Read Online Face to Face by Ellery Queen - Free Book Online Page A

certainly making up for it now. The laying on of eyes was becoming positively obscene. Lorette did not seem to notice. She was concentrating on her inquisitor.
    She waited now for Inspector Queen to resume, but she had to swivel her head.
    â€œQuestion,” Ellery said suddenly. “After Harry Burke left the Armando apartment, Miss Spanier—while you were alone with your aunt—did she receive a telephone call, or a message of any kind? Or did anyone ring the apartment bell?”
    â€œWe were not interrupted in any way, Mr. Queen. Of course, I can’t say what may have happened after I left.”
    â€œCan you recall Mrs. Armando’s remarking anything—at all—to you, no matter how trivial-sounding, that had to do with somebody’s face?”
    â€œFace?”
    â€œYes, f-a-c-e.”
    The girl shook her blond head. She seemed genuinely mystified. “I don’t remember any such reference.”
    â€œThen I think that’s all, Miss Spanier,” said the Inspector, rising. “By the way, I take it you’ve heard from your aunt’s attorney, William Maloney Wasser, about the reading of her will?”
    â€œYes. I’m supposed to be at his office directly after the funeral Monday.”
    He nodded. “Sorry to have broken into your New Year’s Day.”
    Lorette rose and rather haughtily made for the door. Somehow Carlos Armando was there before her, hand on the knob.
    â€œAllow me, Lorette—you will not mind if I call you Lorette? After all, I am your uncle.”
    The fine brows over the blue eyes drew together a little. “Thank you, Mr. Armando.”
    â€œOh, but not Mr. Armando! Carlos.”
    She smiled faintly.
    â€œMay I drive you home? Or wherever you are going?”
    â€œThat’s not at all necessary—”
    â€œBut we must know each other. Perhaps you will let me give you dinner? There are so many things about GeeGee you must be wishing to learn. Now that she is dead, so soon after finding you, I feel a responsibility …”
    That was all the three men heard before the door closed.
    â€œSkirt-chasing blighter,” Harry Burke said, making a face. “Doesn’t waste time, does he?”
    â€œIt could be,” muttered Ellery, “that’s someone’s being awfully clever.”

Part 2
    Half Face
    Physiognomy … may also serve us for conjecture.
    L A B RUYÈRE

12
    Ellery opened his eyes to a creeping gray Saturday morning. His father was gone, and in the study Harry Burke was going through the morning newspaper.
    â€œYou were pounding the feathers so hard I hadn’t the heart to wake you.” Burke said. The Scotsman was dressed and pinkly shaved, he had made the daybed, and the pot of coffee on Ellery’s electric plate was bubbling. “I’ve been up for hours.”
    â€œDidn’t you sleep well?” Ellery made for the coffee pot like a man dying of thirst. He had slept in fits, dreaming over and over of a faceless face topped by Glory Guild’s dyed hair, until, with daylight prying at the Venetian blinds, he had fallen asleep from exhaustion.
    â€œLike a side of beef,” Burke said cheerfully. “That’s a sleeping man’s bed. My only complaint is that I couldn’t find any tea in the kitchen cupboard.”
    â€œI’ll pick some up today.”
    â€œOh, no,” the Scotsman protested, “one night is imposition enough. I’ll put up at a hotel.”
    â€œI won’t hear of it. You may have to hang around for some time, Harry, and you’re no longer on an expense account. New York hotel bills have a way of escalating.”
    â€œThis is terribly kind of you, Ellery.”
    â€œI’m a terribly kind person. What’s in the paper?”
    â€œNothing we don’t know. Although there’s some background stuff on Armando in one of the columns.”
    â€œWhose?”
    â€œKip