Murder on Wheels by Stuart Palmer Read Free Book Online Page A

again. “Oh, no, sir. Mrs. Stait is a little—well, a little peculiar, sir. But she’s all right when she has her own way and she always has her own way. There was never any unpleasantness, sir.”
    “Did the twins, Mr. Lew and Mr. Laurie, get along perfectly?”
    “Oh, yes, sir. They were very close, sir. It’s only natural, seeing they were as like as two peas in a pod, sir. In looks, that is.”
    “Excuse me for interrupting,” cut in Miss Withers. “But how did you manage to tell them apart? They wore each other’s clothes, they shared a room. It must have been difficult.”
    Gretchen smiled, dreamily. “Oh, not for me, ma’am. Mr. Lew, he’s always bright and cheerful and full of energy, with, a kind word for anybody. They looked alike, but that was as far as it went. Mr. Laurie, he was always sort of standoffish and quiet—a regular hermit sort. That’s why he wasn’t popular, ma’am. I’ll admit that when I first came here it gave me a start sometimes to see one of the twins here and then the other one come in from somewhere all of a sudden, but I soon got used to it. And even at first, I found out a sure way. If it was Mr. Laurie, he’d pass by without a word, but if it was Mr. Lew, he’d pinch my cheek or rumple my hair.”
    Gretchen was blushing a little around the neck and ears, and Miss Withers nodded sagely. “I see.”
    “Mr. Lew is always singing or humming or whistling, and Mr. Laurie was always gloomy. He liked to be by himself.”
    “Thank you, Gretchen. And Mr. Hubert?” The Inspector took up the round again. “How did Mr. Hubert get along with Mr. Lew and Mr. Laurie?”
    “Just perfect, sir. Oh, they were just like big brothers to Mr. Hubert. Cook tells me that in all the five years that Mr. Hubert’s lived here in this house, she’s never seen anything sweeter than the way the twins took to their cousin from the first. He’s never been very strong, you know. He’s always been a little queer. But they saw to it that he got out and played games instead of reading all the time. Why, it was Mr. Lew who practically made Mr. Hubert take boxing lessons so they could all spar together in the basement. And when they were seniors at the University here, and Mr. Hubert was a sophomore, they made him go and play football. Why, they wouldn’t take no for an answer, and it did him worlds of good, cook says.”
    “I see. Then the three boys seemed to enjoy one another’s company?”
    “Oh, yes, sir. Why, Mr. Laurie and Mr. Lew wouldn’t think of going anywhere without taking Mr. Hubert along. They were so much alike they got tired of each other, I guess, and wanted a third. Why, they bought Mr. Hubert a full dress suit out of their own allowances when Gran—I mean Mrs. Stait—said that his dinner jacket was good enough with times as bad as they are. Though if I do say it as shouldn’t, he looked a sight in those long tails, with his skinny neck and his legs that don’t meet at the knees by half an inch.” She giggled, wickedly.
    “That will do, Gretchen. You can go to your room, and as soon as Mrs. Hoff comes in, tell her that I want to talk to her here.”
    “Yes, sir.” Gretchen made a willing exit from the scene of the inquisition.
    Inspector Piper shook his head after her. “There goes a tough little mug if I ever saw one,” he observed.
    Miss Withers shook her head. “Nonsense, Oscar. Didn’t you ever hear of the flapper? Well, Gretchen’s just learned about flapperdom. In five years she’ll have a husband and a flat full of Grand Rapids furniture by the month, and a couple of hostages to fortune into the bargain. You’re old fashioned, Oscar.”
    “I’m surprised at you,” Piper told her. “Well, let’s get back to business. There’s only the old lady and the cook left for us to quiz. Got your notebook full?”
    “When I have, I’ll throw it away and write the shorthand on my cuff,” said Miss Withers acidly. “You aren’t getting anywhere, Inspector. You