10-Story Detective Magazine Cover — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

106 “Y’m playing in the Limousine Lady, the musical comedy at the Al- toona Theatre. I’m one of the Four Hoofing Sailors, a dance act which is on for fifteen minutes—from nine- thirty to nine-forty-five. Last night after the show I dropped into the restaurant next to the theatre for cof- fee and pie. It takes me a little time to get back into my street clothes, so I should say I entered the restaurant at about ten-thirty. Watwood came in while I was there and we cama home together at eleven.” “What room do you occnpy?” “The one above this ie.” That was all for Gene Miner. HE FOURTH and last boarder brought in was Billy Watwood, a tall, corpulent chap with a round face, brown hair and extraordinarily large eyes which were slightly bulg- ing. This defect was by no means dis- figuring; in fact, Watwood’s was the pleasantest face in the house. “T’m on the program of the Roxa- mount this week,” he stated, in answer to Kettle’s questions, “Me’n Miss Stone. Watwood and Stone, rapid-fire patter and songs, that’s us. We’re the best team in vaud, we admit it, and on the strength of our showing at the Rox, we've just. received twenty weeks’ booking. We hit the trail in two weeks and before we do, we’re Mr. and Mrs. Me, I get all the breaks.” “What time does your act go on?” “At night? From nine-ten to nine- thirty-five. Last night I saw Miss Stone to her home before dropping into the eat place where I met Miner. I came home with him.” Kettle dismissed him. Inspector Baldock then led Doctor Kettle up into Braxton Hewett’s room on the second floor. A uniformed ‘ officer was seated on a chair in the hall near the door. The bed, Doctor Kettle noted, had not been slept in. Contents of the dresser, desk and bureau drawers were scattered about on the floor. A 10-STORY DETECTIVE — small clock had toppled off the dresser; it lay face up, its hands in- dicating eight-fourteen. “Now observe,” Baldock pointed out, “that Hewett is lying on the ficor in the centre of the room. There’s a splotch over his left temple where he was shot. His hat still partly covers his head, he has on his overcoat and its collar is still buttoned around his neck. To his right, his cane is lying. “On the floor near his left hand is the bag of fruit, some of which has spilled out. Now we have the word of three men—Miner, Janson and Wat- wood—that Hewett entered a fruit shop three blocks from here at eight last evening. But that wasn’t good enough for me. I checked up at the fruiterer’s. He told me Hewett was there last night at that time, that he is a regular customer, and that he knows Hewett well. “Figure it out yourself. Hewett en- ters a fruit store at eight, spends a few minutes making a purchase and then walks home three blocks. How much time elapses? About fifteen minutes. And that’s why I believe the clock!” “What happened? Somebody was eyeing this joint: somebody saw the landlady and the five boarders go out. He knew then that the house was empty. He came in—with a skeleton key, probably. “But Hewett returned home im- mediately after buying the fruit. He caught the intruder in his room, and was shot. The landlady has given me a partial list of jewels she knew Hewett had and which are miss- ing<” “Yes, it all matches perfectly,” agreed Kettle. He had opened his medical case and drawn out some in- struments. “Has the body been touched ?” “Tt has not. I leave them as I find them for you as often as possible.” ETTLE and Baldock lifted the body on the bed. Doctor Kettle then removed the overcoat and hat E@ (MIE OOO KES (E@)