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

Typ" Lieutenant Gregory bore
down.
This time it was Kirk who
broke lance for Claire, and /
thought Lieutenant Gregory was
going to try to break him in two
with his bare hands right there.
But he restrained himself and in
answer to Kinks hot-headed in
reference as to why the question
should be asked, Lieutenant Greg
DRY patiently reminded him that
we had had two murders in less
than twenty-four hours. "The sit
uation warrants a little discom-
fort for the guests, if necessary in
clearing things up" he added sar-
castically. Turning again to Claire,
he asked, Miss Harper, do you
mind telling us the nature of your
call on Mrs. Benedict?"
Eyes, do mind very much"
Claire admitted, "but / suppose /
must. Mr.. Dunbar and I" and
she paused to seek courage in a
glance toward Bob-"had just an
nounced our engagement to be
married. Mrs. Benedict had been
interested in Mr.. Dunbar for
some"
Mrs. Benedict is unmarried
them"
"She is divorced" Claire ex-
planned. "She disapproved of our
engagement and - was most in
sulting at lunch today"
"Yes?" 81
81 went to see her to tell her -"
Claire's voice trailed off into ST.
lence.
"To tell her what?" Lieutenant
Gregory barked, and was not so
certain now that he believed in
Claire's innocence. Beauty in dis
tress might sway him as any NOR
tai man, but murder was murder.
And, as he. had so apply expressed
it, we had had two murders in
less than twenty-four hours.
Explanation
CLAIRE gazed around the room
~ helplessly and her face, which
had been so white, was now dyed
crimson. II wanted to tell Eve
her voice sank to a throaty whis-
per-"to keep hands Off"
"And what did she say?"
Don't answer that, Claire"
Kirk cried out quickly.
Claire gave him a little smile
of gratitude, while Lieutenant
Gregory turned on him furiously.
"Mr. Pierce, / must ask you to
keep out of this or I shall have to
place you under arrest"
"But, Officer" Mr.. Marshall in
terposed reasonably, miss Har-
per has her legal rights. Without
advice of counsel. she is not COM
PEELED to answer questions which
afterward might be used against
her"
ats all right" said Claire
weakly. "Fve already told you
what happened. knocked on the
door, then called out to ask if !
might come in. When | got no an
swer I opened the door, thinking
Eve was in the bathroom. And
there she was" Claire shut her
eyes again and the long dark
lashes lay quivering on her
cheeks What meant to do when
/ removed the dart and saw that
she was dead was to go down.
stairs and tell somebody"
But you did not?"
mo. I've told you. Alice came
in and-got excited"
"When you asked Mrs. Benedict
who had stabbed her. why did
you think she had been murder
ed? Why didn't you think of sui
cider"
Claire's eyes widened and she
shook her head. at just wouldn't
occur to anyone who knew her."
she said.
Explain that remark. please"
"But-but--"
Lieutenant" asked Bill, and
Lieutenant Gregory turned to-
ward him impatiently. may /
speak for Miss Harper? What she
means is that Mrs. Benedict was
not very popular. She had an III.
fortunate gift for sarcasm and en-
equally unfortunate desire to put
people in their places. think she
rather enjoyed stirring up trouble
/ at times"
"She had a knack for making
enemies?" the officer suggested.
Something like that" Bin
agreed.
But she wasn't like that all the
time" / somehow felt called upon
to say, suppose in justice to the
dead. Sometimes she could be
quite generous and agreeable. !
think"-T floundered-''that per-
haps she had an inferiority COM
! pick. She seemed to want things
just because someone else wanted
them--just to show that she could
have them. suppose"
| happened 10 glance at Mr..
Dodson. who had spoken no word
since the questioning began. He
was nodding his head. 81 rather
think Mrs. Stuart Is right" he
said.
But" Bill went on. naturally
when she went around stepping
ON peoples toes. they were not
going to sit down and try to fig-
ure all this out and feel sorry for
/ her"
"And this time Lieutenant
Gregory concluded. she stepped
too hard on somebody's toes7E
"Oh. I don't know about that
bahbled. Perhaps il was just an
accumulation Of things. Perhaps il
was suicide Or maybe she knew
| too much. She told me this morn
| ing that she thought she knew
who killed Aunt Maggie"
/ Trying 20 cover Up On any In
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