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Title: The Pin Up Girl Murders (1944)Author: Laurence Donovan* A Project Gutenberg of Australia eBook *eBook No.: 0603961h.htmlEdition: 1Language: EnglishCharacter set encoding: Latin-1(ISO-8859-1)--8 bitDate first posted: July 2006Date most recently updated: November 2024This eBook was produced by: Richard ScottProject Gutenberg of Australia eBooks are created from printed editionswhich are in the public domain in Australia, unless a copyright noticeis included. We do NOT keep any eBooks in compliance with a particularpaper edition.Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check thecopyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing thisfile.This eBook is made available at no cost and with almost no restrictionswhatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the termsof the Project Gutenberg of Australia License which may be viewed online athttp://gutenberg.net.au/licence.html
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LIEUTENANT DON KEMP stood with his hands clenched in cold fury.His rooms, including the blueprint draughting office, appeared tobe in perfect order. But Don Kemp's precise, orderly mind and eyetold him that his quarters had been thoroughly ransacked, althoughevery article apparently had been restored to its place.
From habit Don Kemp's slate gray eyes went to the unusual"pin-up girl" on the wall above his drawing table. His eyes becamecolder and he uttered an oath through clenched teeth.
Now the pin-up girl certainly was not such as to arouse theanger of a red blooded lieutenant of army engineers. The scantysarong of the pin-up picture proved that she had everything themost discriminating male might demand, from her massed golden hairto slender ankles and tiny feet.
"Smile, blast you, smile!" exploded Kemp audibly. "So my shy,little Tina will be far from the old home town tonight. Yeah! Inperson! To show off her pin-up charms to all the other boys of thesteenth engineer corps! An' I placed you special, before I foundout half the wolves in the company had the same picture!
In the meantime, my dear Tina, besides bringing sweet dreams toa whole pack of wolves, you've been faithfully guarding the planswhich may alter the whole outcome of the war and shorten itstime."
The lieutenant engineer spoke with confidence. For it appearedobvious that the recent prowler had been seeking other valuables,or, if the tank prints was the objective, it had been missed.Otherwise two rooms overlooking the white beach and the Atlanticwould not have been so thoroughly searched.
"My beloved Tina!" he muttered again through set teeth, as hetouched the apparently immovable and pasted black cardboard and itslid to one side. "Tina who has become the pet of the engineers,and who—"
The come-on eyes of the golden-haired girl still seemed to bewatching him as the black background slid to one side. Her fixedsmile was unchanged even as Kemp bit off his words, jerked a handto the wall, and then started swearing low and steadily.
"Gone?" His gasped exclamation was a question, as if he couldnot believe it "Gone! They've got the tank plans!"
THE wall safe he himself had installed behind the cardboard ofthe pin-up girl had a sliding door. He saw that its combination hadbeen solved by an expert. The blueprints vital to all of the testsnow being carried on by the --th corps were in alien hands.
Don Kemp slipped the pin-up girl back into place instinctivelyas he heard footsteps outside his door. Ragged nerves sent his handfumbling at his revolver holster. The thieving spy would scarcelybe returning, but Kemp's brain was seething that such a theft couldhave been accomplished.
He was compelled to recall that there were civilian employeesabout the big beach hotel given over to the engineering unit. Ofcourse, all had been checked and double-checked for loyalty. Butthis war had developed some strange and dangerous enemies, evenamong those who could prove American birth.
When the steps halted and there was a quick rap at the door, DonKemp said, "Come in!"
Red-headed, round-faced "Legs" McCarthy, the corps photographer,pushed his good-natured countenance into the crack of the door. DonKemp was still standing under the replaced pin-up girl, his leanface darkened by his scowl of suspicion and rage.
McCarthy was the only man in the outfit who came from Kemp'ssmall home town of Centerville. The cameraman's face cracked into abroad grin as he saw Kemp's position and the storm of anger in hiseyes.
"Holy gosh, Don!" exclaimed McCarthy, neglecting any formalsalute. "You still burnin' up over Tina winnin' that big pin-upgirl contest an' gettin' her picture in the papers an' pinned upall over the place? Jeeminee! An' with Captain Morgan's girl allout for you! I'd think you'd know that most of the gals thatpromised to wait have been spreading that same hooey aroundto—"
"Shut up, Legs!" exclaimed Kemp with an intensity of anger thatrubbed off McCarthy's smile. "You been upstairs long? An' if so,did you see anyone—?"
