10-Story Detective Magazine, April 1946 — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

out with one more poser. “Are there any servants?” Again there was the derisive snort. “They had a Chinese houseboy up until two weeks ago, when he got fired.” An amused grin crossed the tough old medice’s face. “Miss Post claimed he was making improper advances. The Colone} had to dismiss him.” i theught of the unattractive, bellig- erent-looking nurse and stifled a laugh, “Tt hardly admire his taste.” The motor of the sedan caught with a roar. “Nor Ff,” he growled. “fhe bungling idiot I took it that he meant/ Miss Post. I shd out of the seat. With another roar the old doctor sent the shiny sedan in reverse the length of the driveway. When the headlights flashed away from me, I pivoted, my eyes accidentally sweeping the row of upstairs windows. What I saw made something inside my tummy do a funny little flip-flop. As my eyes glanced past, the drape that lined the glass of the dimly lighted corner room trembled slightly and suddenly fell straight. “What the devil?” I thought. I walked back to the kitchen doing some worried thinking. CHAPTER II UPstarrs in the Colone?’s room, George Browning, the cocky Httle fat guy, his wife, a stout artificial blonde, and the other cousin, Lawrence Woods, a chinless character resembling more than faintly the Casper Miiyuetoast car- toon in the funnies, were waiting around for something to happen. I strolled im, borrowed a cigarette from Woods, and took a seat on .he window ledge above the little gas radiator near the Colonel’s corpse. The nurse, who was evidently busy dressing in the next room, had laid a clean white sheet over the old gent’s lengthy frame. It looked a bit weird. I hadw’t been sitting long before I realized that my south end was suddenty becoming strangely cold, and damp. Standing up, | saw that the seat of my pants were sopping wet. Then I looked at the window ledge. Where I haa been sit- ting it was as damp as the ocean. But the windows were closed! I remembered what the doctor had said.. Asthma patients sleep with their witn- ‘THE CHOKE’S ON ME—————_—___39 during the night the windows had been open! Why? My curiosity aroused, I insted down closer, my hand touching the gas radi- ator. Again } got a little shock. The radi- ee was warm, although it was turned 0 Puzzked, I looked at it more closely. H | was the gas type with the water jacket like that of an ordinary radiator above and with a gas burner below. In a eli- mate where central heating is not neces- sary, tt is the type used hy the big houses and hotels in Florida, You simply turn on the gas and light the fire when needed. But the frre now was out, had beer out for at least a couple of hours. Straight- ening, I] seratched my head. Ft didn’t add up. The windows turned on. F couldn’t figure it out. © eye. “Something wrong, son?” he maquired haughtily. 7 | I smiled my handsomest. “Nope. Just wondered how the darned thing worked,” I lied. “Never saw one before.”” He gave me a cold scornful stare, then turned his attentions back to his wife, Feeling properly put in my plaee, I erossed to the far wall, where there was. _@ large desk, and found a dry seat. On top of the desk a pile of papers were scattered about m great disorder. A let- ter on top of the pile addressed in the Colonel’s shaky handwriting caught my eye. There were two short syllables, then, in clearer script, a Miami address. Be- side it was a check, inscribed in a Ime at the bottom, Por services rendered. On top of that was a little eard which looked strangely similar to a social security tag. The last name, examined closely, seemed to be Lew or Lee. Suddenly some- thing clicked in my brain. The Chinese houseboy ! The next act was pure reflex, looking around, I seooped the letter and two slips up and crammed then noiseless- ly into my pocket. Then I looked wp. From across the room, Fat Boy was staring straight at me. Slowly, his jaw dropped. He started to speak. Again I flashed my prettiest smile. “Little chilly, isri’t it?” It threw him completely off guard. His jam clamped shut. I finished my ciga- CoOnmicloolks Turning I saw Fat Boy giving me the - open and the heater CO