The Roman Hat Mystery

Jess Lynch thought gravely for a moment, and then said with finality, “It was just about ten minutes, sir. We got to keep pretty close tabs on the time, and I know it was ten minutes because when I came into the theatre with the bottle it was just the part on the stage when the girl is caught in the gang’s hangout and is being grilled by the villain.”

“An observant young Hermes!” murmured Ellery, smiling suddenly. The orangeade boy caught the smile and lost the last vestige of his fear. He smiled back. Ellery crooked his finger and bent forward. “Tell me, Jess. Why did it take you ten minutes to cross the street, buy a bottle of ginger ale and return to the theatre? Ten minutes is a long time, isn’t it?”

The boy turned scarlet as he looked appealingly from Ellery to the Inspector. “Well, sir — I guess I stopped to talk for a few minutes with my girl...”

“Your girl?” The Inspector’s voice was mildly curious.

“Yes, sir. Elinor Libby — her old man owns the ice-cream parlor. She — she wanted me to stay there in the store with her when I went for the ginger ale. I told her I had to deliver it in the theatre, so she said all right but wouldn’t I come right back. And I did. We stayed there a couple of minutes and then I remembered the stand in the alley...”

“The stand in the alley?” Ellery’s tone was eager. “Quite so, Jess — the stand in the alley. Don’t tell me that, by some remarkable whim of fortune, you went back to the alley!”

“Sure I did!” rejoined the boy, in surprise. “I mean — we both did, Elinor and me.”

“Elinor and you, eh, Jess?” said Ellery softly. “And how long were you there?”

The Inspector’s eyes flashed at Ellery’s question. He muttered approvingly to himself and listened intently as the boy answered.

“Well, I wanted to take the stand right away, sir, but Elinor and me — we got to talking there — and Elinor said why not stay in the alley till the next intermission... I figured that was a good idea. I’d wait till a few minutes before 10:05, when the act ends, and I’d duck down for some more orangeade, and then when the doors opened for the second intermission, I’d be all ready. So we stayed there, sir... It wasn’t wrong, sir. I didn’t mean anything wrong.”

Ellery straightened and fixed the boy with his eyes. “Jess, I want you to be very careful now. At exactly what time did you and Elinor get to the alley?”

“Well...” Jess scratched his head. “It was about 9:25 when I gave that man the ginger ale. I went across for Elinor, stayed a few minutes and then came over to the alley. Musta been just about 9:35 — just about — when I went back for my orangeade stand.”

“Very good. And what time exactly did you leave the alley?”

“It was just ten o’clock, sir. Elinor looked at her wrist watch when I asked her if it was time to go in for my orangeade refills.”

“You didn’t hear anything going on in the theatre?”

“No, sir. We were too busy talking, I guess... I didn’t know anything had happened inside until we walked out of the alley and I met Johnny Chase, one of the ushers, standing there, like he was on guard. He told me there was an accident inside and Mr. Panzer had sent him to stand outside the left alley.”

“I see...” Ellery removed his pince-nez in some agitation and flourished it before the boy’s nose. “Carefully now, Jess. Did anyone go in or out of the alley all the time you were there with Elinor?”

The boy’s answer was immediate and emphatic. “No, sir. Not a soul.”

“Right, my lad.” The Inspector gave the boy a spanking slap on the back and sent him off grinning. Queen looked around sharply, spied Panzer, who had made his announcement on the stage with ineffectual results, and beckoned with an imperative finger.

“Mr. Panzer,” he said abruptly, “I want some information about the time schedule of the play... At what times does the curtain go up on the second act?”

“The second act begins at 9:15 sharp and ends at 10:05 sharp,” said Panzer instantly.

“Was tonight’s performance run according to this schedule?”

“Certainly. We must be on the dot because of cues, lights, and so on,” responded the manager.

The Inspector muttered some calculations to himself. “That makes it 9:25 the boy saw Field alive,” he mused. “He was found dead at...”

He swung about and called for Officer Doyle. The man came running.

“Doyle,” asked the Inspector, “Doyle, do you remember exactly at what time this fellow Pusak approached you with his story of the murder?”

The policeman scratched his head. “Why, I don’t remember exactly, Inspector,” he said. “All I do know is that the second act was almost over when it happened.”

“Not definite enough, Doyle,” said Queen irritably. “Where are the actors now?”

“Got ’em herded right over there back of the center section, sir,” said Doyle. “We didn’t know what to do with ’em except that.”

“Get one of them for me!” snapped the Inspector.

Doyle ran off. Queen beckoned to Detective Piggott, who was standing a few feet to the rear between a man and a woman.