Don Kemp checked his own raging speech. It had come to him thatthe first report of the tank plans theft must be made to the C. O.Just as quickly it dawned upon him that he did not intend to makethat report at once. Not until he had done some investigating onhis own, while the spy and thief might still be unaware that thetheft had been discovered.
McCarthy slowly recovered his grin.
"Sure, I saw someone who might have come calling with the properescort, Don," he said with a little laugh in his voice. "You missedseeing her then? She's here already for the big show downstairstonight. And I happen to know she asked Captain Morgan if she couldsee Lieutenant Don Kemp. That's why I'm here. Tina—"
"Tina?" grated Kemp. "I'm not seeing her. And I'm not seeing theshow either."
"Look, Don," reasoned McCarthy. "I'm the only guy in the outfitthat knows the now famous pin-up girl, Tina Layton, is also yoursweetheart. I know you were to be married, and that you mailed backher letters unopened after this pin-up publicity came out a monthago. Show some sense, Don."
DON KEMP glanced at the red glow from the sun going down overthe Everglades. Dusk and darkness would settle within a few shortminutes over Biscayne Bay and Miami Beach.
Legs McCarthy stood there uncertainly. It was like this. TinaLayton, small towner from Centerville, the girl he had intended tomarry since high school days, had become a Big Town celebrity. Allbecause of shapely legs and other proper proportions.
Tina Layton had gone to Chicago. She had come out first in aradio "pin-up girl" contest. Don Kemp's memory of her was of a shy,sweet little blonde who had kissed him ardently and promised shewould be waiting.
There was a newspaper column clipping in his wallet. One of thelatest. It read—
BOBBY LANE, PLAYBOY,ALL OUT FOR PIN-UPPERBobby Lane, of the tungsten millions, is being seen around withTina, the BYT radio pin-up winner. One more matrimonial splurgeseems to be in the offing. Tina, the pin-up girl, will make atour of the camps where her saronged person has become well knownby photos colored to life. Bobby will trail along.
Lieutenant Don Kemp responded to Legs McCarthy's advice. In themovie-vaudeville entertainment tonight, Tina Layton was to befeatured in person. Kemp did not desire to see Tina in person. Hehad compelled his surface emotions to believe that was over.
In showing some sense, Kemp said, "Get out, Legs. I've work todo. I'm afraid I'll be too busy to be present in person attonight's blowout. Have a good time, and if Tina talks to you, giveher my best wishes."
That was cold and McCarthy's smile slowly died. Kemp's tone hada razor edge. He was fighting back tearing emotions that insistedupon trying to choke his voice.
There was the theft of the tank blueprints. Kemp had learnedthat the notorious Bobby Lane was accompanying the show. Kemp couldtake it on the chin, he believed. But he was not making a publiceffort at proving it.
"Okay, pal," grunted Legs McCarthy, and closed the door.
Kemp debated briefly. He gave the rooms the quick once-over. Hewas tempted to pull down the pin-up girl's picture and tear it intobits. But he had to show the C. O., Captain Morgan, exactly how thespy robbery had been committed.
Fast semi-tropical darkness was closing in on the dimmed-outbeach and Collins Avenue. Kemp switched on lights and checked therooms.
"That's queer," he said musingly. "The only other thing missingis the Spanish dagger."
He had used the sharp, thin-bladed dagger as a tool for pointmarking on the blueprint desk. The dagger had a duplicate.
Don Kemp passed perhaps ten minutes in self debate. Regulationscalled for an immediate report of the loss of the blueprints. Hewas convinced he was being watched.
"The thief would know when I reported to Captain Morgan," hereasoned aloud. "But if I don't report and appear unconcerned, thespy may think I have not yet found out about the robbery."
A thought hammered in the back of his mind. He alone had plannedthat wall safe behind the picture of the pin-up girl. No othermember of the engineer corps, including Legs McCarthy, knew of itsexistence.
But when it was being contrived, and while Tina Layton was stillthe small town girl waiting for him, he had confided in her. Thathad been on one of his brief furloughs back in Centerville.
