10-Story Detective, March 1941 — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

84—__—— “T should be the one to thank you,” she answered. “I recognized your voice. You’re that detective Tom Car- thers was rooming with.” Kendall narrowed his eyes. “You knew Worthley is really the Carthers kid?” She nodded. “Tom and I met while I was at school. We’re to be married.” ENDALL kept staring at her. Finally, he said: “That makes me see a little light. So stop me if I’m wrong. The police suspected Carthers had found facts on some racket Gar- vey was in—and that Garvey made Carthers vanish permanently. Tom, Carthers’ son, must have seen Gar- vey aiter he was supposed to be dead. He took a room with me and went un- der an assumed name. “Seeing he knew Carthers was legally buried, Tom suspected that it was his father that actually was buried. That Garvey arranged that a doctor sign a death certificate for him- self, and by superimposing a wax mask of his own face over Carthers’ features, everybody would believe it was he who was in that grave. Tom secretly dug up the body and placed the wax mask in that safe—’”’ “Tom didn’t dig up the body,” Sheila broke in. “And I’m the one who first saw Garvey alive. That was the night I came home from school. He was visiting at our house and I recognized him from newspaper pic- tures. Garvey came nightly after that. In horror I learned dad was in that racket with Garvey. They argued and fought a lot. It looked like things were coming to a nasty end. “One day, using the name of Worth- ley and posing as one of his father’s operatives, Tom came to the house— at my suggestion. He told dad he had Carthers’ information and suggested dad turn evidence against Garvey, whom Tom said was alive. Tom came over a second time. Garvey was in the next room then, and he saw dad take Tom’s gun away from him and kick him out. ———10-STQRY DETECTIVE————________—_- “Then Tom had me tell dad I knew what he was doing with Garvey, that I had cultivated Tom’s acquaintance in an effort to find out how much he knew about my father’s activities. I told him that Tom, drunk, had bragged about digging up a corpse and finding something which he hid in that safe. As you said, Tom did imagine that perhaps it had been his father’s body that was buried in that grave.” “T get it,’ frowned Kendall. “You only said Tom had dug up the body so ° you could watch Garvey’s reaction. But why didn’t Tom come directly to the police and arrange for a disinter- ment?” “Because he knew how clever Gar- vey’s lawyers are. There wasn’t much proof against Garvey. So Tom decid- ed to do to Garvey what Garvey had done to his father. It was the only vengeance he could see. But he had to hide when Garvey shot dad with his gun.” “Which fortunately spoilt those blood-thirsty plans.” Sheila Fox shook her head. “I know where Tom is hiding. Our plan was to have me lead Garvey on until I knew when he meant to rob the safe, so Tom could be there. I knew about Garvey’s unsuccessful attempt to rob the safe yesterday by himself. But with Gar- vey on my hands day and night, I did- n’t get to tell Tom about tonight.” Kendall growled: “I don’t blame Tom for wanting to burn Garvey down. Every cop on the force has had that itch. But why didn’t he confide in me? As it stands, itll be tough beating this murder rap.” “Mr. Kendall, I’ve evidence I’ve been withholding until Tom could take care of Garvey his way—evidence which I know will prove Garvey’s guilt. With our story that Tom was hiding in his own home and killed Garvey as a trespasser, we were sure both murders would be avenged. But now Garvey is still alive. This will go to court and his crafty lawyers will use their tricks—” comicDoook CO