The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-18
Chapter 40
The Reason


WHEN ] opened my eyes again,
w was lying on the library
sofa and there was a burning in
my throat and a warmth in my
stomach as of brandy. Claire was
stroking my wrists, while Bessie
lowered just within range of my
rather blurred vision.
Bill" / whispered. "Oh, Bill"
He tole me to let him know,
just as soon as she come round,
said Bessie, padding out of the
room.
But I want to see him." I ar
gued, trying to sit up, while Claire
gently pushed me back. "I'm all
right. can CO."
mo, no." said Claire. "You
mustn't 60 out there. It's too aw-
full"
did they get a doctor?"
Eyes, you know Mr.. Marshall
had insisted on having DR.. Bates
come out to check up about
Thomas's son. So he was already
here. We let him look at you first.
You had us all scared, with that
shooting and everything But he
said you'd be all right when your
face was washed. 1t was so dirty"
/ realized Claire was trying to
divert me from the main subject,
for her eyes dropped beneath my
scrutiny and the long dark lashes
swept her flushed cheeks. Though
she was fairly calm now, ! knew
she had been crying. "Pve seen
him." she admitted. "He-talked
to me-"
Then he isn't dead?"
mo, but the doctor says there
isn't a chance. That's why they
are letting him talk now. while
they wait for the ambulance"
"Oh. And Mr.. Brannen?"
"Still unconscious, but the doc
tor said he would be all right"
1t was perhaps half an hour
later that Bill and the others came
in. Andrew was serving coffee
again, but Lieutenant Gregory
stopped only briefly to pay his re-
spects.
The ambulance had arrived and
taken Bob to Grady Hospital.
Alice, following in the car with
Mr.. Marshall, DR.. Dodson and Plu-
tarch, would go later to the home
of an aunt. The police were de-
livering Mr. Brannen to his own
Preside and the ransom money
would be held as evidence. Bob
had given them the coordination
OF the safe.
Bob in a Trap
A TEAR that was even hotter
Athan the coffee dropped into my
cup. "Just like Bob" gulped,
"to smuggle that comforter down
TO Mr.. Brannen. can't think he
meant to do anything wrong"
He just got into such a corner"
Bill agreed. "You know he never
could say no to anyone. And all
that gambling with Eve. Big Shot
Anderson had a lot of his checks
that were no good, and one day
when Bob was pretty drunk he
gave Big Shot a note, with Mr..
Brannen's name forged as en-
dorser.
big Shot, 1t seems. doubted
the endorsement, and when he
threatened to call Mr.. Brannen
Bob confessed, Then Big Shot had
him. 1t must have been about that
time that one of Big Shots men
got into some kind of trouble. At
terward, it seems Bob happened
to mention to Big Shot that the
secret room would have been a
good place to have had this
henchman disappear to until the
storm blew over.
Bob thinks that was how the
idea of the kidnapping was born.
He wasn't to do any of the dirty
work, you know. Mr.. Brannen
wasn't to be harmed. And Bob
would get his note back and a
little stake besides.
81 think" Bill pauSed-"in all
Justice, Bob must have been pretty
well shot last night when he--met
Aunt Maggie. didn't think about
his drinking so much until ! hap.
pened to notice the vanishing
liquor supply this morning"
But" | asked. "how did Bob
know about the secret room?"
HE told US while he was giving
Gregory his confession. You know
he came out here with me several
times while we were planning the
game room and other changes.
Nobody but an architect would
have guessed 1t. Bob says he