10 Story Detective, July 1942 — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

— —_-—_————-——_ HOmIcIDE came in, as well as waiting on the counter. By way of an alley, Buck reached Mary’s kitchen. Mary joined him quickly. “T don’t want anyone to know where I am,” Buck explained. He told her what had happened. “So don’t tell anyone I was here.” “Of course not,” Mary whispered. “But what you’ve done se far doesn’t seem to help Freddie!” “Reading the evidence the way others do,” admitted Buck, ‘‘it makes things look worse, if anything. But there are people who know things— people who won’t talk because their hands are dirty.” “Who oad “Stokey Heaton and Will Dobbs, I think,” “Would Heaton talk to Joe Cow- per ?”’ Buck grinned at the gusto Mary put in the question. She figured that if Joe knew anything, she could get it out of him. Joe was her worst pest. He came into the café every evening for dinner and renewed his guit with Mary. Buck said: “Heaton wouldn’t tell Joe any more than he had to. But it so happens it’s Joe I want you to work on.” Mary made a face. “‘What am I to do?” “When Joe comes in this evening, I want yeu to be friendly to him.” Buck’s grin was embarrassed. “In fact, I want you to tell him you’ll go away with him!” Mary’s face crimsoned. Mead! I could slap you!” “Well, heck, honey,” Buck said un- comfortably, “it’s for a good cause. And I don’t want you to really go away with him. If you did. I’d fallow you and slap you both down! But I want you to tell him that. Tell him you're tired of hanging around this town and would like to go away with a man of the world—like he is! Tell him you'll meet him at the seven o'clock train tomorrow morning.” “Buck LANDMARK re “It'll make me iil, that,” Mary complained. “But you'll do it?” “If you say so!” “Swell!” Buck produced the handkerchief he had picked up in Sam Hooper’s of- fice. He reached for a bottle of chili sauce and daubed some of it on the handkerchief. ‘ ““‘What’s that for?” asked Mary. “Just a gag,” said Buck. “I don’t know if it'll work or not.” He shoved the handkerchief back into his pock- et. “One thing more. Chief Bedford will likely be in for dinner this eve- ning, as usual. You tell him, on the quiet, that you’re sore at me for quit- ting my job. And tell him that you know where he can nab me!” Mary moaned. “Oh, Lord, but you're a hard master!” “Never mind that,” said Buck, “You tell the old rascal that if he’ll go out to Sam Hooper’s grove to- night, he’ll probably see me around. Tell him to find a good hiding piace and keep an eye on that big pepper- berry tree. From midnight on!” “Honey,” protested Mary, “I hate to do it!” “But you will?” “If you say so!’ telling him EFORE midnight, from across the road to the Hooper grove, Buck watched a car drive past and stop against the fence some distance beyond, Chief Bedford and Captain Receord got out and climbed the fence. Obviously, they did not intend to disturb old Sam Hooper. It was a warm night, but moon- less; visibility poor. Buck crossed the road, vaulted the fence mto the grove, This part of the grove was sixty acres, a large grove in itself; thousands of orange trees in evenly spaced rows. The lanes between the rows had been recently plowed, so that it was easy to walk noiselessly. Buck moved across the grove in the direction of the center. Presently he stopped near a tree. GORMiGooo S (C(O) im