The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-05-06
SYNOPSIS


Syria Verne, de luxe model, was
the victim of a fatal bullet fred as
she answered the telephone in her
penthouse apartment to which she
returned soon after midnight fol-
lowing a quarrel with Pierre Stur-
gis, art photographer. Argus Steele,
author and erstwhile detective. IL
reconstrueting the events of the
evening before. He and his friend,
Ellen Curtis, a model, were in the
swank Penguin Club. During q
brief absence of Ellen, Syria en-
tered and was greeted by Argus as
an old friend, the one-time Lucy
Callahan who sang in the fearsome
Dancer Martinelli's cafe. She an
nounced that she had signed Hol-
lywood contract recently. Soon
they were joined by Ellen and
Pierre Sturgis. As Syria and Pierre
were about to leave, the former
asked Argus to phone her, adding
in a whisper: II may need your
help" Ellen told Argus that she
had overheard "a sallow looking
little man" threaten Syria outside
the Pierre Sturgis studio. Prom
the bar came Bill Carstairs, III,
plsyboy, who introduced his cur
rent blonde, Dorry. Later in the
ladies' room, Ellen found Dorry
in tears because Bill "is phoning
that awful Syria Verne again"
When Dorry dropped her opened
purse, Ellen was shocked to see q
snub-nosed revolver In it. Leaving
Dorry in the care of an attendant,
Ellen rejoined Argus, related what
she saw, and they left the Penguin
Next morning. Ellen phoned Argus
the news of Syria's murder and
asked him to meet her at Roger
Flagg's model agency. Police In
speetor Grange calls and Is now
discussing the crime with Argus.
CHAPTER SIX
Grange squinted at Argus specu-
latively.
WELL" he began, "at nine this
uOI ulIlk VIC XVI Nhii AAOih Wv
superintendent Of the building
where Lucy-Syria, lived and he
tells US there's been a murder. So
we go up to investigate.
"How did the superintendent
know? Did he hear a shot?"
mo. 1t seems that no one heard
the shot. But Syria worked for q
model-agent named Roger Flagg
and this morning she didn't turn up
for an early appointment. He had
his secretary call her. The line was
busy and finally the operator re.
ported that the line must be out Of
order. You see, Steele, the phone
was off the hook, lying near the
body. Well, they finally called the
superintendent and told him TO &c
upstairs and tell Miss Verne TO gel
in touch with the Office immediate
". The man knocked and there
wasn't any answer, so he opened
the door with a passkey and founC
the body, then he called the police.
Grange paused.
"Did you find the gun 7"
-Nope. No fngerprints neither
"What time was she murdered ?
"As near as the doc can figure il
must'a been around midnight. Find
ing the telephone of the hook thai
way makes IL look like she might
have been tryin' TO get help wher
she was shot," Grange said. "Sht
still had her hat and coat on like
she just come in"
"Did it look as IL the place hac
been broken into7 :"
That's a funny thing too. The
windows were all locked from the
inside and, according 70 the super
intendent, so was the front door
She had some money in her bag and
big diamond ring on her finger"
He settled back in his chair. $50
1t wasn't robbery"
Ibid she have a maidf"
"Yes She was in the chips all
right. Tie maid came in while we
were there. She said she worked