| Show THE aw r TO arink aro KI M M WEDDING MARCH A copyright ielli by the bobbe oe co by MONTE BARRETT CHAPTER IV continued 7 1 I admit I 1 made that call im giving you a chance to admit it now did you spears looked at the sergen sergeant nt steadily dont be absurd if I 1 had been telephoning there was no reason why I 1 give my name allday apparently dismissed the question with a shrug you used to bo be la in love with dorla doris carmody you tie he began when wo we were very young webster spears admitted A sort of boy and girl affair you arent exactly an old man now retorted the detective bluntly III im giving you a chance to admit it now did you 1 I suppose you feel only it brotherly interest in tier her now eli eh 1 I suppose you would call it that it keyou ca as odd that Car Carmo ilya even care are to stay for the hie you yon for example you stay und and you felt a very brotherly interest in tier her you tell me and her he own brother idylle there either funny business it 1 I was there declared the young man flushing yes yea but you walked out and when you lid you told silsa carmody that there be any wedding if hylle were only there spears frowned 1 I 1 have said that lie he declared then what did you say the young man rumpled tits his hair uneasily 1 I dont remember exactly lie ho began slowly 1 I in may ay have an said id that there bo be any wedding until hylle got there I 1 remember noticing that he arrived yet yes I 1 must have ninde made some such remark which was misquoted when you heard it then you never neer said anything to miss carmody Cari nody about itolle stopping tile the wedding of course not nol and you never telephoned am A ln broso brose carmody about choo choo rr iraln aln allday elbows on knees eyed eed the young man soberly hta his ilance never wavering from the young roans mails face weve already been over that hut but you did tell brylle about choo choo train yes the sergeant grunted tally and glanced toward peter cardigan uie the next question came from the latter what ltd did you ion expect would happen titter after you informed kyllo carmody about this actress lie he inquired spears appeared to ponder the question 1 I dont know that I 1 expected anything to happen he an slowly it wits was so late the we wedding adding was only al a few hours or off of course I 1 am sure it if there had been time the Oar modys would have called it ott off ile ie smiled briefly 1 I have been sorry to see blat happen but I 1 cant say any that I 1 expected it then just what wits was the reason you iou left tile church peter hoped that question would sound casual owhy why 1 I I 1 had find noticed that idylle there that was why I 1 tande made that remark to doris I 1 only meant for her to hold things up until ity ily lle to arrived I 1 went out to look for him blin 1 I think nil all for the present declared the sergeant im sorry we kept you ou away from your guests I 1 guests peter ieter would not be certain tat n but he thought de detected an abrupt change tn in webster spears manner a quick glearn gleam of emotion as quickly veiled behind n mask of indifference 1 I have bae no guests sergeant kilday my aly mistake replied the llie sergeant your man said you were busy busy and I 1 gu guess ess I 1 lit at conclusions clu picked up his hat we wont bottler bother you any further bonig tonight it I 1 guess its needless for me to advise you not to leave the city until this matter Is cleared up it will be only a few days I 1 hope we way may want to ask you a few more questions you know ill be here whenever you want mo me spears nn answered him as he ushered them to the door hilday walked down the steps in silence lence el no guests eh lie ile like that question did he be peter ills ilia grip tightened about hla his friends arm as they strode past the two cars parked at the curb help me remember those license numbers well soon boon find out chos via citing here and why he want us ua to know ILI it when he reached his own car ho he jotted down the numbers he be had noted what time Is it still early peter assured him where do we go from here franklins apartment I 1 want to see how for far I 1 can go in identifying the keys on this ring and I 1 want to ha have v e a talk with franklins servant what was waa ills his name fletch era w remember member Ile nick royce floyce referred to him ile he may be able to give us a hint bint about this woman in blue I 1 want to find her but the interview with fletcher was disappointing as far as the mysterious woman in blue was concerned the man admitted them with evident reluctance A copy of topics an extra edition caught the detectives ae eye 1 I see you already know what has happened lie began yes sir air I 1 was expecting you you are from the police it tile the servant had been shocked by the news his manner did not betray it now without answering verbally the sergeant displayed ills his hadge badge then fumbling in his pocket he drew out cut the keys found in the murdered mans pocket recognize these yes sir air they are were mr franklins can you tell us which doors they fit some of them probably the man took the keys and examined them lie ile selected one this opens this apartment and this he indicated another Is a key to the main uh oh I 1 and did he find ar it no sir air there seem to be tiny