"killerinthehouse" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blackmon Robert C)

KILLER IN THE HOUSE
by Robert C. Blackmon


The season was just starting at the summer resort, and the
Sea View Hotel was opening with a Killer in the House!



The time was around ten thirty and Myrtle, the night telephone operator, and I had the Sea
View lobby to ourselves.

The bellhops were hiding as usual; the night clerk, Bill, had left the desk for a
while; and most of the patrons of the big seashore resort hotel had gone to the first
dance of the season at the pavilion two miles down the beach.

I was leaning on the counter beside the switchboard, talking to Myrtle. A house detective
always has to be friendly to the help! And Myrtle was blond and pretty and easy to talk to,
anyway.

We talked about the season and hoped it would be good, with the war and all. I showed her
my registration card, and she was sympathetic about my being deferred because of flat feet.
We were getting along just fine, when a light flashed on the board.

Myrtle answered, listened a minute, looking surprised. She turned to me and said shrilly:

"Mr. Pack!"

"Make it just Don, Myrtle." I was still kidding. "After all, we've known each other two
days, and we've got the whole season to--"

"It's Mr. David Hammond, in Room 712!" she cut me off, talking excitedly. Her blue eyes
were scared. "Something's happened! He groaned into the phone, and now I can't hear him at
all! Something's happened!"

That snapped me out of the kidding. If anybody groaned into a phone around the Sea View,
I was supposed to do things about it. I left Myrtle and ran to the elevator.

Johnny almost jumped out of his purple uniform when I punched him awake. He was just a
kid, about sixteen.

"All the way, partner. Don Pack rides again."

I gave him a grin. A friendly elevator operator can be a very great help to a house
detective at times.

"You busted up a swell dream. I was in a bomber over Tokyo and Berlin at the same time."
He sent the car up and matched my grin. I knew we'd get along.