The Hospital Murders

Means Davis
GROSSET & DUNLAP Publishers · · New York
COPYRIGHT, 1934, BY HARRISON SMITH AND ROBERT HAAS, INC. PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
To Donald, Gerald and Jimmy
“Docterr Ste-earling, Junyior, Doct-terr Eth-err-ridge Ste-earling, Junyior. Calling Doct-terr....”
The loud speaker whined through laboratories, permeated kitchens, rasped in corridors. In the service corridor of Medicine Clinic the orderly rolling the laundry bin halted to listen and expectorate. Four floors above, Cub Sterling pulled in his long stride and reached for a nurse’s desk ’phone. His voice pushed through the mouthpiece and almost immediately severed the monotonous breathing of the loud speaker. He said:
“Doctor Ethridge Sterling, Junior, is answering from Ward D, Medicine Clinic.”
The dead voice of the operator responded:
“Doc-terr Ste-earling, Jun...?”
Cub’s patience and his ear were closely allied. He cocked his head and barked:
“Well, what is it?”
Her voice dropped several octaves. She cooed: