The Second Act Is Murder by W Read online

  “Tried to kill Howe?” I stared at her.

  I looked upward. Above me was a

  “When? Where?”

  maze of flys and catwalks, anchored to the

  “On stage, about fifteen minutes ago.

  narrow balcony which ran around the four

  The Second Act Is Murder

  19

  sides of the old ballroom. The company in his throat as if he’d started to clear it and members did a good job. It looked very was choking instead. I paid no attention, professional.

  offering my arm to Susan.

  Someone could have stolen across the

  “Shall we go? There are several things

  catwalk from the balcony and severed the

  I’d like to tell you.”

  weight hanging above Howe’s head, then

  “Of all the crazy things.” We were in

  retreated the way he had come.

  the lobby. “Do you realize what you’ve done?

  “See anyone?” I asked the question of

  What if the murderer had heard you? He’d

  no one in particular, directing it at all of them.

  come after you tonight, to silence you.”

  I got no answer.

  “Why else do you think I said it.”

  “I’ve had enough,” Larry Swift said.

  Her eyes widened. “Mark.”

  “Larry!” It was Bertrand Howe. “You

  “Sh-h-h!” I warned her, as Mary Jones

  can’t walk out on me.”

  joined us. “I don’t know about you girls, but

  “Who says I can’t? I didn’t bargain to

  I’m going to bed. And Sue. That thing I gave

  come up here to be shot at.”

  you after dinner, keep it handy tonight.”

  “Has anyone shot at you?” I asked

  I’ve always had a horror of doing

  quickly.

  things alone. Even as a child, I wanted

  He shook his head, stubbornly. “No,

  someone else to share experiences with me. I

  but they might start any time and I don’t care was thinking this as I unlocked the door of my to be around when they do.”

  room and stepped in. I started to take the coat

  “I don’t think you have to worry.” My

  over to the closet, then changed my mind and

  words were pointed. “I know who the killer

  tossed it onto a chair.

  is.”

  I didn’t undress and I didn’t go to bed.

  Instead I propped a second chair against the

  MY WORDS seemed to explode there on the

  wall, close to the closet door, facing the

  stage, leaving a heavy silence in their wake.

  entrance from the bath. For I was certain that

  “You know?” Larry Swift was staring

  the attack would come from that direction.

  at me. “You’re crazy, how do you know?”

  I switched off the light and sat down in

  “A number of little things,” I said.

  the darkness, waiting.

  “Don’t forget I’m the only one alive who has

  I’ll never know exactly how long I sat

  had personal contact with the killer.”

  there. Gradually the noises in the old hotel

  “That’s what you say,” Swift’s voice

  died as one after another of the occupants

  had a nasty ring. “Go ahead, tell us.”

  went to bed. Finally the silence settled, heavy

  “I’m not quite ready yet,” I made my

  and dull. Yet so intense was my excitement

  tone sound thoughtful, studied. “Morning will

  that it seemed to set up a dull ringing in my

  be time enough, when the sheriff comes ears.

  back.”

  There was a little light, for the moon

  “Morning might be too late,” Howe

  had finally struggled through the clouds and

  said, quietly. “He might strike again tonight.”

  drifted faintly into the room. I watched the

  I smiled. “I think not. That’s why I

  bathroom door. Several times my imagination

  said what I did, as a warning. I’ll be watching told me that it moved.

  for him to do just that, don’t you see? So, he’ll I sat there straining to hear, yet

  lay low, trusting that I’m wrong, that I don’t fighting the self-hypnosis which kept stealing know anything. Don’t you agree, Swift?”

  over me.

  The young1 actor made a funny noise

  At last I heard sound. It didn’t come

  Thrilling Detective

  20

  from the bathroom door. It came from my

  sport.

  side, from the closet. For one horrified instant

  “The mistake I made was bringing you

  I thought that the old watchman had come

  up here,” he said. “I realized it last night. You alive, that it was he.

  aren’t an actor. You aren’t so impressed with

  I started to turn but Bertrand Howe’s

  your own importance that you can’t think.

  voice stopped me.

  What told you that I’d caused that sand bag to

  “I wouldn’t, De Cloudt. Just keep fall?”

  facing the bathroom. You expected me to

  “That was pretty crude, Howe,” I said.

  come through the bathroom, didn’t you?”

  “You didn’t need that touch. The end of the

  “How’d you get into that closet?” I

  rope showed plainly that it had been cut

  asked.

  almost through and then broken by a

  “Very simple.” He chuckled. “I came

  downward pressure. I didn’t think there was

  up here before you did I’ve been watching you

  enough weight to the bag.”

  the whole time.”

  “There wasn’t,” he admitted. “I had a

  “And I suppose you came to help me

  light cord around the bag dangling down

  rewrite the second act of the play?” I tried to behind one of the drops. When no one was

  get some lightness Into my voice.

  looking I pulled it. The rope broke, the bag

  “We’ll let death do that,” he said. fell, the looped cord slipping off the broken

  “You think you’re very clever, don’t you?

  rope. I merely tossed it back stage. But

  You were using psychology on me, down enough talk... Come on! We’re going calling.”

  there to the theater, telling me that the

  “Calling?” This wasn’t part of my

  murderer wouldn’t dare to make a move plan. The sheriff and his men were waiting because you’d be watching. It was a outside, ready for me to summon them. If I challenge. De Cloudt, I can’t ignore didn’t call by two-thirty, they were coming up challenges.”

  to my room.

