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

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

ie ARORA eR ‘ No! Ah eb ad } | / 7, AF skid ip * vat /, £55 i ve Aid hi Moire Bay (cr §——_—___—___———_10-STORY Lave Otis was in command. He took McKay into an empty room. | “Okay, Marine,” he said, “you told your story and I’m not doubting it in the least. Now—what was this message your dead pal sent to Cunningham?” McKay hesitated, “I don’t know what to do, Lieutenant. Alex made me swear I wouldn’t tell anyone else no matter what happened, I—I suppose |} should tell. Look, You get the District Attorney down here. If he advises me to tell, I will.” Lieutenant Otis narrowed his eyes slightly, “You’re so darned naive, Cor- poral, that I-almost wonder if it isn’t an act. George Cunningham was the D, A. He’s been for almost a year. That’s why his murder has aroused so much excite- ment, Now you’d better tell me that mes- sage. It will save you an awful lot of trouble,” McKay whistled sofily. ‘I guess you’re right, sir. Okay, here it is, Three words and they don’t make the slightest sense tome, They are ‘Reef Your Sails.’ ” CHAPTER II IEUTENANT OTIS digested the odd statement for a moment. Then he looked squarely at McKay. “This fellow Garrick, who died on Ta- rawa, may have been one swell Marine. He gave his life for his country, and I respect him for it, but—Alex Garrick was - @ hoodlum when he lived here, A petty crook, involved with all! the criminals of our city. He was, bluntly, no darned good.” “Why, you...” McKay started to rise. “Take it easy,” Otis warned. “I talked of him in the past tense, What he did on Tarawa wiped out anything we hold against him. I’m only telling you this, because if Garrick had a message for Cunningham, it meant something. Cun- ningham took young Garrick under his wing, trying to put him straight. He wasn’t the D. A. then. Perhaps they had a little deal. Maybe Garrick was remorse- ful and wanted to spill all he knew. “These three words might be part of a code. Yes, maybe that’s it. Cunningham has a big sailing boat right here on the lake. It’s tied up at his private dock. = Stes we'll — the answer to —— was a straight guy,” McKay warned, “I saw him die, I know what he was. Other- wise, this whole business is right in your lap. I want to go home, Haven’t been there in nearly three years. I’ve got to look for a job. My part in this war is over, My aetive part, that is. I’ve seen some pretty horrible stuff. It keeps me awake nights, thinking of it. I want to forget, What happened right here isn’t helping me.” Otis arose, “You’ll have to stick around town a few days, McKay. If you’re broke, Pil see your expenses are paid. Just be reasonable and don’t make us hold you as a material witness, Keep your eyes open, tog. "Fhere may be certain parties who'd like to know about that code mes- sage.” “What do you mean, certain parties’ tas McKay asked. Otis stepped closer to him. “Frankly, this town is shot through with crooks. We've tried to clean them up for a long time, but they’ve got men planted in stra- tegic posts. I hoped that maybe Garrick knew who they were and was tipping us off. He could have known them. Anyway, take my. advice and watch yourself. Call Headquarters when you’re established, and let me know where you’re at.” McKay nodded. A police car drove him to town. He checked in at a hotel, went to his room, and threw himself across the bed. This was one heck of a homecoming! To run full tilt into murder. He thought about Peggy Garrick. Why had she dis- appeared? Then McKay sat erect, his features growing sterner. Peggy knew he was about to deliver a message to the D. A. She could have warned someone, who got to Cunningham first, so that Alex Garrick’s dying mes- sage would be shared only by two dead men. The car had run out of gas almost too conveniently. The delay had given the murderers time to get to Cunning- ham first. McKay felt that Peggy Gar- rick had a great deal to explain. His telephone rang,. startling him, He hoped it would be Peggy. It was only the desk clerk announcing the fact that two men wanted to see him at onee, They were, the elerk elaimed, members of a Civic committee who wanted a favor of MeKay, He had them sent up. See , ‘am were well-dressed Sores about fa ees