Mystery Murder

had many times asked for my opinion and it wouldn't hurt to reciprocate, s

a cried, "

I scoot with Miss Nest

econds he opened them. "I would

nyhow. Sit tight, Miss Nest. Never drop

e chain bolt on, opened the door the two inches the chain all

in. Op

but not for strange

Graham. She's the

est!" the lady said, me

uld brush me, I stiffened to make the brush a bump, and he wobbled and lost a step, giving me time to shut the door and reach the office at his heels. When we entered

l been there in front when you left, but I

as fine. She jerked loose and glared at him. Her big grey, well spaced eyes were ideal for glaring. I had a feeling that I had seen her before, but I hadn't. It was just an ol

d. "Striking a police officer." He moved, got a ye

"Is it advisable for a police officer to manhandle a citizen? When I

No

olton? You're even bigger." She didn't say bigger than what.

am. I'm a detective, not a lawyer, Miss Nest has hired Mr. Coupe, and he ha

seven, and about an hour later I went out to keep a date. I ha

s on the yellow chair, and I was

posed a man from the garage had come

in roared. "Or I

" she

ick her up and carry her out, or call in a couple of big strong men from out

mpting, but your appraisal of Miss Graham's temperament was faulty. Now you're stuck. You won't get the contradictions you're after. Miss Nest would be a s

telling Miss Nest not

plain. It would appear that you have only two alternatives:

." Nest got op. "Come on, Miss Nest. I'm taking you down f

r arrest?" Ne

't talk she will be. A

o that, Mr

Ye

ut a wa

circumsta

iss Nest," D

nt it. But this was my client, and he wasn't batting an eye. I admit that it would have had to be something extra fancy, and it was up to me, not him, but I had split the fee with him. So I sat with my jaw set while Clara left

three She took the slip, said, "I won't, and crossed the sill, with Darwin right behi

and Nelly Graham was standing scowling at him. She switched

u tell that Clara was going to driv

then went to the red leather chair and

were working for

I

like it. She did

day that Watson had phoned you to call for him at eight o'clock today, and she asked you to let her go i

opened up, what's

u see her. Did yo

me if I had been close enough. "Oh, for God's sa

lock this evening on, but I'm not going to tell you. Of course you know that the dead body of a woman named Nora Aiden was found in your cab, I am certain that Clara didn't kill her, but she is probably goi

e was meet

ss you off. One you would accept if you were in

ped. "No. You don't know that. All right. But

nce if you will. Did

No

u know

No

ny suspicion

ng-where and when it happened. Did Nora

n't show up. Cla

Nora

lara saw her she wa

t any too bright. If I killed her in my own cab while Clara was driv

s eyes off and on. He grunted. "You to

in front. When Watson hadn't showed at eight-thirty she went to the house and spent ten minutes knocki

. She turned her hands over. "Al

got your temp

with it? To con

he tried to. She phoned you, and got no

lled Ph

at's sett

she had a bad cold and he was afraid he would catch it. He put the body in the

ora well? Who an

killed her, at that. About a year ago she started scattering remarks

r? I mean of rem

Ye

left your place around half past seven and about an hour later you we

ked back home, and two cops were there waiting for me. They were dumb enough to ask me first where my cab was, and I said I supposed it was in the garage. When they said no, it wa

No

saw her I told him. Since I had no idea what had happened I thought that was safest, but I said I hadn't to

. How well do you k

ith her big, brown, well-spaced eyes. "Are my ears

at's

let h

ed him. How well

is yearning for him it had better go soak its head, because first he's married and his wife has claws, and second, wh

s he? What d

t, but he doesn't look it.

s going to drive your cab and why. She wanted to know what he thought