keep a file of them, but from what I see, you ain’t going to be in charge here.”
“No,” Paris said.
“That’s what I thought. That Coyne and the Commissioner, they’re cosy, them two. Everybody can see what’s going on. If Coyne solves this case he’s going to get himself covered with glory.” Kay hesitated. “Maybe I’m talking out of turn but I’ll say it anyway. I kind of heard them talking this morning. They’ve got you here to run interference for Coyne. But if he don’t come up with anything, they’re going to let you take the rap for it. Did you know that, Inspector?”
Paris nodded his head. “Yes,” he said.
“Then it ain’t no surprise to you. You’re not going to do anything about it?”
“No,” Paris said. “You see, I was a friend of Dan Hallmark’s.”
“Then that makes a difference,” Kay said. “I met Dan Hallmark a couple of times. He was a good cop, Inspector.”
“Yes,” Paris said. “And a good friend. That’s why I’d appreciate it if you’d give me a briefing, Chief. I’d like to know about these Endicotts.”
“Sure,” Kay said. “Maybe we’d better get under those roses where there’s some shade. That sun is plenty strong.” He went in under the arbor. Paris followed him. Kay reached into his breast pocket and took out a pack of tiny Hack cigars. He offered one to Paris. Paris shook his head. The Chief lit up. He took off his cap, rubbed his sparse gray hair.
“Well,” he said, “the one who was killed was Charles Endicott, Junior. Mr. Charles we always called him. Everybody called him Mr. Charles, even when he was a little shaver. That’s because his father died when he was very young. The Endicotts owned almost all of White Sands Beach then, as well as the Point. Gave the beach away to the town, they did. They built the jetties so we’d get some nice sand. They built the wharf and the boat basin and the breakwater. Gave money every year to the Improvement Association. You couldn’t ask for finer civic-minded people. Mr. Charles was a handsome young fellow. About your age, Inspector. Tall like you, your shoulders. He was a good boy. Never showed his money.” He stopped and shook his head. “Too bad he had to go and get killed like that. But that’s what the Endicotts were like.”
“Was Mr. Endicott married?” Paris asked.
“No. He was engaged. The girl’s name is Karen Wyman. She’s been staying at the house here.”
“Who else was at the house last night?”
“Mrs. Endicott. She’s Mr. Charles’s mother. Then they’ve got two people in the servants’ wing. Elizabeth and Henry Davis. Elizabeth is the housekeeper and her husband is the handy man. They’ve also got a cook who comes in days.”
“Who else do the Endicotts know here at the beach?”
“The Endicotts never socialized much. Only a few friends. There’s George Hanft, their lawyer. He owns a big house on the beach. Then there’s an artist named Walter Almieda. He was a friend of Mr. Charles. He has a cottage on the beach too. Then, of course, there’s Mr. Noble. He’s staying at the White Sands Apartments. He ain’t really a friend. He works for the Endicotts.”
“What kind of work?” Paris asked.
“He’s a curator over at the Eastern City Art Museum. That’s where they have the Endicott Collection of Asiatic Art. This Mr. Noble handles it. The Endicotts have a big name in art.”
“I know,” Paris said. “All right, let’s get back to last night. I understand you were the first police official at the scene. Maybe you can tell me what happened.”
“Well, I guess I can. But don’t you have it in the report?”
“Yes. But I’d like to hear your version too.”
“Thanks,” Kay said. “I appreciate that. Nobody else yet has wanted me to talk about it. Last night, being Monday night, I was playing cards over at the White Sands Apartments. That’s owned by Eddie Hansen and he’s the chairman of the board of selectmen. We play poker over there every Monday night. It’s only a penny-ante game, but we’ve been playing there in Apartment Eleven for years now. I was holding a king-high flush and I was just about to give the pot a little bump. Al Coats came busting in to yell that Mr. Charles had been killed.”
“Who is Al Coats?”
“He’s my special. He’s a good kid. I work him nights during the summer season. He rides the car around. Coats told me the operator called him on the car telephone that Mr. Charles and another man were reported dead. He was patrolling the lower end of the beach then. He came and told me. I left the card game.”
“What time was it then?”
“Almost five past nine. I didn’t sound the siren. I put on the red spot blinker I have on the roof of the car and I took Al Coats with me and got over to the Endicott house. I saw Mr. Charles on the floor of the library and next to him, all huddled up, I recognized Dan Hallmark. They were both dead. I left young Coats guarding the library and I went into the hall and telephoned the Newgate Barracks.”
“And you didn’t touch anything?”
“I’m only a country cop,” Kay said. “I wouldn’t go in and putter around. I know better than that.”
“Where was Hallmark’s gun?”
“That’s what I looked to see first. It was in his holster and it hadn’t been fired. No, sir, that gun never left his holster.”
“Now Coyne has something else down. He says on the way to the Endicott house you met no cars. But you did see a small boat with an outboard motor. It was coming into the boat basin.”
“Yes,” Kay said, fingering his belt holster. “To tell the truth, I didn’t give it a thought then. I couldn’t see who was in the boat and I was anxious to get over to the house. Then Coyne tells me that the killer was in that boat and that I muffed it. I had the killer and I didn’t know it.”
“But you had no way of knowing,” Paris said.
“But I had him. That’s what gripes me.” He shook his head sadly. “I still don’t know what Dan Hallmark was doing there.”
“I’m going to tell you that,” Paris said. “But first, let’s get the time straightened out. You say it was about five past nine when Coats came to the White Sands Apartments?”
“Yes.”
“You left there and rode over to the Endicott house. You got there about ten past nine?”
“Yes.”
“When did Mr. Noble show up?”
“At nine-thirty. He drove up and said he had an appointment with Mr. Charles. He was shocked when I told him Mr. Charles was dead. I sent him upstairs to be with Mrs. Endicott. Five minutes later the troopers came from the Newgate Barracks, and five minutes after that Lieutenant Coyne showed up with the lab men. And at ten o’clock, the D. A. came with his assistants. Then they kept coming so fast I lost track.”
“And from then
