Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, December 1956 — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

this visit as short as possible?” I remained standing. “Tl try, ma’am.” I looked at the pile of hand-written manuscript on_ her desk. “You’re an author ?” “I’m a writer,” she sighed wear- ily. “There’s a difference.” “And Mr. Burns is your agent?” “He j is. 9 “Tust ... where does Mr. Car- ver fit in?” 3 | “Tod? He’s...my fiancee. Why?” I shrugged. “Just trying to get the picture.” “Have you got it now?” “T think I have,” I told her. “Good.” “There was a party here last night?” I asked. “You could call it that.” “And it broke up about mid- night?” “About then. If you know all the answers, why ask me?” “After the party, you went to your room?” Rae did. 9 “Did you go to sleep at once?” “T bathed, read a little first.” “Did you hear any unusual noises during the night?” “T did not.” “You were up early today?” “About seven, I think. Mrs. Don- ald awakened me.” _ “Did you see the body?” “Yes. The ... the Chief took us into the death-room and asked us to view the remains.” “Had you ever seen the dead DEATH OF A TRAMP woman before this morning?” “Hardly.” “I think that’s about all, Miss Everly. Sorry I had to disturb you.” “Don’t mention it. Close the door softly on your way out.” Tod Carver was in the bath- room, shaving. He was naked from the waist up. He was a leanly well- built, well-tanned young man with a smooth, hairless chest. I found myself agreeing with Ed. He did come very close to being pretty. I asked him the usual questions, studying his manner and _ trying to evaluate his reactions. He seemed bored, his answers were careless. “Then the first you knew of the dead woman was when you were awakened this morning?” “That was the first I knew she was dead.” Maybe the surprise showed in my face. “You’d known her be- fore?” “Td seen her around.” “Any place in particular?” He rinsed his razor. “The Rod and Gun Club.” He shrugged. “That other gin mill west of town. I forget the name.” “The Saddle Club?” “That’s it. The Saddle Club.” “Ever date her?” “Once or twice,” he admitted. “Ever make her?” I asked him. He looked at_me and smiled, “Once or twice.” “That could turn out to be quite 31 EOPMICGLOOCKS.(-6©)