Kemp had been given no furlough since that time. The tanktraction plan was considered too important. It was a hard, a meanand a sickening thought that now pounded at his brain.
DETERMINED to avoid the patriotic entertainment for theengineers in the hotel ballroom, Don Kemp knew he must appear asusual. The elevator dropped him ten floors. The civilian operatorwas a colored man who grinned at him.
Kemp decided he must not ask questions. He strolled from theelevator through the lobby. He met Mary Morgan, as if she had beenwaiting for him to appear. She smiled and her dark eyes looked upat him.
"What gives, Don?" said Captain Morgan's vivacious girl child."The show's starting soon, and it isn't the direction you'retaking. Of course, I wasn't asked, but I thought I'd like to have alook-see at this pin-up girl. I hear they've planned a stuntopening the show that is copied after the very artistic settinglittle Miss Pin-up has in your room."
Her oval face was uplifted. Her curved mouth was a smilingchallenge. The depths of her dark eyes nevertheless conveyed a hintof jealous observation. There was a bit of it in her voice.
Don Kemp liked Mary Morgan. But at this moment he wondered whatshe would think if she really knew what was pounding inside hismind.
He had a job to do. Somewhere about the swanky beach hotel hewas convinced the blueprint thief and spy must be lingering. Hecould not get his thoughts off the remembrance that only Tina hadbeen told about the concealed wall safe.
It was true, a thorough enemy agent might have accidently testedthat pin-up picture. That was something he had to know. His idea ofnot attending the ballroom show was changed.
Kemp had not known of his own background for the pin-up girlbeing copied. He had intended to rid himself of the captain'sattractive daughter. On an impulse he gave her his arm.
"We have a date to see the show together," he said gruffly.
"Maybe it's the Miami moon makes grouchy bears out of some men,"chattered Mary Morgan. "Lost something, Don?"
"Naw, c'mon," he grunted, his breath pulling in at the nearnessof her random retort.
He was determined to excuse himself quickly. Mary Morgan laughedmusically.
"You know, Don, at times I've wanted to see these pin-up girlsin person," she said. "Especially this Tina Layton. And there'sthat Bobby Lane, too."
Don Kemp saw a partly bald, baggy-eyed man in youthful clothesnot far from the ballroom doorway. Bobby Lane was rising from achair as they entered.
Because of the sudden outcry from the stage, Kemp did not seeBobby Lane suddenly disappear through a side door. And theexcitement was confined to those nearest the stage.
Kemp had heard of the show manager, the civilian agent who wasmaking the tour of the camps. And he saw him now. A tall andblack-haired man strode quickly to the middle of the stage and hewas signaling with both hands.
"Ring it down, boys!" came the show manager's voice.
His name was Lonny Walsh, according to publicity. Now his tonewas sharp and hard. Mary Morgan gripped Kemp's arm. Apparently shehad seen the same thing he had.
"Don, that isn't funny!" cried out Mary.
IT was not funny. There was an artist's life-size drawing ofTina, the famous pin-up girl. Her shapely person was seeminglyvital and living as it stood out against the black background onwhich the artist had painted his picture.
From golden hair to slender ankles, the figure was one to bringforth an approving applause of the engineers that just as suddenlydied out. That was why Lonny Walsh, the camp show manager, wasringing down the curtain. He ordered all stage lights off.
For the green jade haft of a knife showed distinctly where theblade had been driven into the pin-up picture, just where the heartwould have been in the living person of Tina Layton. "What thedevil?" exploded Kemp, freeing himself from Mary Morgan, "Why, it'smy dagger—!"
The exclamation had been shocked from him. He cut it off asMary's dark eyes widened. But Kemp did not wait. He left Marystaring after him as he wedged his way to the side of the ballroom,and the narrow corridor leading backstage.
The shouting in the ballroom had died out. There were angrymurmurs coming from the men, frightened cries from the WACS andnurses who had come to see the show.
The corridor was darkened. A shadowy figure brushed by Kemp.Instinctively he struck out with a quick, short left punch. A mangrunted and fell down. Kemp kept on going. He had identified LegsMcCarthy as he had fallen.
An electrician and some other stage employees were collected inthe stage wings. Kemp bore down upon them.
