10-Story Detective Magazine, April 1946 — page 70: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

— 6&——_—_—_—_——__——— 10-STORY DETECTIVE s drawing room when the house had been a private residence. He slid them open and peeped out with a reproachful glance af the housekeeper, who shrugged help- lessly. “In,” Jenny told Nelson and Gerry, poking each of them in the back with the gun. “You, too, you old bat!” she added to the housekeeper. While Taylor lit a cigarette with trem- bling fingers, Jenny said flatly, “This guy saw you lamming out of Elmo’s a little while ago. Anything to say to that?” Taylor seemed about to make a denial. He stamped out his cigarette before he had taken a good puff on it, and opened his mouth, Jenny lied, “T saw you too. Well?* ‘“Well—yes, Jenny. I was there. Some- body killed Elmo, I found him on the floor, and I—well, I got scared and beat it.” “You didn’t maybe bust the doll after you stabbed him? You weren’t maybe looking for the beads, were you?” Taylor took another cigarette out of his pack, He had to scratch the match three times before it flared into flame. “So you know about the beads?” “Tl know fots you mightn’t think I know." . Taylor glanced at Nelson and Gerry with a crease of worry between his brows, “Naturally, when I’m supposed to get twenty four-carat alexandrites, and the mailman drops me twenty low-grade amethysts—” he said. “Naturally I want- ed to see why. But I give you my word, I didn’t kill Elmo, No amount of alex- andrites are worth that much trouble.” He took a chance on 2 neat bit of psychology. The only light came from the lamp beside him. He still held the burning match, He dropped it. As every- one’s eyes instinctively followed its flanie —subconsciously aware of the danger of fire—he swept out an arm, smashing the light against the wall, and leaping aside. denny’s pun spat at him, but missed. A. second blow shattered the bulb. There was Only darkness, Gerry’s frightened ery, then Jenny’s voice: : “Stand still, blast you!” Her gun crashed again, with a red lightning effect. Nelson scooped Gerry close and backed along the wall, There was the sound of scuffing, a choking wail from the house- keeper as she raced into the feebly illumi- nated hall toward the telephone. Jenny’s gun roared again with the lightning effect. But by that time Nelson had pulled Gerry out into the hall. He threw open the door and they _ gerambled outside, running hand in hand half a block until they found a convenient doorway. Gerry sobbed: against Nelson’s lapels until she got her breath back, “Now what?” she asked. “We'll catch a cop, if we can, and .go back to Taylor’s,” Nelson said, UT when they had secured Officers Blair and Duffy in a squad car, they found only Taylor’s tearful housekeeper at his rooms. The green car was gone, “The redheaded lady made him go somewhere with her,” the housekeeper sniffied. “Probably Monfrede’s,” Nelson haz- arded. “Come along, you’re witnesses,” Officer Duffy remarked. Gerry had to sit on Nel- son’s lap, but he hadn’t any objections. As they drove down to Twenty-seventh Street, Nelson explained the situation. The green car was in front of Monfrede’s apartment. Duffy said, “Blair, stay by this green car, in case they try sneaking out the back way. You two—” He wasn’t sure what to do with Nelson and Gerry. Final- ly he said, “You come up with me.” ‘She'll shoot us!” Gerry worried, but Duffy smiled genially and patted his holster. “Nobody shoots at a cop if he’s wise!” There was an argument going on in Monfrede’s apartment. Taylor protesting, Jenny insisting. Taylor cried, “Jenny, I tell you that other guy did it! Even if Elmo did eross me up and send me amethysts, he was my partner—” And Jenny, “Yeah, but where you going to find him now, wise guy?” “He’s with the girl. She works at the toy shop, you said. The old man who makes dolls will know where she is!” - Duffy pushed on the hell. As it growled stridently, the room beyond became si- lent. Then Duffy banged with a hard fis¢. “Open up in there!” The sound of hasty murmurs coming faintly from within. Duffy thumped his clenched. hand again. “Open up before I bust down the door!” Silence. But Duffy didn’t smash the door with his shoulder. He shot off the CoTmiclhoOoks (©)