Strange Guardian by Carter Critz Detective Mystery Novels, Winter, 1948 Read online

  Detective Mystery Novels, Winter, 1948

  Year after year, the mysterious man dogged her footsteps for some reason of his own—and Betty couldn’t shake him!

  BETTY TALBOT saw him approaching, and

  expected. The moment her purse was open,

  instantly some instinct warned her he meant

  the man pulled his hand out of his pocket, and trouble. He was an unsavory looking character it held a knife. He touched a button and the in a droopy hat and droopier pants. His shoes blade sprang out with a shudderingly sinister were run down and the shoulder lining of his click.

  coat showed through a big rip. She looked

  “Lady,” he whispered, “you just give

  around, hoping that Peter might appear, me the bag and then keep your trap shut. You though it was still ten minutes before he was squawk and I’ll sink the shiv—”

  due, and Peter was always right on time. She Where the burly man materialized

  wished she’d selected a busier and brighter

  from Betty didn’t know, but he was there,

  corner for the rendezvous.

  standing directly behind the bum with the

  The man walked directly up to her. He

  knife and his big hand came down on the

  had one hand in his pocket and there was a

  bum’s shoulder with a bone crushing slap.

  malicious grin on his face. “Lady,” he said in The bum swung around, very fast. The

  a whiskey tenor, “you got two bits for a knife darted out, but that big hand caught his hungry man?”

  wrist and gave it an expert twist. The bum

  She opened her purse, thinking she

  screamed as bone cracked. The knife hit the

  was going to get out of this easier than she sidewalk and the big man kicked it into the

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  gutter. Then he pulled back a fist and made

  following them.

  the bum’s face more lopsided than nature had

  “What in the world,” Peter asked, “is

  intended. Finally he booted him, hard, and

  this all about? Do you mean to say that man

  sent him whimpering down the dismal street.

  has followed you—us—every time we’ve

  The big man came back to where Betty

  been out together?”

  stood. He removed his hat. “I’d pick better

  “Depend upon it, darling. Mostly I

  spots than this to meet the boy friend,” he said never see him, but he’s always there. A year softly. “And, incidentally, here he comes now, ago he snatched me out of the path of a

  only he’s about two minutes too late.”

  drunken driver. Before that I worked in a

  The big man started to turn away, but

  small office where the boss thought his hired the girl seized his arm. “No—wait,” she said.

  help—female—ought to work overtime. I

  “I want an answer to all this. I know who you steered clear of him until one night when I

  are, but I want to know why you’ve followed

  simply couldn’t. Algar broke down the door

  me for three long years—why you’ve never

  and nearly killed the man.”

  been more than a block away from me at any

  “But why?” Peter asked.

  time.”

  “It’s quite a story,” she said. “Three

  The big man smiled. It was a nice

  years ago John Algar was a detective sergeant.

  smile, Betty decided and, at close range, he He worked with my father who was a

  wasn’t bad looking. About thirty-five, she lieutenant of detectives. Algar hated my father judged, though a furrowed forehead and though I’ve never known why. One night they haunted eyes made him look a bit older.

  had a showdown. It was in a vacant building.

  He said, “Well, it seemed like a good

  They found Algar wounded and badly beaten.

  idea. Especially tonight—or don’t you agree?”

  The bullet in him matched those fired by my

  Peter came hurrying up then. The girl

  father’s service pistol.

  went to him. She quickly explained what had

  “My father was found in our home. It

  happened. “This gentleman,” she pointed to

  was only two doors away from the vacant

  the burly man, “really saved my life, or my

  building. Dad was dead. He’d apparently been sanity at any rate. Peter—this is John Algar.”

  shot in the vacant building and managed to

  Peter Lindsay whistled sharply. “John

  stagger home where he thought there’d be

  Algar, the ex-cop who killed—”

  help or at least a telephone. The bullet in him

  “Yes, he killed my father,” Betty came from Algar’s gun.”

  admitted. “Some day I’ll tell you about it.

  Peter shook his head. “Ghastly! Now, I

  Well, Mr. Algar, I hope my fiancé meets with suppose, this Algar is trying to make amends your approval. You seem to think it necessary for what he did. Don’t tell me he’s still a

  to approve everything I do.”

  cop?”

  “He’s a nice lad,” Algar said softly.

  “No; they fired him off the force and

  “And don’t think I didn’t check on him. Good arrested him, but he told a story of meeting night, Miss Talbot. Night, Peter Lindsay.”