"Where's Miss Layton's dressing room?" he inquired.
"That way," pointed a stage hand. "Who're you—what thedevil business—?"
But Don Kemp was not answering questions. He was asking justnow.
He saw a door the hotel management had decorated with a giltstar. He tried the knob and the door was locked. He backed off anddrove at it with one hard shoulder. Metal snapped. The room was alldark. Kemp cupped his cigarette lighter looking for the button. Hekept the light cupped in his hands.
Tina Layton, the pin-up girl, was there. She was alone. As aloneas anyone could be with a green-hafted knife driven into her heart.Her blue eyes were open, unseeing, but they seemed to Kemp to beasking a question—"Why, Don? Why?"
One moment Kemp was down beside the pin-up girl. All she hadbeen wearing was the skimpy sarong. Her body was still beautiful.Her face and her sightless blue eyes were ghastly.
Yet Don Kemp held her in his arms for a few seconds. He scarcelyconsidered the green-handled dagger. He kissed the cold lips, infarewell to the past.
A HAMMERING came at the door he had slammed shut. Kemp snappedto his feet. He moved to one side among a hanging collection ofgarments. The lights flashed on.
Lonny Walsh, the swarthy stage manager was in the doorway,backed up by others.
"For the love of heaven, look!" Lonny Walsh's voice trembled."It wasn't just a show stunt. It's true."
Kemp edged slowly toward two big wardrobe trunks.
"The same kind of green jade dagger!" exclaimed Lonny Walsh."Someone on this stage—no—Tina had that kind of astabber! What does it mean?"
Don Kemp crouched, considering his next move. The twin Spanishdaggers, of Chinese origin probably, had been the gift of an uncle.Don had been in a laughing mood the night he had put a stone uponTina's finger and one of the twin daggers in her hand.
He had said then, "Here's my heart, Tina. You can bind it to youor use the knife."
She had been unwilling to accept the twin dagger. She had beenshy, clinging to him.
He had said, "Every time you see the dagger, you will know itsmate is on my desk. You will think of me. It's a swell letteropener."
Far away and long ago that seemed.
Lonny Walsh stood with clenched fists. Beside him was the fussy,elegant dresser, Carlos Carnes, civilian assistant manager of thehotel who had remained as a director of other than armyactivities.
Carnes was rubbing his hand along a thin nose. His light hairappeared to bristle and his mouth quivered.
Several others of the traveling entertainers were crowding intothe room. Lonny Walsh waved them back with a soulful oath. LegsMcCarthy, one eye swollen, forced his way through the crowd to theinside.
Lonny Walsh was bending down, looking at the death dagger.
"Not a chance of fingerprints," he said. "The jade haft's allcarved into little figures."
Carlos Carnes rubbed the back of a hand across his mouth. Heseemed to have all the natural instincts of a hotel man, even ifthe army was in possession.
"Can't the army keep this from being smeared all over?" saidCarnes. "It'll be remembered when the hotel's turned back."
Carnes' interest in the dead girl, her body still warm andlovely, was purely business, it appeared.
"Look!" said an entertainer. "Wasn't there a little light like amatch or something beside the body when we came in?"
That had been Don Kemp's cigarette lighter.
"Sure thing, and the shock almost made me forget it," said LonnyWalsh. "Tina was killed in the past few minutes. It must have beenthe killer."
"If it was," said Carlos Carnes, "he could be mixing up rightnow with the crowd. There was a small light and a man's figure.Seeing the girl and that same dagger that was on the stage a fewminutes ago made me forget it."
Baldish Bobby Lane thrust others aside and came in.
Bobby Lane's eyes were bagged and his thick lips were too loose.But he appeared to have genuine grief.
He cried out with an oath, then he was on the floor, one armaround the dead girl's shoulders.
"Who's the killer—?" then Bobby Lane barely touched thetip of the dagger haft. "That stabber!" he cried out "Tina had onelike it. She said it was a twin to a dagger owned by some engineernamed Kemp, Lieutenant Don Kemp, I think. She's—"
Bobby Lane's voice broke convincingly.
"—the only girl I've ever really loved."
