Evening star., 1951-05-11
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

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carefully went through her entire
story with Wilson, telling him
I everything. leaving out nothing.
She told him of the diary. the pad,
the pictures of her in Nina's room,
of her call on Jeremy. of the bull
let through the back window OF
Bills car.
She told him that the lipstick
stain on the glass in Mickey's
apartment was hers. left there the
day before. Then she told him
that Mickey had gone to Chicago
to try and find motive some-
where in Jeremy's past. AS she
talked the police stenographer
took everything down.
When she finished Wilson looked
at her soberly, his gray eyes
anxious. You've been a very
foolish girl, Miss Lynn" he said.
mo matter what the reason, peo-
pie who consider themselves
smarter and more capable than
the police only jeopardize them
selves and their own lives"
"I know that now" she assured
him earnestly. Believe me, I'll
never be such a fool again"
Then he said, with emphasis.
"The killer is still among us. Miss
Lynn. I'll tell you frankly that
we do not know who it is. But he
or she-has killed twice, and
tried two other times. The killer
may believe that you suspect his
identity. He may try again to
kill you.
He may be one of those people
In that outer room, waiting for
you. You must be careful at all
times. You must never go out
alone, or leave your doors un-
locked. I will post a detective out
side your apartment. That's all I
can do, unless you wish to stay
here"
Tania smiled wanly. 81 want to
60 home, please. I'll be very care
full. I promise!"
AS he took her 10 the door he
said as a last warning, Don't
trust any one, Miss Lynn. Not
any one. Your life depends on It'll"
In an outer room at police
headquarters, where her friends
waited for her, Tania saw Bill
standing in a corner talking to
Gloria Gray. She was smiling up
at him, touching his arm as she
talked, using every feminine vile
in the book to focus his attention
on her.
And Bill was focusing as if he
enjoyed it.
In silent protest Tania's heart
cried. "Oh, no. Bill. Not Gloria!
I love you and now you know I'm
not Nina! Please come to me,
Bill. Please love mel"
In a voice she tried to make
steady. she said. Thanks. every
body. for coming here and help
ing me. I'm glad that horrible
masquerade is over. Come and
see me as soon as I get some rest.
will you? And hope we'll do
another show together soon"
Bill was watching her now, his
eyes cool and unreadable. She
said, Bill, have you time to drive
me home?"
"Of course. Miss Lynn" he said
formally.
And then they were out on the
street, in the brisk November
morning, saying good-by. Bill
took her to his parked car and
opened the door for her. A minute
later he was heading for the East
River drive and her apartment
house in the east Sixties. With a
deep sigh of exhaustion she
learned back against the cushions.
I'm so glad it's over, Bill" she
murmured. "It was awful, your
thinking I was Nina, hating me,
calling me all those horrid names.
II hope we can begin again, the
right way. I'm so grateful to you
for all you did for me, even when
you thought I was Nina.
I'm sorry I had to deceive you.
A dozen times I started to tell you
I wasn't Nina, but I didn't dare.
was afraid you'd insist I go to
the police, and Mickey didn't want
me to. He hoped. if I pretended
to be Nina. we might find out who
had tried Toto kill me. I realize
now it was foolish thing to do.
What I did. I did for Nina
Hardwicke, Miss Lynn" he said
curtly. Lets get that straight.
Tania Lynn lis a famous dancer
with brilliant career ahead of
her. She has no business associ-
ating with poor clunk of a sports
writer. She doesn't belong to his
world, nor he to her world.
"You are a stranger to me, a
girl I only met this morning. When
I drop you at your door, that is
the end of our acquaintanceship,
unles, someday, you wish to send
me an autographed picture"
Tears burned her eyelids and
rolled helplessly down her pale
face. His reaction was totally un-
expected. She had thought he
would be happy to learn she was
Tania. She had expected the
revelation to open the door to
love.
Instead it had shut the door
very firmly in her face. "Oh, Bill, I"
she whispered. How can you talk
to me like that? Don't you re-
member what we've been through
together? Didn't your kisses mean
anything at alp"
II kissed Nina, not you," he
said, his voice harsh. Then he