ALFRED DECEMBER 50c wm { •m^aif MYSTERY MAGAZINE , ^ J JCM^K- >• '•w ^ NEW stories presented by the master of SUSPENSE LICENSED TO UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED December 1966 Dear Reader: Did you ever have the feehng that something was following you, say from year to year? The plight which per­ plexes me on the cover has been dog­ ging me for months, and is getting closer. It could be construed as the image of a relentless assassin, or perhaps a brash specter. However, I am inclined to believe, judging by the cal­ endar, that it is the more appalling presence of my recurring holiday spirit. Naturally, one in my position cannot allow himself to be caught up by charitable feelings when malicious­ ness in any form provides the mainstay of his life. Who needs a kindly purveyor of mystery and suspense.? Therefore, in my annual struggle with my virtuous self, I will remain—firm—and—continue—my devotion —to mur—aaaak!—to joyful times around the fireside with family and friends, with good food and drink— and murderous plots! There. That was entirely too close. For a moment it had me in its sentimental grip, but I have bested it. However, I do feel a trifle lighthearted, like wanting to chill a holiday celebrant . You may oblige me by perusing the following pages. •f%Zc^<. Al rorn UlTOUpnri/'C MVCTCDV MAPATIMT Vol.l!.No.l2.Deceinberl966.Singlecopies50(;eiils. HLrnCU ni IlinljUUn 0 miOlCni mHUHLiriL SubsKrlpHonsSCOOIor one year in tlie united SUles and Possessions: eisewhere $7.00 (in U.S. funds) for one year. I'utjiislie(i niontldy l)y H. S. O. Publications. Inc.. 2441 Beacli Court, Riviera Beacli. Fla. 33404. Publications olllce. 10 Ferry Street. Concord. N. H. 03302. Second class postage paid at Concord. N. H. @ 1900 by II. S. O. Publications. Inc. All rights reserved. Protec­ tion secured under the International and Pan-Atneri<!an copyright convention. Title registered U. S. Pat, OtTice, Ileproduction or use without e-vpress permission of editorial or pictorial (;ontent in any manner is prohibited. Postage must accompany manuscripts if return is desired bul no respoTisil>ility will be assumed for unsoliciled material. Manuscripts and changes of addresses sliould be sent to Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. 2441 Beach Court, lliviera Beach, Fla, 33404. :>Io similarity between any ol tlie names, chariicters. persons and/or Institutions appearing in tliis magazine and thost; of any living or dead person or institution is intended and any sitnilarily wlilch may exist is purely coincidental. Primed in the U,S,A. LICENSED TO UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED VOLUME 11, No. 12 DECEMBER 1966 ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S mystery magazine CONTENTS NOVELETTE THE MAGIC TREE by James McKimmey .. ...j,^jrxx>jxiafjm>xi>:j>:j^^^j>j.: 138 SHORT STORIES THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT by Max Van Derveer »......,..,.:•.•! 2 THE DEADLY HANDYMAN by J. A. Mas 19 SOME THINGS A MAN MUST DO by Lawrence BIQC\ 25 LULL IN HOMICIDE by James N. Semple 37 THE ANNUITY by Dan J.^Marlowe 42 THE MESSAGE by Bob Bristow 55 CROOKS, SATCHELS, AND SELMA by Mike Brett i..,.,; 62 THE SERVANT PROBLEM by Parley J. Cooper 74 JUMP JOB by Carl Henry Rathjen ; 77 THIEVES' HONOR by John Lutz 88 DAY OF THE TIGER by Jac1{ Webb 96 No PLACE LIKE HOME by Robert Edmond Alter 108 THE BLUE MAN by Wenzell Brown 115 SHAKEDOWN by Richard O. Lewis 129 RICHARD E. DECKER, Publisher O. F. FOSTER, Editor Associate Editors Pat Hitchcock Ernest hlutter Vlcbria S. Benham Marguerite Blair Deacon, Art Director LICENSED TO UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED Perseverance In efforts to execute a man's last request is related to one's loyalty to the deceased. 58.ALPH HEART was dead. In a his vow, of course. For one thing, sense, it was a relief. You never the man was locked in a cage for actually believed that a man who the remainder of his days; for an­ had threatened to kill you as he other, it ^ was not the first time was being taken off to prison to die you had been threatened. You were in the execution chamber would be accustomed to the threats. You physically capable of carrying out were calloused. You knew the ALFRED HITCHCOCK S MYSTERY MAGAZINE LICENSED TO UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED threats, in their utterance, were to die, just as he had to send some not idle, yet there was the reaUstic to those deaths. At forty-seven and side of things, too. How was a man with more than twenty of those to kill from prison? On the other spent in the Detective Division, hand, with the execution