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Show THE WEDDING MARCH MURDER l,y Monte Barrett O OopvHuM. 193. tj tho HoMw XU-nll. Co. SYNOPSIS Waiting In th minister's sliuly, Jim Franklin, about to b married lo OotIb Crtrinoi.lv. ta stabbed to death. CtiUia Shipley, one of th bridesmaids, ta obviously ob-viously In a 8tut of anxiety. Tetor Cardii?:in, novelist, and amateur dtMec-tiva dtMec-tiva of some note, with Serjeant Kll-d:iy. Kll-d:iy. of the New York police, begin the ortloial Investigation. Franklin, whtl waiting, had many via! tor, anions them hi a mistress, an actress, "Choo Choo" Train; his Intended wife's father, Ambrose. Carmody; her brother. Hylic; Daniel Kullls. well-known politician, and an unknown woman In a blue frock, who had quarreled openly with Kranklin. Kylle Carmody admits try-Inp try-Inp to stop the wedding, after being informed by Webster Speart that Kranklin waa still friendly with Choo Choo. despite his approaching marriage. mar-riage. Kilday secures the dead man's keys. Callis Shipley la somewhat contradictory con-tradictory In her answers to questions, but the investigators learn nothing of importance. An Interview with Daniel Bullls la also fruitless, CHAPTER IV 8 Seeking a Woman in Blue ' It was still early when Kilday and Cardigan quitted Bullls' club. "What do you think?" Kiklny demanded, de-manded, as they waited for their car. Peter shrugged. "lie's only telling what he wants to tell. There's no way of knowing when Bullis left that room. When Ambrose Carmody rapped. Franklin made him wait before ad-. ad-. mining him. There must have been some one there, who had time to leave by the rear door before Carmody entered. en-tered. If It was Bullls, he could have waited until Carmody left and then come back. Or, of course, It may have been the woman in blue who returned. It Is possible It was both. I am only sure of one thing. Some one was there or Franklin wouldn't have kept Mr. Carmody waiting." "And how about Choo Choo Train? And Callis Shipley? They both visited vis-ited the vestry after Carmody." "I don't know about Choo Choo," replied re-plied the novelist wearily. "As for the other girl, she never entered the study. Royce declares he rapped on the door, and Franklin replied that young Carmody wasn't there. As far as we know, that's all Miss Shipley had to do with it." Kilday paused In the lighting of a new cigar. "Except that she drove home with Rylie Carmody and lied to us about it. And knew that Jim Franklin was killed, but can't explain how she knew it. And." he brandished the stogy for further emphasis, "why did she run around there looking for Rylie Carmody in the first place? I'm not so sure," he added, "that she isn't the blond woman in the blue dress that Doctor Abernathy saw. He may not be telling the truth about that" Peter laughed. "Doctor Abernathy is a minister." "Even ministers are human," the sergeant ser-geant retorted. "I'm not saying he had anything to do with it. But if he knows this girl so well, he may have a mistaken idea of chivalry and be trying to protect her." But Peter still was not convinced. "If it had been Callis Shipley, wouldn't Bullis have identified her from the picture pic-ture in the newspaper?" "Maybe. Maybe not. 1 think you answered that question yourself a bit ago. Perhaps Bullis doesn't want to identify the woman he saw In the study because she heard all that passed between him and Franklin. It's entirely possible she knows too much. No-o-o, Peter, we're not through with this girl yet, by any means. Nor with Bullis, either." And then, more to himself than to his companion, he added, "I'd like to be watching those two, the first time they meet." Because both Callis Shipley and Bylie Carmody had referred to Webster Web-ster Spears as the man who had been the source of information regarding Choo Choo Train, it was decided that they would question him next And here a surprise awaited them. The Spears home was a private house, the last to linger in a neighborhood neigh-borhood of apartment buildings which towered around it. At the curb before be-fore It, two cars were parked, a roadster road-ster and a sedan. This particularly attracted their attention, because it was necessary for them to park In front of the apartment bouse next door. "We want to see Mr. Webster Spears," Kilday Informed the butler who answered his ring. "I'm very sorry, sir. Mr. Spears Is busy. He cannot be disturbed." "I'm sorry, too," said the detective, exhibiting his badge in the palm of his hand. "This is once he'll have to be disturbed." After a wait of several minutes, during