DON KEMP swore silently, holding to his hiding place behind thetrunks. He knew that Bobby Lane had already had four wives andconsiderable other newspaper notice of woman troubles.
A pair of tough M.P.s used their clubs to get through theroom.
"Get away from her, buddy!" rapped one at Bobby Lane. "Nobody'sto touch anything. What's that about the dagger belonging toLieutenant Don Kemp?"
"Yeah, Tina had one of a pair Kemp had given her," repeatedBobby Lane vindictively. "I demand Kemp's immediate arrest."
"But, Bobby," countered Tony Walsh. "It's the same as the daggersomeone stabbed into the heart of our life-size pin-up picture.Perhaps a search of the room—"
"You'll leave that to the regular cops, mister!" ordered oneM.P. "This isn't a part of the show. It's murder and in the city ofMiami Beach!"
Apparently it had not occurred to anyone that the man seen withthe light could still be hidden in the room. Kemp's eyes strayed tothe dressing table close beside his hideout trunks. A gold, beadedhandbag lay there. He noticed that its clasp was open as if themurderer might already have explored its contents.
Or it could have been left that way as Tina made up for theshow.
Kemp decided he had to take a chance. If he could reach out andsnatch the handbag without being detected, there was a possibilitythat it might contain some hint of a motive for killing the pin-upgirl.
An overalled stage hand spoke up then from the back of thecrowd.
"Heard you say that knife was the same as was in that pin-uppicture on the stage," he said. "Maybe it's the same one. Anywaywhile the lights was out that knife was grabbed by somebody an' weain't seen it since."
"When the city cops get here, we'll pay a visit to Don Kemp'squarters," said one M.P.
Legs McCarthy spoke almost viciously.
"Kemp isn't there! That's where I got this eye!" I met him inthe stage corridor an' he slammed me one!"
"What the devil—!" thought Kemp. "Why—that's mydagger!"
"And what were you doing back here?"
Tony Walsh's black eyes glittered and he was quick.
"Why—well, you see Tina Layton comes from my home town,"said McCarthy, the corps cameraman. "I was back here, yes, but herdoor was locked and she didn't answer. I was going back out frontwhen Lieutenant Kemp rushed me and slammed me one."
All interest was for seconds centered upon Legs McCarthy. Kempsaw his chance. He possessed the beaded handbag with cat-likequickness.
Homicide men of the city police were coming in.
"Thomas McCarthy,--th U. S. Army Engineers,Per Government Island,New York City:"
Kemp had no opportunity to open a letter. But the situation wasclear enough. Postmarks showed that Legs McCarthy had been writingregularly to Tina Layton, all letters addressed to Chicago.
"Of all the double-crossing heels—" Kemp whispered it.
Then he stopped. What might Tina have written to McCarthy?Evidently she had been wildly ambitious. Perhaps she was onlyplaying Bobby Lane for a sucker.
Kemp wondered how many war bond purchases might have gone intochoosing the winner of the pinup contest?
A SERGEANT REARDON was in charge of the city homicide squad.Getting a quick review from the M.P.s, Reardon demanded, "Find thisLieutenant Don Kemp. Don't waste time!"
A musical, angry voice came from the doorway. Kemp risked beingseen and had a glimpse of pretty, dark-eyed Mary Morgan.
"Lieutenant Kemp was with me outside when this—this pin-upgirl was killed!" she announced. "How about asking Bobby Lane somequestions? I saw him go toward the stage just before the curtainwent up on that dagger in the pin-up picture."
Bobby Lane turned toward her his mouth twisting.
"That's a blasted lie!" he mouthed. "I was outside when thecurtain went up, and went into the hotel lobby to make a phonecall."
"We'll check with the switchboard operator," said SergeantReardon.
"I used the public dial phone in a booth and didn't contact theoperator," hastily supplied Bobby Lane. "Why would I want to killthe girl I intended to marry?"
"On the records you drop 'em fast!" snapped hardboiled SergeantReardon. "Maybe she had somethin' on you, Lane. One of you takeover her things. Where's her handbag? A dame like her always hasenough in one to fill a trunk."
Two minutes later the searchers announced that the murderer musthave taken the handbag.
Kemp thought, if Legs McCarthy happened to be the man, he wouldhave taken his letters at least.