  Dad in that building on some case Dad was

  handling. Algar said he was hit over the head HE TURNED and walked slowly away, but at

  the moment he entered and that’s all he ever the corner he stopped, lit a cigarette and knew. Obviously, it was a lie, but the burden leaned against a store window. Betty gave an of proof was upon the police and they had

  exasperated sigh, took Peter’s arm and they

  nothing to counter Algar’s story.”

  walked off.

  “They had the matching bullet from

  Algar straightened up and began Algar’s gun,” Peter grunted.

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  3

  She nodded. “Yes, I thought of that,

  reluctant wraith. Peter led Betty to a small but I suppose policemen protect one another

  public park and they sat down in the shadow

  even when something as bad as this happened.

  of a statue.

  Right after Algar got out of the hospital and

  “Ordinarily,” Peter said, “I wouldn’t

  was fired, he began watching me. And he’s

  like invading a park at this hour, but I’ll bet never stopped.”

  your watchdog is on duty. It does give you a

  “I can stop him,” Peter offered, none

  feeling of security at that. Anyway, I’ve things too hopefully. He recalled that Algar was a

  to talk about, Betty. Serious things. By

  powerful looking man and Peter was just straining your imagination can you guess what average in build and none too handy with his I mean?”

  fists.

  She smiled and moved a little closer to

  She shook her head. “I’d rather you

  him, snuggling into the protection of his arm.

  didn’t.”

  “I’ve been wondering when you’d get around

  “But he kille
d your father—murdered

  to talking over our wedding, Peter. I’m all ears him.”

  and impatience.”

  “Perhaps. Peter, so many things have

  He kissed her on the tip of the nose

  happened since then and all the good ones

  and felt a little funny about it, knowing that a were John Algar’s doings. Naturally I quit my pair of quiet, somber gray eyes were watching job after he beat up the boss. Algar found me every move they made.

  another, the one I have now with Greg Shelton

  “Betty, I saved it as a surprise. I’m

  and his import-export business. I don’t know being promoted next week to assistant

  how Algar arranged it, but he did. And there manager with a nice hike in pay—enough to

  are so many other things.”

  support an apartment and a wife. We could be Peter lit a cigarette and took her elbow

  married in about a month or two.”

  when they reached a curb. “Darn funny way to She sighed contentedly. “I’ve been

  go about things though. And did you hear him saving a surprise too. My boss, Mr. Shelton, say I was all right? Do you suppose he told me only last week that he would present actually checked on me?”

  us with a nice little home on Long Island,

  “I know he did. Once, two years ago,

  furnished down to toothpicks in the pantry. In there was a boy I liked very much. Algar told exchange he wants the old house where I live me he wasn’t very good and why he thought

  now. The firm is going to tear it down and

  so. The boy persisted in trying to see me until build a new office structure. He’ll also give one night when he met Algar. I—never saw

  me a certain amount of cash besides the new

  him again.”

  house. Does that make you as happy as your

  Peter exhaled and then submitted to a

  promotion has made me?”

  grin. “I guess it’s a darn good thing I’m pure,

  “We’re a couple of lucky people,”

  otherwise Algar would probably wrap me Peter said. “Very lucky. Most of all because around the nearest lamp post. Well, let’s we found one another. Now it seems forget your strange guardian and have dinner.”

  everybody is trying to help us out. Okay, so we’ll take advantage of all the offers. When THEY went to a movie later and when they I

  will it be, Betty?”

  emerged at eleven o’clock, they both had a

  “Next month. On my birthday so you

  glimpse of the strange guardian—only a won’t have to buy but one present for both glimpse though because he seemed to have a

  anniversaries. I do think of you, Peter.”

  knack for fading out of sight like some

  “What a girl,” he chuckled. “Practical

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  as all get out too.”

  in there. I know he’s dead. It’s awful.”

  “But the present,” she teased, “will

  “Stay right beside me,” Algar

  have to be twice as good. I’m so darn happy.

  cautioned. “Close the door and bolt it. The

  And so glad to be moving out of that dismal

  place has been looted, hasn’t it?”

  old house where I’ve lived since I was a little

  “Yes. Yes. You don’t think I’m so

  girl. It was all Dad left me, but it’s been a roof careless a housekeeper as to let my home go

  over my head, at least. Oh, I forgot to tell you, like—like this.”

  She attempted a smile.