any papers here of that nature tia ture all right who else was here Kil days manner was brusk fletcher smoothed the thinning hair flat across his forehead ore hend with a careful hand 1 I believe that was all sir air he said ilow illow about the telephone were there any messages yes yea sir air mr daniel bailis called several times and left his number when was that at various times all day sir air rig ne began calling early this morning and called repeatedly from then on when mr franklin came in during the afternoon did you give ghe him mr nullis messages yes sir air I 1 told him film he be had called what did mr air franklin say then mr fletcher shook tits his head dubiously ay mr franklin want to talk to mr air culus he said ile iio turned to mr royce and said 1 I guess I 1 know what he wants and mr royce noyce said let him sweat jim then mr franklin never called mr air Bu brills Bull ills li no sir 11 did mr brills phone again after Pr franklin anklin and royce had left tor for the church interest was obviously aroused yes sir air several times I 1 finally told him film that mr franklin be reached today that lie he had already gone to the church to be married ile he call after that thal the sergeant puffed his cigar in silence under his breath peter whistled tunelessly brills had tried all day to see jim franklin who knew what he wanted but refused to talk to him that was obvious from the conversation fletcher had overheard between franklin and nick royce koyce but whether he wanted to or not franklin had seen brills at the church not exactly a new lead but an interesting sidelight to an old one aliday resumed the questioning who else was here today fletcher once more the man brushed hl his 3 I 1 forehead thoughtfully all PRECEDING EVENTS IN THE STORY waiting in the ministers study jim franklin about to be married to doris carmody Is stabbed to death cattle shipley one of the bridesmaids betrays extreme nervousness franklin while waiting had many visitors among them his mistress an actress choo choo train his intended altea afes father ambrose carmody Car her brother bylls daniel brills well known politician and an unknown woman in a blue rock frock sergeant kil clay with peter cardigan novelist and amateur detective begins the official investigation brylle carmody admits trying to stop the wedding after being informed by a friend alend webster spears that franklin was still friendly with choo choo despite his approaching marriage kilday secures the dead mans keys callis shipley whose actions in the church and immediately following the discovery of franklins body have appeared furtive Is somewhat contradictory in her answers to questions but the investigators learn nothing of importance an interview with manlel bullis Is also fruitless webster spears admits informing idylle carmody of ct franklins relations with choo choo for doris Car modys sake make in the hope of preventing the wedding ved ding lie ila and dorla doris had had bad a boy and girl love affair entrance of the building im sorry im afraid I 1 cant identify the others kilday inspected both keys carefully for future identification then crossed to the door tried one of them it worked fletcherd fletchers Flet cherB chers face registered annoyance andoyan c e the detectives obvious method of checking up on his statement wits was not to ills his liking who has been here today kit day began abruptly mr air royce was here replied the servant air nicholas royce lie ile was ns to be mr franklins best man they had lunch together and mr fr royce called here late to accompany mr air franklin io to tile the church of course was there anyone else yes mr carmody the young one lie ile called just after mr ii franklin lint andi left for tile the church had lie he been here before fletcher 1 I dont remember seeing him before 1 then hen how does it happen you know him lie ile gave me his name sir air mr carmody seemed rather catherw rath er flustered you iou might buy any sir air ile he told me who nho lie he nas and said that it was important that he see mr franklin at once 1 I see bee kilday leaned against the table arms folded across his chest who else was here mr dunbar lie ile told me about the about mr franklins death mr dunbar the detective weighed the name milo dunbar Dnn har yes sir ile he was sir mr franklins an artner when was he here IT this tits evening about six I 1 think ile he told fold me yes yes yea I 1 know the sergeant interrupted bot what did lie ho want ile he allent come here just botell to tell you ion what had happened pletcher fletcher shrugged ile he was look ing for sir mr fletcherr fletchers PIet Flet chers will ile he said lie he was sure it was here some w where here sir air he replied finally 1 I have been here all day illow how about choo choo train traina 1 peter questioned for the first time ills his voice was purposely harsh lie he hoped to jar an admission from the man mall she here today but you know miss train dont you fletcher the tha man nodded reluctantly peter thought then he volunteered site she phoned this morning end and air franklin told her he would sew see her again peter ieter thought of the worn wom an in blue did any other woman telephone this morning fletcher appeared to ponder then shook his head see here fletcher the novelists ts tone