Then, holding them in his hand, Kemp noticed a few words writtenacross an envelope in Tina's scrawly hand. As he was reading thebrief sentence in amazement, Captain Morgan came in.
Mary Morgan was still in the doorway. Kemp heard the C.O.'slow-voiced command to the girl.
"Go home—don't make a fool of yourself overKemp—we've been in his rooms—that dagger he always usedon the draughting table is not there—"
Kemp was still digesting Tina's scrawled writing.
"If anything happens to me, it's because I talked too much toBobby and Tony about how I would surprise them with what my pin-uppicture is hiding in Don Kemp's—"
That was all. The girl might have been interrupted in herscribbling. But clearly she must have had a hunch that she was indanger. She could only have told Bobby Lane and Tony Walsh aboutthe safe behind her pin-up picture, thought Kemp.
And that stunt of the dagger thrust into the life-size pin-updrawing on the stage? Kemp squinted to study the face and small,beady eyes of Tony Walsh.
What a throw-off alibi, virtually spoiling his show, thatstabbing of a pin-up picture might have been!
This Sergeant Reardon was tops at picking out what might turnout to be his meat. He rasped an order.
"Clear the room, boys! You, Walsh, Carnes, Bobby Lane, and thisgirl with Don Kemp's alibi, stick here! Don't any of the rest ofyou leave the hotel!"
The room was being cleared, except for those the police sergeanthad named. Kemp was surprised that Legs McCarthy had not beenincluded with the others told to stick.
The police medical examiner was doing his stuff. The fingerprintboys were completely balked. The dagger haft was too rough toretain impressions. Virtually everything else in the dressing roommight have been touched by any number of persons.
The C.O., Captain Morgan, started to exercise his right. Murderwas under civil law. But this hotel was military reservation.
"My daughter will go to her room and be on call, SergeantReardon," declared Captain Morgan. "She isn't mixed up in this,except by the accidental meeting with Lieutenant Kemp."
Kemp's whole attention was drawn to the girl's flashing eyes andthe quality of her sudden defiance.
"I'm staying right here, father," she declared. "They are tryingto put something onto Don Kemp. It's my place beside him, if he isfound. You see, this is all foolishness. I'm sorry for Tina Layton,but Don had given her up weeks ago. Don and I expect to announceour engagement."
KEMP really saw Mary Morgan then for the first time. Slim andstraight, lovely and daring, she faced her father. Kemp uttered aninward groan. He knew now that this girl had been growing upon him,in spite of his bitterness over Tina's sudden selfish ambition thathad made her another person—a pin-up girl.
"Okay, miss!" growled Reardon. "Clear 'em out! You stay, if youinsist. Captain Morgan, the circumstances fit Lieutenant Kempfairly straight. We'll have to hold him when he is brought in."
The room was clearing. The murdered Tina's scrawled words tookon sudden, vital importance. Kemp realized that any one of fourpersons still in this room, although Legs McCarthy was trailing outslowly behind the others, might be the killer.
And one or a pair or more could be involved in the theft of thetank plans from his room.
Tony Walsh and Bobby Lane evidently had been told too much byTina about his hidden safe.
Legs McCarthy had been secretly corresponding with Tina. Had hemade that double-crossing play for the girl, or for what hebelieved she might know?
Kemp's position could not be maintained much longer. It had beensheer audacity that had kept him behind the big trunks. He must getout, be free to put a finger upon the killer and the thief who hadstolen the tank plans.
As the space cleared about the dead girl, the idea came. Kemplooked at the small, brass square around the light button onlyeight or ten feet away.
"It's one chance and a long one," he whispered.
He slid his army .45 into his hand. Always a crack shot, he hadno doubt what he could do to that light button and the wiresconnected with it.
Then he fixed the position of everyone in the room.
Legs McCarthy was just going through the door, slowly, as ifthere was something here that he wanted. It could be thoseletters.
Bobby Lane was standing beside Tony Walsh, his apparentlymournful eyes upon Tina's body. Black-eyed Tony Walsh seemed to bestudying everyone who went through the doorway. Carlos Carnes, thecivilian manager, was rubbing at his nose in a worried way.