  John Algar used to actually sneak into the

  It didn’t come off at all.

  house right after Dad died and put ten dollar bills around so I’d find them. He’s the most ALGAR peered into a dimly lighted living

  amazing man.”

  room. Everything was wrecked. Chair covers

  They arose shortly afterward and were slashed, the rug torn up, pictures walked slowly out to the avenue. They both

  removed from the walls and smashed. The

  heard the crackle of brush as a heavy person other rooms had been similarly gutted. At the followed them at a distance and well off the end of the corridor there were bright lights path. They walked East until they reached

  coming from an open door. Algar had a

  Betty’s neighborhood, a district rapidly question in his eyes when he looked at Betty turning into a slum area. She pointed out the and she nodded mutely.

  spot where her father had been shot. It was

  “You don’t have to go in,” he said.

  now a wholesale fruit market.

  “But if you hear anyone moving about—yell

  The house was old fashioned with a

  your head off.”

  brick front, concrete steps to the door with The gun still in his hand, Algar entered

  iron railings as protection. Peter Lindsay the room. The man who lay huddled against kissed her good night but stayed close by until one wall, with his face turned toward it, was a she had unlocked the door, stepped inside and small person, not more than five-feet-four or locked it again with a bolt. Then he ambled

  five. His clothes were shabby, his eerily

  casually away, looking rather curiously for

  twisted foot showed a shoe sole with a hole

  signs of John Algar. He saw none because

  almost through. His hands were grubby, and

  John Algar chose that he not be seen.

  the nails peeled down by nervous teeth. His

  Peter was much too far away to hear

  face showed ratlike, when Algar turned him

  Betty’s scream, muted by the doors and over. Even his teeth were ratlike, with the windows of her home. John Algar heard it and front ones protruding slightly. He’d been

  a .9 millimeter Mauser appeared in his hand.

  stabbed. A single upward thrust directly below He crossed the street in a dozen long leaps, the heart. Whoever used that knife knew just raced up the steps and was pounding at the

  where to plant it.

  door within one minute after Betty’s first

  Algar searched him and the only

  scream was heard.

  significant thing he discovered was the fact She opened the door and gave a that the man had been searched before. Algar startled gasp. Her face looked waxen, her eyes walked out into the hallway where Betty was

  were too wide and she showed even white

  waiting. He took her arm and led her into the teeth in a grimace of terror.

  dining room straight toward a linen closet

  “What is it? What happened?” Algar

  there. He opened the linen closet door, gave demanded and elbowed past her as she spoke.

  her a shove and slammed the door in her face.

  “It’s—in the back room—Dad’s She heard the key turn in the outside of the room,” she said hoarsely. “A—a dead man is

  lock.

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  5

  For a moment Betty was too stunned to

  him under a street lamp, and then he vanished react. Then she screamed and kicked the door.

  completely.

  She pounded it with her small fists. In

  Betty didn’t sleep that night, though a

  between all this racket she heard Algar swiftly police guard was left downstairs to allay her mount the stairs to the second floor. In five terrors. She kept thinking of John Algar, of the minutes he was back and had the door open.

  fact that he was supposed to have murdered

  “I don’t know what you’re up to, Mr.

  her father and for the first time she wondered Algar,” she said with righteous anger, “but it’s how a man like Algar could kill anyone.

  bad enough when my house is looted and a

  But he’d be
en booted off the force for

  dead man is found here without having you

  it and police boards don’t become that drastic lock me in the closet and snoop around unless there is sufficient evidence to back up yourself.”

  the suspicions—perhaps not enough to convict Algar smiled at her. She was rather

  a man in court, but enough for the Board to act amazed to notice that he didn’t look very old upon.

  at all. In fact he was young and he had a

  She knew it would be impossible for

  pleasant smile.

  her to spend another night in this house alone.

  “I’m sorry, Miss Talbot. And despite

  Those men, the victim and the murderer, had

  the fact that I’ve probably made you very

  been after something. She didn’t know what it angry,

  was. Not a single thing was missing so far as I want you to promise not to tell the police I she could determine.

  was here. I assure you this is for your own

  The police gave the whole affair a

  good.”

  polite brushoff as just another killing due to a She glanced with scary eyes toward

  quarrel between burglars. They hauled away

  the room at the end of the hall. “I—I don’t

  the corpse, spread fingerprint powder all

  suppose it makes much difference whether

  around, took a lot of pictures and that was all.

  you were here or not. But what happened?

  Nobody commented much; nobody was

  What in the world is this all about?”

  especially interested.

  He shrugged and reached for a

  cigarette. She rejected his offer of one. He NEXT morning Betty dressed and hastily

  said, “Looks to me like a couple of plain