FROM THE SUN
September 27, 1938. 8:30 PM
Blow torch
Each young woman held a dress or scarf in front of her to keep Brown from
seeing too much. C. Tanner Brown, at that time sole owner of the Sun
Detective Agency, was standing backstage at the Weinfelt Department Store
surrounded by beautiful women in their next-to-nothings. Brown
concentrated
on looking the ladies in the eye and acting like a gentleman.
He had been called to investigate a fire and theft during a rehersal of a
fashion show by the Continental Insurance Company.
"When did you first notice the smoke, Miss Walters?"
A redhead, concealed more or less behind a red dress, answered, "Midway
through the first half. We had done the swimsuits and day wear and were
starting business dresses when the smoke came out into the auditorium. And
call me Rhiana, please."
"Where were you standing, Rhiana? And my name is Tanner."
Rhiana raised her arm to point to the west side of the room and the dress
fell away from most of her lovely body. She reached down after a second
and
gracefully brought it back up. "Over there, next to the wall."
"Ladies, I think you're safe now. The fire is out, and I know I'll be able
to work better after you're completely dressed. Rhiana, could I talk to
you
in 30 minutes?"
"Of course, Tanner." Tanner left, and the ladies looked at Rhiana with
undisguised envy.
Brown followed the smell and smoke to a broom closet at the back of the
stage. He pushed the blackened door open. The small room was empty except
for a 55 gallon drum with wet rags and a blow torch inside. Brown spit on
the torch and it sizzled.
Melvin Cornerberth tapped Brown on the shoulder. Cornerberth towered over
Brown and everyone else in the store. A retired policeman from Torrance,
Cornerberth headed the security force for the store.
"Brownie, how are you? We've got a doozy, here."
"Mel, It's nice to see you again. What happened while the fire was going
on?"
Cornerberth leaned against the wall slowly, like a cut redwood. "Somebody
stole $35,000 from the company safe. I didn't see anything. I was
surrounded
by running women and confusion, and I didn't know the thief was aiming at
the money. We got the fire out without much problem, but one of the
painters
disappeared."
"You want to explain that a little farther."
"See those painters?" Brown glanced at the men standing around in
overalls,
masks and hats, grey paint spattering every inch from head to shoes.
"There
were 10 of them, now there're 9. What's more, I've got a witness who saw a
painter go into the office where the safe was. I thought I'd covered
everything, but the guy took off on me somehow."
The two men turned at the sound of high heels on hardwood. Rhiana came
toward them with a graceful swing and a pleasant smile.
"After an interview with Miss Walters, I'll be able to tell you who did
it.
Could we find an office, Rhiana, and talk?"
What did Tanner hope to learn from Rhiana Walters?
Can you solve the mystery? Think about it for a moment then page down for
the answer. If you enjoy 'Brown from the Sun', look at my book, "Dead Box"
with the same characters. Go to www.lockedroom.com
Answer:
Mel made the error of assuming that the thief was a man just because she
was
disguised as a painter and used a blow-torch. He sealed off the men's room
and the exits and searched all the men, but left the models alone. Tanner
asked Rhiana whether any of the models had been missing during the fire.
She
identified the thief.
If you have praise or curses, questions or comments, send them to me at
dlmarsh1044@yahoo.com