idn't enter the picture anywhere for him。 Why should she？〃 Patton said： 〃I ought to of thought of it myself。 But if I had； it would be one of those ideas a fellow would throw away almost as quick as he thought of it。 It would look too kind of far…fetched。〃
〃Superficially yes；〃 I said。 〃But only superficially。 Suppose the body had not e up out of the lake for a year； or not at all； unless the lake was dragged for it。 Muriel Chess was gone and nobody was going to spend much time looking for her。 We。might never have heard of her again。 Mrs。 Kingsley was a different proposition。 She had money and connections and an anxious husband。 She would be searched for； as she was； eventually。 But not very soon； unless something happened to start suspicion。 It might have been a matter of months before anything was found out。 The lake might have been dragged； but if a search along her trail seemed to indicate that she had actually left the lake and gone down the hill； even as far as San Bernardino； and the train from there east； then the lake might never have been dragged。 And even if it was and the body was found； there was rather better than an even chance that the body would not be correctly identified。 Bill Chess was arrested for his wife's murder。 For all I know he might even have been convicted of it； and that would have been that； as far as the body in the lake was concerned。 Crystal Kingsley would still be missing； and it would be an unsolved mystery。 Eventually it would be assumed that something had happened to her and that she was no longer alive。 But nobody would know where or when or how it had happened。 If it hadn't been for Lavery； we might not be here talldng about it now。 Lavery is the key to the whole thing。 He was in the Prescott Hotel in San Bernardino the night Crystal Kingsley was supposed to have left here。 He saw a woman there who had Crystal Kingsley's car； who was wearing Crystal Kingsley's clothes； and of course he knew who she was。 But he didn't have to know there was anything wrong。 He didn't have to know they were Crystal Kingsley's clothes or that the woman had put Crystal Kingsley's car in the hotel garage。 All he had to know was that he met Muriel Chess。 Muriel took care of the rest。〃 I stopped and waited for somebody to say anything。 Nobody did。 Patton sat immovable in his chair； his plump； hairless hands clasped fortable across his stomach。 Kingsley leaned his head back and he had his eyes half closed and…he was not moving。 Degarmo leaned against the wall by the fireplace； taut and whitefaced and cold； a big hard solemn man whose thoughts were deeply hidden。
I went on talking。
〃If Muriel Chess impersonated Crystal Kingsley； she murdered her。 That's elementary。 All right； let's look at it。 We know who she was and what kind of woman she was。 She had already murdered before she met and married Bill Chess。 She had been Dr。 Almore's office nurse and his little pal and she had murdered Dr。 Almore's wife in such a neat way that Almore had to cover up for her。 And she had been married to a man in the Bay City police who also was sucker enough to cover up for her。 She got the men that way； she could make them jump through hoops。 I didn't know her long enough to see why； but her record proves it。 What she was able to do with Lavery proves it。 Very well； she killed people who got in her way； and Kingsley's wife got in her way too。 I hadn't meant to talk about this； but it doesn't matter much now。 Crystal Kingsley could make the men do a little jumping through hoops too。 She made Bill；； Chess jump and Bill Chess's wife wasn't the girl to take that and smile。 Also； she was sick to death of her life up here…she must have been…and she wanted to get away。 But she needed money。 She had tried to get it from Almore； and that sent Degarmo up here looking for her。 That scared her a little。 Degarmo is the sort of fellow you are never quite sure of。 She was right not to be sure of him； wasn't she； Degarmo？〃 Degarmo moved his foot on the ground。 〃The sands are running against you； fellow；〃 he said grimly。 〃Speak your little piece while you can。〃
〃Mildred didn't positively have to have Crystal Kingsley's car and clothes and credentials and what not； but they helped。 What money she had must have helped a great deal； and Kingsley says she liked to have a good deal of money with her。 Also she must have had jewelry which could eventually be turned into money。 All this made kffling her a rational as well as an agreeable thing to do。 That disposes of motive； and we e to means and opportunity。
