Death Wears a White Gardenia by Popkin Zelda

Author:Popkin, Zelda [Popkin, Zelda]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Boson Books
Published: 2003-07-22T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XIII

In spite of her breathless start, Inspector Heinsheimer and his two feminine companions arrived at Tony's ten minutes later than the time set for their midday rendezvous with the elusive William Smith. You can credit their tardiness to the inexplicable behavior of Peggy Manton, buyer of silk lingerie. You can even call it her stupidity, if you like. Peggy entered the scene just as the detectives were rushing forth to Tony's. When they encountered her she was strolling leisurely down to the office of the chief detective in the basement, a man's overcoat on her arm and a tan cowhide suitcase and man's felt hat in her hand.

"I'm bringing these down to Mr. Whittaker," Peggy Manton told them casually. "I thought some of these things might be Mr. McAndrew's."

A flood of exclamations and expostulations greeted her.

"Wait a minute," she protested. "What's all the excitement? I didn't fly the Atlantic or marry the mayor. Mollie Bernstein and I found these this morning. Where? Try to guess, darlings. We weren't on the roof or in the furnace room. We don't go roaming around. The hat and the overcoat were lying on Mollie's counter. Just as if somebody put them down and forgot them. Mollie stuck them under her counter, till she'd have a chance to take them to the lost and found department. But she didn't have a chance. In case you don't know it, gal, let me remind you there's an anniversary sale on. We've been doing business. We were rushed, sister! Mollie told me about finding the hat and coat, and when I had a chance, I looked at it. I saw the initials A. McA., and I realized the things might have been McAndrew's and somebody would want to get hold of them. Why didn't I tell the police? Just because I wanted to bring them myself, darlings, to have the thrill of playing a part in a big murder mystery. And that's on the level.

"They were lying on the counter," she continued, "about ten feet from the door to the back passage where you found McAndrew's body. Mollie says, when she saw them, they just looked as though the person that owned them had thought of something else he wanted to do, and had put his things down until he did it....She thought someone had left them there this morning. The suitcase? Oh, the suitcase is different. Do you know?" (She lowered her voice to a whisper.) "I think there must have been crooks in the store last night. Don't look at me so funny. I really think so. I found that suitcase in a dressing room—the dressing room nearest to that back door. And it was full of our best silk stuff—night-gowns, chemises—nearly a thousand dollars' worth of stuff....When did I find it? Just after I came down this morning....Don't look at me like that, Mary! You didn't ask me that at all. You asked me whether anything was missing. And I said no. Nothing was. It was all there, and I had put it back.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.