crease was showing on Brown's forehead. 'I , believe I do,' he stated.
asking you'-to try. Try hard.' ^ Hence. Brown pursed his Mps and the crease in his deepened. Family he said, 'I may not have right there at the moment. In those aisles--in a ' lake that--we weren't rubbing elbows continu '. - ' .-.'.
STou do remember when she excused herself be BPBhe wasn't feeling well?'
s, of course.'
STell,- this moment I'm asking about came shortly that. She exchanged looks with some man f, and it was her reaction to that that made Mrs. ask her what was the matter. What I'm interim is that exchange of looks. If you saw it and can it, and can describe the man she exchanged IWith, I wouldn't give a damn if you stripped Mrs. i dean and ten more like her.' hdidn't see it.' didn't.'
Ijfc' - ' . :' ' ' ' '
188 Rex Stoat
'For me,' Cramer went on, 'the point is that for quite a period you have been closely connected with this Miss Brown, associating with her in a confidential operation. You must have had many intimate conversations with her. You were having her with you as your sister, and she wasn't, and she's been murdered. We could give you merry hell on that score alone.'
Brown had no use for his tongue. His face said no comment.
'It'll never be too late to give you hell,' Cramer assured him, 'but I wanted to give you a chance first. For two months you've been on intimate terms with Cynthia Brown. She certainly must have mentioned an experience she had last October. A friend of hers named Doris Hatten was murdered--strangled. Cynthia Brown had information about the murderer which she kept to herself; if she had come out with it she'd be alive now. She must have mentioned that to you; you can't tell me she didn't. She must have told you all about it. Now you can tell me. If you do we can nail him for what he did here today, and it might even make things a little smoother for you. Well?'
Brown had pursed his lips. They straightened out again, and his hand came up for a finger to scratch his cheek.
'I'm sorry,' he said.
'For what?'
'I'm sorry I can't help.'
'Do you expect me to believe that during all those weeks she never mentioned the murder of her friend Doris Hatten?'
'I'm sorry I can't help.'
Cramer got out another cigar and rolled it between his palms, which was wasted energy since he didn't intend to draw smoke through it. Having seen him do
Curtains for Three 189
Is before, I knew what it meant. He still thought he lit get something from this customer and was tak
: out to control himself. 'I'm sorry too,' he said, trying not to make it a 1. 'But she must have told you something of her evious career, didn't she?' 'I'm sorry.' Brown's tone was firm and final. 'Okay. We'll move on to this afternoon. On that you I you'd answer fully and freely. Do you remember a ent when something about Cynthia Brown's ap-nce--some movement she made or the expres-on her face--caused Mrs. Orwin to ask her what i the matter with her?'
crease was showing on Brown's forehead. 'I a't believe I do,' he stated.
I'm asking you to try. Try hard.' s Silence. Brown pursed his lips and the crease in his deepened. Finally he said, 'I may not have right there at the moment. In those aisles--in a Kke that--we weren't rubbing elbows continuity.'
roll do remember when she excused herself be she wasn't feeling well?' | 'Yes, of course.'
;'Well, this moment I'm asking about came shortly that. She exchanged looks with some man by, and it was her reaction to that that made Mrs. ask her what was the matter. What I'm inter l in is that exchange of looks. If you saw it and can aember it, and can describe the man she exchanged i with, I wouldn't give a damn if you stripped Mrs.
clean and ten more like her.' 'I didn't see it.' 'You didn't.' 'No.'
190 Rex Stoat
'You didn't say you're sorry.'
'I am, of course, if it would help--'
'To hell with you!' Cramer banged his fist on the table so hard the trays danced. 'Levy! Take him out and tell Stebbins to send him down and lock him up. Material witness. Put more men on him. He's got a record somewhere. Find it!'
'I wish to phone my attorney,' Brown said quietly but emphatically.
'There's a phone down where you're going,' Levy told him. 'If it's not out of order. This way, Colonel.'
As the door closed behind them Cramer glared at me as if daring me to say that I was sorry too. Letting my face show how bored I was, I remarked casually, 'If I could get in the office I'd show you a swell book on disguises; I forget the name of it. The world record is sixteen years--a guy in Italy fooled a brother and two cousins who had known him well. So maybe you ought to--'
Cramer turned from me rudely and said, 'Gather up, Murphy. We're leaving.' He shoved his chair back, stood up, and shook his ankles to get his pants legs down. Levy came back in, and Cramer addressed him. 'We're leaving. Everybody out. To my office. Tell Stebbins one man out front will be enough--no, 111 tell him--'
'There's one more, sir.'