〃The opportunity was made to order for her。 She had quarreled with Bill and he had gone off to get drunk。 She knew her Bill and how drunk he could get and how long he would stay away。 She needed time。 Time was of the essence。 She had to assume that there was time。 Otherwise the whole thing flopped。 She had to pack her own clothes and take them in her car to Coon Lake and hide them there； because they had to be gone。 She had to walk back。 She had to murder Crystal Kingsley and dress her in Muriel's clothes and get her down in the lake。 All that took time。 As to the murder itself； I imagine she got her drunk or knocked her on the head and drowned her in the bathtub in this cabin。 That would be logical and simple too。 She was a nurse； she knew how to handle things like bodies。 She knew how to swim…we have it from Bill that she was a fine swimmer。 And a drowned body will sink。 All she had to do was guide it down into the deep water…where she wanted it。 There is nothing in all this beyond the powers of one woman who could swim。 She did it； she dressed in Crystal Kingsley's clothes； packed what else of hers she wanted； got into Crystal Kingsley's car and departed。 And at San Bernardino she ran into her first snag； Lavery。
〃Lavery knew her as Muriel Chess。 We have no evidence and no reason whatever to assume that he knew her as anything else。 He had seen her up here and he was probably on his way up here again when he met her。 She wouldn't want that。 All he would find would be a locked up cabin but he might get talking to Bill and it was part of her plan that Bill should not know positively that she had ever left Little Fawn Lake。 So that when； and if； the body was found； he would identify it。 So she put her hooks into Lavery …at once； and that wouldn't be too hard。 If there is one thing we know for certain about Lavery； it is that he couldn't keep his hands off the women。 The more of them； the better。 He would be easy for a smart girl like Mildred Haviland。 So she played him and took him away with her。 She took him to El Paso and there sent a wire he knew nothing …about。 Finally she played him back to Bay City。 She probably couldn't help that。 He wanted to go home and she couldn't let him get too far… from her。 Because Lavery was dangerous to her。 Lavery alone could destroy all the indications that Crystal Kingsley had actually left Little Fawn Lake。 When the search for Crystal Kingsley eventually began； it had to e to Lavery； and at that moment Lavery's life wasn't worth a plugged nickel。 His first denials might not be believed； as they were not； but when he opened up with the whole story； that would be believed； because it could be checked。 So the search began and immediately Lavery was shot dead in his bathroom； the very night after I went down to talk to him。 That's about all there is to it； except why she went back to the house the next morning。 That's just one of those things that murderers seem to do。 She said he had taken her money； but I don't believe it。 I think more likely she got to thinking he had some of his own hidden away； or that she had better edit the job with a cool head and make sure it was all in order and pointing the right way； or perhaps it was just what she said； and to take in the paper and the milk。 Anything is possible。 She went back and I found her there and she put on an act that left me with both feet in my mouth。〃 Patton said： 〃Who killed her； son？ I gather you don't like Kingsley for that little job。〃 I looked …at Kingsley and said： 〃You didn't talk to her on the phone； you said。 What about Miss Fromsett？ Did she think she was talking to your wife？〃 Kingsley shook his head。 〃I doubt it。 It would be pretty hard to fool her that way。 All she said was that she seemed very changed and subdued。 I had no suspicion then。 I didn't have any until I got up here。 When I walked into this cabin last night； I felt there was something wrong。 It was too clean and neat and orderly。 Crystal didh't leave things that way。 There would have been clothes all over the bedroom； cigarette stubs all over the house； bottles …and glasses all over the kitchen。 There would have been unwashed dishes and ants and flies。 I thought Bill's wife might have cleaned up； and then I remembered that Bill's wife wouldn't have； not on that particular day。 She had been too busy quarreling with Bill and being murdered； or mitting suicide； whichever it was。 I thought about all this in a confused sort of way； but I don't claim I actually made anything of it。〃 Patton got up from his chair and went out on the porch。 He came back wiping his lips with his tan handkerchief。 He sat down again； and eased himself over on his left hip； on account of the hip holst