dur-ing which Kilday tersely summarized the evidence as it touched this man, Spears entered the room. Xot more than twenty-five, he was of that slender slen-der build which emphasized the nicety of his glooming. Uis features, molded too fuel, wore nlirost nlmrp, particularly particu-larly now, as lio glanced Inquiringly firm tit CiiiiIIkiiii, (hen nt 11m dotoo tlv. Peter noticed how hla hair, pro-nmlurt'ly pro-nmlurt'ly receding nt ttui temples, directed di-rected attention to the nlooluu'it.s of the mini. "You wanted to see nie?" Spears began abruptly. Ho did not offer to shako hands. "Wo wanted to know why you wore so anxious to. stop Doris ('iirinody's wedding this afternoon?" Kilday Inquired In-quired bluntly. The question caught the young man off balance. "17 Slop the wedding?" lie smiled briefly, ns though he found the idea absurd. "Why else did you tell Ityllo Carmody Car-mody about Choo Choo Train today?" the sergeant demanded. "You did tell hlni, didn't you?" Spears drew up a chnlr and sat down, deliberately, before replying. Peter felt that it was his method of sparring for time. "Yes," ho admitted finally. "I Informed In-formed Ityllo about this actress, of course. It seemed the only thing to do." "How did you happen to know about her?" "It seemed to be common knowledge. I hoard gossip of It nt the club. After that. I made some Inquiries which substantiated sub-stantiated what I had heard, so I Informed In-formed Ityllo." "When was It you heard this gossip?" gos-sip?" Peter Interjected. Spears glanced at him quickly. "Only this morning. Two chaps nt the next table were discussing the wedding wed-ding feeling sorry for the Carmodys. They mentioned this actress. That angered me, of course. You see," he shrugged dapper shoulders, "liylle nnd Doris have been almost brother and sister to me. We have grown up together. to-gether. I felt the same Interest In this wedding as though It had been my own sister. That's why I made Inquiries. In-quiries. Every one seemed to know that Choo Choo Train was Franklin's mistress. It was the most natural thing In the world for me to Inform riylie." "And you wanted to be sure, didn't you? That's why you called up his fa- if ::V : il . - -1 "I'm Giving You a Chance to Admit Ad-mit It Now. Did You?" ther, too, wasn't It?" Kilday demanded. de-manded. "I don't know what you mean." Defensively. De-fensively. "Oh, yes, you do," the sergeant persisted. per-sisted. "You telephoned Ambrose Carmody and gave him the same Information. Infor-mation. Just this afternoon." "Did he say that?" The young man's voice was incredulous. Peter found himself wondering whether or not the tone was assumed. The detective studied the glowing ash of his cigar. "You didn't give him your name," he continued. "But you must realize that you've talked to Mr. Carmody often enough that he could recognize your voice." Kilday was trying a shot In the dark. "What was the idea of that anonymous call, Spears? Still Just a brotherly Interest Inter-est In Doris Carmody?" "I didn't admit I made that call." "I'm giving you a chance to admit It now. Did you?" Spears looked at the sergeant steadily. stead-ily. "Don't be absurd. If I had been telephoning, there was no reason why I shouldn't give my name." Kilday apparently dismissed the question with a shrug. "You used to be in love with Doris Carmody, didn't you?" he began again. "When we were very young," Webster Web-ster Spears admitted. "A sort of boy-and-girl affair." "You aren't exactly an old man now," retorted the detective bluntly. "I suppose you feel only a brotherly interest in her now, eh?" "I suppose you would call it that." "Doesn't It strike you as odd that Miss Carmody's brothers didn't even care to stay for the wedding? You for example. You didn't stay, and you felt a very brotherly interest in her, you tell me. And her own brother, Rylie, wasn't there either. Funny business, wasn't it?" "I was there," declared the young man, flushing. "Yes, but you walked out. And when you did, you told Miss Carmody that there wouldn't be any wedding, if Rylie were only there." Spears frowned. "I couldn't have said that," he declared. "Then what did you say?" The young man rumpled his hair uneasily. "I don't remember, exactly," he began slowly. "I may have .said that there ehouldn't k any wnddlng until Ityllo K"( thorn. I r ember noticing Hint bn hadn't arrived yet. Yon. I iniint hnvo mndii omo nuch re murk, which wiih nilniuotinl when you heard It." "Then you noer unlit anything to Miss Cnriiioily about Kyllo Mopping the wedding?' "Of coumo nut." "And you never telephoned