  “I know you can’t,” I said. “You must

  I’d

  been

  stalling,

  hoping against hope

  have hated them very much to go to all this

  that they’d arrive.

  trouble.”

  Howe must have read my thoughts.

  “I did.” He showed no surprise that I

  His laugh was a crackling sound, hardly

  had guessed. “They were so smart, so human.

  patronizing when I was trying to act. After I

  “Let me have the gun, De Cloudt. No,

  had money, they were so friendly, so servile. I don’t pick it up. I’ll do that for you.” His hand made them squirm. I made them take my

  streaked out and got the thirty-eight from my

  order
s, knowing all the time that I would kill knees.

  them, rid the world of their useless droning.”

  “I’m curious,” I said, “I can

  understand why you killed Albright. He was

  HIS voice had risen as he spoke and the

  an egotist. I can imagine that he made your

  sharpness of the tone made the hair at the back life unbearable. I can even understand why

  of my neck prickle. He wasn’t crazy, not in

  you killed the old ham Anthony. But why

  the accepted sense. But he was abnormal. were you cutting that hole in Susan Foster’s He’d sweated under their sneers, their ceiling?”

  laughter, and their gags. And when money had

  I turned as I asked the question. He

  made him their master, he’d set up this had stepped back after he had taken my gun.

  summer theater for the pleasure of lording it

  Evidently he thought I was no longer

  over them, and killing when he tired of his

  dangerous.

  The Second Act Is Murder

  21

  The moonlight was uncertain, but I

  alone, waiting. When I heard Bertrand’s voice

  could see his small face twist in anger.

  it shocked me so that I couldn’t do anything

  “No,” he said. “No, I didn’t hate her,

  for a minute. Then I thought I’d better listen.”

  as I did the others. She never laughed at me.

  “And you heard everything he said?”

  She was kind, kind.” The word was bitter in

  his mouth. “I loved her, do you hear? Loved

  THE red came up into her cheeks again and

  her. But even with my money I knew that I’d

  she hastily went on to change the subject.

  never have her. I could tell by the way she

  “What made you suspect him,” she

  looked at you. Now do you understand? If I

  asked me. “Bertrand, I mean?”

  couldn’t have her, you couldn’t either. No one

  “I didn’t at first,” I admitted. “Then I

  could.” His voice was rising, and I hoped that got to thinking. All these people wouldn’t

  the sound would waken someone. But on one

  have been up here together, except for Howe.

  side was Albright’s empty room, on the other,

  Albright’s death might be laid at anyone’s

  the stairs.

  door, even the Jones girl, since she didn’t like

  “You’re wrong,” I told him. “There

  big attentions to her sister. But certainly she isn’t anything between Miss Foster and me.”

  wouldn’t have hanged Anthony, nor tried to

  “Don’t lie!” He struck me across the

  cut through the ceiling into your room.

  lips, the back of his hand stinging like a lash.

  “The man that attacked me in the

  “Move on through that bathroom door.”

  darkness was small, shorter than I. Howe was

  “Where are we going?”

  small, but so was Larry Swift. But I think

  “Never mind,” he said. “You’ll find

  what really made me suspicious was Howe’s

  out soon enough. Move.”

  manner. He was so driving, so domineering.

  “No.” It was Susan Foster. She’d He was almost like a man, playing a part. I pushed open the hall door and switched on the

  went in town tonight and called a friend of

  lights at the same instant. “Don’t move, mine, a man who knows Broadway. I asked Bertrand.” The twenty-five caliber automatic

  him to find out what kind of a person Howe

  was is her hand.

  had been during his acting days. My friend

  She was behind him and he turned.

  reported that he had been the butt of show

  I turned too, simultaneously, and my fist business, that managers gave him tiny parts, crashed against the point of his jaw. He went

  merely to laugh at him, that the actors made

  over as if I’d used an ax. I think that I never fun of him.

  before threw as hard a blow. I probably never

  “I could guess then what went on in

  will again.

  his warped mind. Men with little ability often Afterward, when the sheriff and his

  dramatize themselves. Howe’s interest in the

  men led Howe away, the producer had gone

  theater told me that he probably did. I pictured all to pieces, shrieking and ranting at the top him, brooding over the slights, the laughter. I of his voice.

  saw him suddenly in a position of power, a

  The girl turned dazed eyes toward me.

  position where he could crack the whip and

  “Why, he’s crazy. I never guessed. If it hadn’t make those whom he hated uncomfortable.

  been for you he’d have killed us all.”

  This he did. But was it enough? I guessed it

  “And if it hadn’t been for you, he most

  wasn’t, I guessed that he had brought you

  certainly would have killed me. How long had

  here, intending to kill you one at a time, so

  you been listening at the door?”

  that the others would worry, and would suffer

  She blushed. “Since everyone went to

  from uncertainty.”

  bed. I couldn’t bear for you to be in there

  The girl shuddered. “But why did you

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  22

  risk your life?”

  “Please!” she said.

  “I had no proof,” I said. “I had to force

  Then Mary Jones came across the hall

  him into the open, to dare him to come after

  to speak to us. I never wanted to see anyone

  me. Then I sat down to wait. But his cunning

  less in my life. There were so many things I

  brain out-guessed me. He beat me to my wished to say to Susan, wished to say for her room, by sneaking up the back stairs, I benefit alone.

  suppose. He was already in the closet when I

  But I—well, there was time to say

  came in. If it hadn’t been for you, I’d be

  them later. Plenty of time.

  dead.”