get chance
10 see her and try 10 persuade
her 10 leIme turn the whole af-
fair over 10 Inspector Cobb
Tire suggestion net with nay
daughters urgent approval "Oh
goody Rebecca's just come by
Fallowfleld and she says they're
al out there lighting Christmas
rTcCg on The drive With little red
and gold lights Lots go quick"
And We did. setting out into
the snowy December darkness
with Hamish prancing ahsad.
Fallowfeld, though the house
nearest. 20 mine, is half mile
away. The sky was overcast and
starlcss and the darkness was
punctuated only by the small
beam Of Dawn's flashlight We
had been having mild spell and
as we trudged on through the
slush l could not keep Libby
Brompton's fear-tortured letter
out Of my mind At every step
/ half expected TO see once again
that ghostly yellow taxi creeping
-thrnHgh-the darkness toward Us.
But we saw nothing until the
lights of Falowfield came into
view squares of yellow windows
and in front sparkling, illumin-
ated trees,
Gee" exclaimed Dawn a.d
started running ahead with Ha-
mish | followed at more sober
pace When | reached the en-
trance 10 the long straight drive
which led to the house. my
daughter was already talking 70
two women ar the edge of the
drive close 10 one Of the gay
Christmas trimmed spruces AS
I came mp one of them moved
toward me. holding out her hand
You're Doctor Westlake
aren't you? Your daughters in
PRODUCED herself How kind Of
YOU 10 come and sec us" She
laughed a warm. easy laugh I'm
Persis Rowley" She drew me
toward the other woman. Grace.
this is our neighbor. Or. West
lake My sister, Mrs. Salter
She and the Judge are spending
Christmas with us
Mrs Salter did not hold out
her hand she merely bowed
rather frgidly.
could COO tho t,t-O ,t.o,,,.,,,