AmbroRfl Cnniioily nliout Choo Choo Train?" KUilay, elbowi on kneoH, eyed the young mnn soberly, bin glanco nevor wavering from tho young man's face. "We've already boon over that." "Hut you did toll Kylle ubout Choo Choo Train?" "Yes." The Korgonnt grunted nnncommlttnl-ly nnncommlttnl-ly nnd glnnced toward Peter Cardigan. Car-digan. The next question came from the latter. "What did you expect would happen after you Infornmd Ityllo Carmody Car-mody about this nctroKs?" ha Inquired. SpenrH appeared to ponder the question. ques-tion. "I don't know that I expected nnythlng to happen," he answered slowly. "It wns so late. The wedding was only a few hours off. Of course, I am sure, If thoro had been time, the Carnioilys would have called It off." He smiled briefly. "I shouldn't hnve been sorry to see that happen, but I can't say that I expected It." "Then Just whnt wns tho reason you loft tho church?" Peter hoped this question would sound casual. "Why, I I hnd noticed thnt Itylle wnsn't there. Thnt wns why I mndo that remark to Doris. I only mennt for her to hold things up until Kylle nrrlvod. I wont out to look for him." "Whore did you go to look?" demanded de-manded Kilday quickly. "Hack to Doctor Abernnthy'B study?" "I never went near thnt study," d-clnrod d-clnrod the young man soberly. "I I Just waited around In front of tho church, expecting Rylie to arrive any minute." "But he didn't." "No. At least, if he did, I never saw him." "I think that's all for the present," declared the sergeant "I'm sorry we kept you awny from your guests." "Guests?" Peter could not be certain cer-tain but he thought he detected an abrupt change In Webster Spears' manner, man-ner, a quick gleam of emotion, as quickly veiled behind a mask of indifference. in-difference. "I have no guests. Sergeant Ser-geant Kilday." "My mistake." replied the sergeant. "Your man said you were busy and I guei-s I Jumped at conclusions." He picked up his hat. "We won't bother you any further tonight I guess It's 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 hope. We may want to ask you a few more questions, you know." "I'll be here whenever yon want me," Spears assured him, as he ushered them to the door. Kilday walked down the steps In silence. "No guests, eh? He didn't like that question, did he. Peter?" His grip tightened about his friend's arm as they strode pat the two cars parked at the curb. "Help me remember those license numbers. We'll soon find out who's visiting here and why he doesn't want us to know It." When he reached his own car, he Jotted down the numbers he had noted. "What time Is It?" "Still early," Teter assured him. "Where do we go from here?" "Franklin's apartment. I want to see how far I can go In Identifying the keys on this ring. And I want to have a talk with Franklin's servant what was his name? Fletcher? Remember, Nick Royce referred to him. He may be able to give us a hint about this woman in blue. I 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. re-luctance. A copy of Topics an extra edition caught the detective's eye. "I see you already know what has happened," hap-pened," he began. "Yes, sir. I was expecting you. You are from the police?" If the servant had been shocked by the news, his manner did not betray It now. Without answering verbally, the sergeant ser-geant displayed his badge. Then, fumbling In his pocket, he drew out the keys found in the murdered man's pocket "Recognize these?" "Yes, sir. They are were, Mr. Franklin's." "Can you tell us which doors they fit?" "Some of them, probably." The man took the keys and examined them. He selected one. "This opens this apartment and this," he indicated another, an-other, "is a key to the main entrance of the building. I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't Identify the others." Kilday inspected both keys carefully care-fully for future identification, then crossing to the door, tried one of them. It worked. Fletcher's face registered reg-istered annoyance. The detective's obvious ob-vious method of checking up on his statement was not to his liking. "Who has been here today?" Kilday Kil-day began again abruptly. "Mr. Royce was here," replied the servant, "Mr. Nicholas Royce. He was to be Mr. Franklin's best man. They had lunch together and Mr. Royce called here, late, to accompany Mr. Franklin to the church." "Of course. Was there anyone else?" "Yes. Mr. Carmody the young one. He called just after Mr. Franklin had left for the church." "Had he been here before, Fletcher?" Fletch-er?" "I don't remember seeing him before." be-fore." (TO BE CONTINUED.) |