5 Detective Novels Magazine Cover — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

16 FIVE DETECTIVE NOVELS MAGAZINE els. The killer simply walked upstairs, entered her room, probably with a gun, which kept her in line until he could slip the garrote around her neck. I wonder if you have any thoughts about people who might have a reason to kill your wife?” “I’m afraid I don’t, Inspector,” Ted answered. “Elizabeth was far from be- ing a saint, but—” Dut. the inspector finished for him, “you don’t think she made enemies who would set out to strangle her cold- bloodedly.” Ted shook his head. “No.” . “When we first got here,” Malotte said, changing his attack abruptly, “I asked you if someone else lived in the house. You told me a cousin roomed in the basement ?” “Yes,” answered Ted. cousin, Steve Milner.” “Been living with you long?” the de- tective wanted to know. “Four of five months.” | “Did he get along with your wife?” “As near as I can tell,” replied Ted. “He helped her a lot around the house, took care of the yard for us.” “Ts there any reason why he did that kind of work, Mr. Owen. I. mean, couldn’t he hold a regular job?” “He isn’t ready for a job,” Ted shot back defensively. “He came to us straight from the hospital. You’ll find this out anyway, so I might as well tell you. Steve was a mental case. Until a few months ago, he was still fighting the Japs.” “How come you're looking out for him, Mr. Owen?” asked Malotte. “You say he’s your second cousin. That’s not a very close relationship.” “Steve dragged me back from Bloody Nose Ridge on Palau,” Ted remarked grimly. “We were in the same outfit— the 81st. Drafted together. He:saw. me get it. A rifle shot in the chest:, Steve pulled me out of there. 1 was. through with the war. Steve stayed in, made one invasion too many.” His eyes felt hot. He was nearer to erying than he’d been all evening. when he finished. He _ blurted, “That . close enough for you, Inspector? ” “It’ll do,” Inspector Malotte said quietly. “But look, Owen. You told me “My second when you found your wife’s body, you checked on Steve. He wasn’t in his room. Do you know where he might be. I’d like to talk to him.” “I haven’t the foggiest -notion. I thought maybe he’d gone to a movie, a double feature. But—” Ted glanced at his watch. It was one-thirty. He shrugged— “I guess. it’s too late for that now.’ “You don’t think he could’ve—” In- spector Malotte indicated Elizabeth’s room upstairs with a motion of his head. “T am positive he didn’t,” stated Ted. “Positive.” ‘ “He was a psycho,” Malotte reminded im. Ted Owen nodded. “Yeah. But He never was violent, Inspector. Just the opposite. He'd have periods when he’d be perfectly normal; then something would snap, and he’d try to hide under things, the bed or a table. He thought he was being strafed.” | : “Isn’t there a chance he’d turn ag- gressive?” asked the detective. “You'll have to talk to his doctor for an opinion on that,” Ted told him. — “Thanks ,” said Inspector Malotte. “I intend to. What’s the doetor’s name?” Ted gave it to him. “Okay,” said Malotte, closing his pocket notebook. “I believe the situa- tion’s covered. If Steve should return,” he added, walking to the door, “get in touch with me. In the meantime, we'll see if we can pick him up.’ “Look, Inspector,” Ted remarked as Malotte reached the door, “this may sound a little strange coming from me— but if your men contact Steve, do me.a favor. Don’t let them push him around. I don’t think it’d do him any good, and it might set him back.” “We'll give Steve every break we can,” Malotte promised. Ted watched the homicide inspector jog down the front steps and climb in a car. Standing in the lighted doorway, he felt suddenly very alone. The house was quiet, empty. Elizabeth’s body had been taken away; the police technicians had finished their work and were gone as were the reporters, the ambulance men. All the confusion had stopped in the hollow note of the door’s closing. The sound still echoed in the quiet hallway. CoOnniclooo SJ (CC) mM