Read Online Which Way to Die? by Ellery Queen - Free Book Online Page B

outside.
    â€œSo it’s Chuck now,” Corrigan said.
    â€œI try to make a little progress each day,” Baer said modestly. “When I talk her into addressing you as Captain, I figure I’ll be in.”
    John Alstrom, it appeared, was at his office that day.
    The soufflé was excellent. Otherwise, lunch was unpleasant. Elizabeth Grant pouted over her son’s pointed lack of attention; for most of the meal she delivered a monologue about the sacrifices she had made for him. Frank listened with frequent glances at heaven. Corrigan could have kicked him. She was undoubtedly hard to take, but that she deeply loved her son was beyond question; he could have paid some attention to her out of common decency, if not affection. Who else gave a damn about him? But he treated her as if she were a despised dog, to be ignored or kicked as the fancy took him. He won’t miss her till she’s gone, Corrigan thought, when he has to face the world unshielded. If he lives that long.
    Norma Alstrom hardly touched her lunch. She seemed under a deep strain. As soon as the last one, who happened to be Mrs. Grant, set down her coffee cup, Norma abruptly rose.
    â€œGerard, you and Frank clear the table. I have to talk to Captain Corrigan.”
    She took Corrigan’s hand and led him around to the other side of the house. As soon as they were out of earshot, Norma inhaled. “I don’t know how much more of Elizabeth Grant I can take. She keeps up that martyr pose all the time. No wonder Frank is unbalanced.”
    â€œWhat’s Gerard’s excuse?” Corrigan asked.
    She looked at him.
    â€œSony,” he said. “You can’t expect me to love him because he’s your brother. He’s a killer, too.”
    â€œYou’re right,” Norma said, and shook her head. “Elizabeth thinks they’re innocent, and of course Andy Betz does, too. Tim, they really did it, didn’t they?”
    â€œYou know they did, Norma. If you thought Gerard was innocent, you wouldn’t blame him for ruining your marriage.”
    â€œI suppose it’s unnatural to hate your own brother. But how many girls have psychos for brothers?”
    â€œWhy do you stay here? You certainly don’t owe Gerard anything.”
    â€œFor Dad’s sake. He would never understand if I turned my back on Gerard. Gerry’s only going to be in the country for a couple of weeks more, and I may not see him after that for years, if ever. Besides, I’m needed for practical reasons.”
    â€œPractical?”
    â€œYou haven’t seen any servants here, have you? There’s no room for help to sleep in, and Mr. Narwald and Mr. Fellows said it would be too great a security risk to have them trooping in and out. So I’m elected. Mrs. Grant and I were supposed to share the chores,” Norma added with a laugh. “Elizabeth’s never used a dust cloth in her life. She doesn’t even know how to make a bed properly. Meet Norma, girl-of-all-work.”
    They had paused near the wall on the bedroom side of the building. Corrigan scanned the sky. “Do you know when the boys are supposed to leave here? And where they’re going?”
    She shook her head. “They’ve kept it a secret even from me. All I know is, they plan to travel under false names for a couple of years, maybe longer. I don’t see how they can ever come back here with any hope of safety as long as that Martello man is alive.”
    You’ve got it pegged right, baby, Corrigan thought. With Marty Martello still breathing, Gerard and Frank had to go through life braced for a bullet in the back—or worse—at any moment of the day or night.
    â€œWhat you need, Norma,” Corrigan smiled, “is a breather. How about getting away from here for a few hours?”
    â€œOh, that would be wonderful!” Her face lit up like a Midway. “Do you think we really could?”
    â€œLet them