was conversational now 1 I imagine you knew quite a bit about choo choo train you the ninn man only blinked Min keil cant you answer me what did you know about this woman 1 I 1 think she was very fond of mr franklin pletcher fletcher sald said slowly lint I 1 cant say that I 1 know much about her ashes nn an actress I 1 believe 1 11 I mean lid did she come here frequently quent ly have you seen much of tier here did she have a key to this apartment peters questions crowded one another impatiently impat bently the servants manner grew more m ore deliberate than ever she has been here a time or two sir air when I 1 was here As to your other questions im afraid I 1 cant answer them perhaps miss train no never mind silsa bliss train peter brushed the suggestion aside briskly what other women were in tile the habit of coming coining here fletcherr Flet chera eyebrows raised doubtfully women there were others therel there the man shrugged of course from time to time but I 1 am a servant he smiled deprecatingly mr franklin never took me into hla 1 confidence peter felt that the man knew more than he was admitting but felt equally sure that it would be dlf dif to wring any damaging admission from him on the subject of women where did mr air franklin file his correspondence kilday resumed the questioning perhaps we can learn something there fletcher led the way to a desk in the next room which both the detective and the novella novelist t searched without success bills they found one from a florist which interested kilday until he perceived that the flowers had gone to dorla doris carmody nothing else of a personal nature did mr air dunbar find anything at all only what you see here bere sir air I 1 where else would we be apt to 1 find his letters fletcher fietcher peter faced the servant im afraid these tire are the only personal papers he kept sir air aitt well have a look said allday but though they searched the apartment thoroughly room by room fletcher fietcher apparently had told the truth nowhere could they find any trace of personal correspondence which might yield them a clue to the identity of the mysterious woman in blue who had quarreled with v franklin in doctor abernathy abernathys Aberna thys study at or near tho the time of th the murder when they left peter had a feeling that pletcher fietcher somehow or another had outwitted them yet set it he a was sure there had been no personal correspondence filed in that apartment kilday glanced at his watch it was ten still too early to turn in he said suppose we go have a talk with dunbar ile he might be able to help us with this woman in blue the least he ha can do Is identify another key for us one of those these probably opens franklins office the attorney did not keep them waiting im glad youve come he said in greeting if I 1 can be ba of any help you can mr dunbar were trying in g to locate the mysterious woman in blue who visited jim frankila in doctor abernathys Aberna thys study at about the time of the murder you were there when the doctor described s her does she fit any woman of your acquaintance dunbar smiled faintly rm im afraid there are too many women who wear blue sergeant can you describe her in more 0 re fully unfortunately kilday admitted doctor abernathy la is the only one who saw her and as much as we have to go on however as franklins partner I 1 thought you might be able to help usi us at least you might be able to give 11 ua it a list flat of his women acquaintances which would be of great value in the investigation vesti gation im sorry and dunbar loosed as though he meant it but im afraid I 1 will be of little help along that line you see he explained jims interests and mine were entirely different we did not move in the same circles As you probably know he was quite a politician I 1 t I 1 and a great mixer that was wag his strong point my forte was law it make a bad combination jims wide association and popularity attracted many clients to the firm my job was to handle the business after he got it oh of course the attorney shrugged jim a bad lawyer and he handled some cases but in the main that end of the business was waa under der my direction the result was that in the past few years we have drifted farther fart lier and farther apart socially for that reason I 1 nm am scarcely in a position to help you when it comes to his women acquaintances quain 11 peter found it rather difficult to put the next nest question to this calm straight eyed eed man you were aware mr air dunbar that there were certain Irregular irregularities ittes in Fran franklins lilles relationship with women the attorney nodded slowly it was too bad he said one great weakness in an otherwise strong character but you dont know any of these we women men dunbar hesitated yes I 1 knew of this actress the one they call choo choo train I 1 believe that affair was wag common knowledge jim made no secret of it she this worn wom a an n phoned him at the office this morning peter ieter showed his interest jim told me of it dunbar explained pla ined it seemed that she was determined to attend the wedding it was quite a social event you know evidently this woman had c ertain certain ambitions along that line ile he smiled faintly did franklin tell you how he felt about that kilday queried oh yes of |