completed, there had been many men who had there always was this vague stirring died, directly and indirectly, by of relief inside. his hand. It was not a good feeling. Gilbert Crocker stood at a smoke- On the other hand, you could not . filmed window, staring out on the be reflective and remorseful and be gray November morning. His huge a good cop. Unfortunately, there hands were clamped at the base of- always would be killers—men like his spine and his blunt face was Ralph Heart, who had been "classi­ creased with a scowl. It was bleak fied a mine and booby trap expert outside, and' cold, and there was a in the Army twenty years ago and hint of snow in the air. He did not then had come out of that Army to like any of it: November, the bleak­ continue the practice of blowing up ness, the cold, the hint. There was things, and people, with skill. little comfort in the fact that he But cops were not robots. Cops stood inside a steam-warmed de­ had feelings. A badge, a hcense to tective squad room in Central carry a gun, the carrying and using Police Headquarters. The day al­ of that weapon, the privilege to be ready was in his bones and he was a defender of Right and Justice forced to steel himself against the did not automatically anesthetize a shudder that threatened to chase man. The defender retained emo­ through him—just as he labored tion with his badge, license and to close his ears and his mind to privilege. It became merely a matter the friendly jostling of the two of to what degree he learned to young detectives behind him. control that emotion. And he, "Will you guys cut it.?" Crocker Crocker, down through the years, finally growled without turning had become hardened, but he still from the window. did not like to see men-die. He heard the young detectives Nor-did he think death was a laugh, and the laughter grated laughing matter, and he turned against his ears. He never liked to from,the window to chastise the see a man die, even Ralph Heart's young detectives. But the words kind of man, a man who had killed remained unspoken when he found at least a dozen persons in his forty- a woman of perhaps seventy years two years of life. But some men had standing at the swinging gate in the THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT LICENSED TO UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE LICENSED TO UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED low wooden railing that divided She looked at Crocker head-on the entry from the working a;rea of as Pierce placed the box on the the squad room.-The woman looked scarred desk. "I represent The mildly perplexed. She was behind Benevolent Society of Sisters for Aiiderson, the chain smoker, and the Preservation of Pohce Depart­ Pierce, youngest in the division, ments," she said crisply, "and the and neither detective had noticed sisters have selected you as their her entry. She held a large card­ beneficiary this Thanksgiving sea­ board box with both hands. She was son. You will find a turkey in the short, frail, rinsed and pkasant- box, Sergeant. It is for you. We looking in a fur collared coat and a , give thee thanks." hat of 1920 vintage that made • She returned to the railing before Crocker think of his maternal Crocker recovered. "Er . .. grandmother. ma'am.?" He snapped his jaws-together and But the woman walked out of said, "Yes? Can we help you.?" the squad room without looking The words came out as gently as back. was possible for him. Anderson was the first to break. Anderson and Pierce turned in He lit a fresh cigarette from the their chairs as the woman came butt in his fingertips and chuckled. through the railing gate. From behind a new screen of smoke,' "I am looking for Sergeant Gilbert he said, "Well, this just has to be' Crocker," said the woman in a your day. Sergeant." voice that was firm and clipped. "I Crocker -growled and Pierce was informed I could find him here." laughed. Crocker yanked open the Bright, deep brown eyes darted loose lid of the box. The plucked over the detectives. i turkey, its legs protruding like two "I am Sergeant Crocker, ma'am." clubs, gleamed. He banged the lid The bright eyes settled on him. together and turned on the young They were without expression. "Do detectives. Their grins were wide. you have a desk, Sergeant."*" Pierce slid an oblique look at An­ "Right there, ma'am." derson. "I think, Andy, that—" Pierce quickly left his constant "Shut up," Crocker commanded. companion, the paper coffee cup, The Benevolent Society of Sisters and took the box from the woman. for the Preservation of Police Depart­ "Well, thank you, young man," ' ments, he thought.