| Show T Telegram Mystery Se Serial 1 J The Sunday Pigeon Murders S By Craig Rice Rico CHAPTER ONE ONEA ONEA ONEA A POLICE POLICE- ca car car- madly up A Central P Pink Park rk West and the pigeons at the foot of Bolivar Boli Boll v van var r hill hll rose roses in fn 8 a protesting ng arid and noisy cloud clou Sixty seconds seconds' later l tet they hey had calmed down and returned returned re- re turned and the small man in theIn the the- In inconspicuous gray suit sult went on feeding ceding them Bingo Riggs snapped a picture of ot a l large rge woman in A flowered print dress dress- while his p partner Handsome Kuzak presented her with a postcard a and d said See how you'd loo in tho the n m maam am am An action actton picture b of you h has s been taken taken- His voice stopped suddenly when wIlen the woman woman dropp dropped d the card and walked on out of earshot Want I should take the camera now flow Handsome asked d wistfully Bingo shook his head When they work worked d together ther though 1 Q gh Handsome Handsom w ws wis s. s the pro professional photographer of of- the pair he had the job of h handing o Out but t th the cards ards Twice vl e as as many women a accepted the cards from Handsome and re remembered re- re to to send them in iii with f for rUie the H 7 rE said gloomily I wish we had th the other camera Well Vell get it out of hock next week Bingo promised Behind him a womans woman's voice said Look El Elaine Ine this is the very spot that Mr Pigeon disappeared disappeared disappeared from seven years ago next Sunday Sunday- Bingo wh wheeled wheel d around fast snapped the camera and handed the wom woman 1 a card Get a real souvenir he said Your picture taken on the very spot Mr Pigeon disappeared from Three pictures later he hed 3 upped It to One of the great mysteries s of the age folks Seven years ago next next next- Say asked Bingo who the hell was Mr Pigeon anyway and what happened to him Handsome closed his eyes for a afew afew afew few seconds Aug 17 1934 It was wasa a a- Friday The story broke in tn the second edition Page three column two Bingo sighed and waited That was the W way wy iY Handsome's mind worked And Handsome never forgot forgot forta for for- I got ta taI a thing I for i WAS w working for the News then Handsome went on And Anc the next day Aug 18 I lost 30 bucks on a horse named J Sweet Marie arie and Mr Pigeons Pigeon's partner panther said he thought that Mr Pigeon had ad been It was in the middle of a heat wave I tried to get a picture of Mr Pigeons Pigeon's partner part ner ncr but he wouldn't let me in His name was name was Harkness P Penney th thI I I tried calling him tor or an appoint nent and work either X His phone number yris was s Columbus 7 Aug 20 the insurance company com com- pany offered a a. a reward of for finding Mr Pig Pigeon on Mr Pigeon had a big insurance policy half halo halfa a million bucks made out put to his partner T That's ts t's a a lot lot- lotof ot of dough I 1 still don't dont dont t know what happened happened happened hap hap- to this this this' Pigeon guy who whipped up a lot of b business iness for forus forus forus us today You Yo ought to read the papers once in a a- while It was in the Mirror this thiC morning There was a picture of Mr Pigeon too If he doesn't show up by Sunday next next Sunday his partner r gets that million half bucks from the insurance com corn pany parry They crossed Central Park West Park West walked a a few blocks beside the park turned west walked a few more mor blocks and and arrived at an unpretentious brow brownston stone e front to Morrie Gelberg's Shamrock Shamrock Shamrock Sham Sham- rock Tavern A pretty black- black haired girl in bright green slacks was sitting on the front steps and Bingo paused Business was vas swell today L 15 B scowled I Im m sure ma will be delighted to hear it Bingo scowled She just dont don't have any faith in the business If she had any more nore faith in it it the the girl sId said wed all be starving She smiled at Handsome Handsome Handsome Hand Hand- some Bingo sighed and led the way up lP the shabby stairs to the third I A y 5 5 5 J S r i 1 I p Mr Pigeons Pigeon's kne knees knees' s' s buckled he helga gasped ped once and then slipped 4 n to the tho floor In a limp heap floor The tiny two room apartment was hot and s stuffy Handsome looked unhappily at atthe atthe atthe the darkroom which was also the bathroom and went in Bingo stretched on on- the bed and sighed cont contentedly He woke sud sud- denly Someone was shaking him violently Bingo took the picture Handsome thrust at him and stared at it stupidly Handsome's voice almost broke with excitement Look There I He pointed to one of the figures in inthe inthe the background crowd It it is Handsome said Its Its the Sunday Pigeon Bingo suddenly leaped to his feet The Sunday Pigeon Handsome Handsome Handsome Hand Hand- some w were we're re rich Weve Veve got a picture we can sell to a press association Handsome weve we've got what Is probably the only picture o of a guy who's been missing missing miss miss- ing lug for seven years with everybody everybody every every- body looking for him Youre an awful smart guy Handsome said admiringly He picked up the print looked at it and shook his head This is in sure going t to be a blow to that P poor por Mr Now he wont won't get that million half bucks next week Bingo looked dreamily into space If First Handsome werve weve gotto got gotto gotto to find Mr Pigeon and hide him Hide him good and fix it so he ca cant can't t get away Then we make adel a adeal adeal deal del with Mr Harkness If f hell he'll sp split t that insurance copan coi co com company pay pan payment w with th us ri 1 it comes due seven days fro from now w we wont w produce the SundaY Pig Pigeon on See 1 I 1 GUESS the pl place e c to tor s