Captain Morgan and Mary were to one side. The C.O. was red-facedwith anger and talking in a low tone to the livid girl. She wasshaking her head with firm determination. Don Kemp lifted the armygun slowly. The explosion of the .45 was like a crack of thunder inthat small room. There was a blue flash from the wall. Then therewas almost instant and impenetrable darkness.
Kemp dropped, crawling a few feet, coming up and diving asSergeant Reardon roared out an oath. "Dumbheads! Get him! Thekiller's been here all the time!" Reardon's own Police Positivemust have cracked and Captain Morgan called out. "Stop that!Someone will be killed! Block the door!" Don Kemp made a long diveto where Legs McCarthy was just departing. His hooked arm broughtthe cameraman of the corps crashing down.
But there was a concerted rush for the door. As McCarthy fell,cursing wildly, a man screamed hoarsely. His death agony was almostlike that of an animal.
Sergeant Reardon blazed a flashlight across the room. Kemp letgo of McCarthy and rolled. He saw Bobby Lane on the floor withblood pumping from his ripped throat. The millionaire playboy wasspeechless now and would be dead in seconds.
Tall Tony Walsh had half fallen over the dying man. Kemp'ssmashing bullet had torn the wiring and blown a fuse. The outsidecorridor was all in darkness.
Kemp let go of McCarthy and came up. He smashed a left to TonyWalsh's chin. But as Walsh fell, Kemp saw the pudgy white hand thatthrust the jade-hafted dagger into Walsh's pocket. The dagger hadbeen snatched from the pin-up girl's heart.
Kemp smacked the barrel of his gun across the teeth of CarlosCarnes, the civilian manager. As the man went down, Kemp whirled,talking, with Reardon and three other coppers covering him withtheir guns.
"Lieutenant Kemp reporting, sir!" he snapped at Captain Morgan."Plans two-four-three were stolen by one of these three men thisafternoon! The blood on Carlos Carnes' hand shows who knifed BobbyLane, possibly because he was afraid he would talk. Before I'munder arrest, I would suggest Carnes' rooms and all of the baggageof Bobby Lane and Tony Walsh be searched."
BEFORE he submitted the scribbled words of Tina, the pin-upgirl, Don Kemp separated the envelope from the other letters ofLegs McCarthy. McCarthy stared at Kemp as the lieutenant made aswift pass of the letters to him, and then reversed his gun andhanded it to Sergeant Reardon.
A little later, Tony Walsh cleared himself. The tank plans wereunearthed from under a rug in Carlos Carnes' office.
"Tina told us about a hidden safe behind her pinup picture,"explained Tony Walsh. "I tried to stop her. Bobby Lane's reputedfortune has dwindled to nothing. But he had been getting regularremittances.
"Bobby Lane was being paid as an Axis agent. I knew he wasalready acquainted with Carlos Carnes, here at the hotel. As soonas that stage stabbing stunt and the murder loomed up, I wasconvinced either Bobby Lane or Carnes was the killer. I kept quietfor the time, waiting to see how the frame-up might be pinned uponLieutenant Kemp.
"I congratulate you, lieutenant, on being smarter and quickerthan these Axis stooges. I've an idea Carnes killed Bobby Lane andTina. He would figure that Kemp would know or guess where theinformation had come from about his hidden safe. No doubt Carneswas planning to take quick leave of this place."
"You're all technically under arrest," announced SergeantReardon a little later. "However, we have checked with the F.B.I.,and they are fairly certain Carnes is one of the Axis agents whoslipped out of their trap up in Detroit nearly a year ago."
Don Kemp faced the C.O. a short time after that.
"I should have you up and drummed out for keeping pricelessinformation to yourself," grunted Captain Morgan. Then his ruggedface cracked into a grin.
"However, if what Mary says is true, I'll guarantee you'll neveragain hide anything behind the picture of a pin-up girl," added theC.O. "By the way, Mary is waiting up for you. After what she hadbeen through, I ordered her to get to bed. So she's waiting up. Myboy, Mary doesn't take orders and I've never known her to miss whatshe goes after."
Don Kemp smiled a little. He snapped a salute and stepped outinto the room where Mary was waiting, her dark eyes lifted to meethim.
Don Kemp heard Captain Morgan mutter, faintly, "An' may the goodgods have mercy on your soul."
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