start rt looking looking look look- ing for him In in inthe the place where he was seen last They walked toward Central park in silence Bingo led the way up row path The benches around the statue were deserted now AUbut Al AU Allbut but one Suddenly Bingo caught at Handsome's Handsome's Hand Hand- somes some's arm Hold everything he said softly The small man on t the bench just justin in front of or the statue had looked up as they approached smiled affably af affably affably af- af the light falling on his face There could be no possible doubt that he was yas the Sunday Pigeon Mr Pigeon was a pleasant looking looking look look- ing little man with mild mUd blue eyes and thinning gray ha hair r that fell fel over his forehead as the wind tumbled tumbled tum turn bled it He was polishing a pair of ot steel-rimmed steel glasses as Bingo anc and Hand Handsome ome approached hed Bingo said in a casual tone Have you see seen a one legged pigeon pigeon pigeon pig pig- eon here in the park by any chance I IT T DEVELOPED Bingo went on pa- with his story that the one one- legged pigeon had a habit of sh showing showing show show- wing w- w ing up on their window sill silI every night about 10 o'clock to be fed Regular as clockwork What time was was' it now About That reminded him Shed She'd better better- be getting getting get get- ting home Hed forgotten to leave any food on the windowsill Would you like to see him 7 1 Bingo asked hospitably Were only a few blocks from the park Delighted Mr Pigeon said rising When they r reached ached home Handsome Handsome Handsome Hand Hand- some grabbed Bingo by the the- arm armas armas armas as they went up the narrow stairs and ana held eld him back until Mr Pigeon was halfway up the first flight Listen he said in a hoarse whisper whisperS Give me 50 cents Bingo sighed O 0 K Walt Wait where are you going going going- Just n next door Upstairs Bingo said Take the green ch chair ir its it's more comfortable Th That's ts t's the wind window w sill Hell He'll be along any time now Interesting Mr Pigeon said brightly ly Very interesting Bingo looked at at- Mr Pigeon with nd w wOnder He began to worry the Sunday Pigeon g ori now flOW now that hed he'd caught caugh him Handsome arrived carrying i n a tray containing glasses glasses- a a. bowl o olee of ice lee a on and ad a bottle VERY Y ERY good td idea Idea a Bingo Ing sal said He turned to Mr Pig Pigeon on have hai a a drink of course Thank yO i you Mr Mi PIg Pigeon on said Just ohe a small one Incidentally U think weve we've Introduced ourselves Bingo said sald pleasantly This is my partner Mr I Kuzak and and Im I'm Mr RIggs Mr Pigeon acknowledged the Introduction with a quick little nod Im rm Fm Mr Bird he said II And AncI n speaking of ot bir birds Im I'm Im I'm be be- II L ginning to think youre you're one o e. e What t time me is this one one-i leg pIgeon igeon supposed to show up Any minute now Bingo fi I Mr Pigeon rose I ItI couldn't being curious about what l fa game was wu so I came along you fou So now that Im I'm leavI leam perhaps you'll b be ho kind explain J I Bingo was up on his feet feet th thIng th Ing ng fast fasl Mr Pigeon yourIs your yours youris Is s in danger We want to pre you I j Mr Pigeon smiled j adept at protecting self he he- sai said amiably Then denly before Bingo could ra Da n D na a move the little man was at 1St ing beside the door One One was 1 was on the the- knob the other h he gun One has hasto to be prepare every emergency Mr Pl said I 1 If you ever do find a one one one-le J pigeon Mr Pigeon said smiling bring him up to th park some Sunday Suddenly his voice broke roke A Ai I pallor began to spread over face 1 I Hey Bingo said Wh WhitS tS t- t S J O OME Sunday OME-Sunday- Sunday y- y M Mr d f g. g knees buckled he gasped once then slipped down donto to the floe a limp heap eap The Th gU gun 1 ro rolled l onto the he rug ii 1 It It was Vas a Mickey F ft some said said- VI I sUpped slipped Jt v Jt-v drink Th what I wl 50 cents Because Ve e h ha tl keep him here hert some w way y 3 eyes were wide with w worry I do wrong J While Handsome tended to task of ot getting getting- the Mr Pigeon into a pair pall of Bb pajamas BingO sat down dOM at t table and wrote a a. letter letter- to It was he masterpiece of or r artful hinting Writing He spent one orie one nickel calli Western Vestern Union messenger ar cents sending the letter by boy to Mr Harkness ss It seemed like a yea yeal fore the telephone buzzer r x actually It was only a bit ov I minutes Bingo raced downs The voice over the telephone Mr Riggs This is Mr t Id I'd like to o discuss j proposition Can you come cornel over over a aWell Well VeIl be there in 15 min J Bingo said aid j H HE E WENT WENT- ba back k upstairs upstairs' glanced at at Mr Pigeon while S some put on his coat one M Mone Mone one of us ought to stay her him so he dont don't get up and ancS- out on us i Handsome shook his head wont won't wake until the mornin At apartment apartment- a a. voice from the said Come right up door was i s ajar Bingo knocked Th Theno The Thea Theano no answer He knocked a mg agi Bingo pushed the door op I led the way into the spar apar Handsome stepped Int into t ting ing lug room laying one h ha Bingos Bingo's arm and pointing w other other- toward towa a sofa ofa Just of ot dark hair showed abo sofa back of the i There he is b Mr Very rude rude- of him Bing going to sleep over oven a book boo he was have visitor He reached out and tapp tappi shoulder rolled over off th Ui dis dl dispose to land in a curiously at Bingos Bingo's feet Th Thi slid pose from his lap and fell floor face down tIts t- t Its Mr all all all' Handsome said in a a. whisper he added I mean it was waa Continued tomorrow Copyright 1942 Simon k Distributed by K Kl Xii ter In Inc tures turcs Syndicate Thc Inc J |
