Penny Nichols Finds a Clue Read online

  CHAPTER II

  Inside the Trunk

  Penny instantly halted the car on the driveway, peering in thedirection which her chum indicated.

  "I don't see anyone," she insisted. "Perhaps the shadow you saw wascaused by that big tree."

  She pointed to a large oak which shaded the rear porch of the Nichols'home. Its swaying boughs did produce grotesque silhouettes upon thepath near the lilac bushes.

  "You may be right," Susan admitted reluctantly. "Only I was almostpositive I saw someone."

  "I think your nerves are a tiny bit on edge to-night," Penny laughed.Even so she was not quite sure Susan was mistaken.

  She drove the sedan into the dark garage. As she was preparing toclose the heavy double doors she thought she heard a step on the gravelpath.

  "Is that you, Mrs. Gallup?" she called.

  There was no answer.

  "I _was_ right," Susan whispered tensely. "Someone is prowling aboutthe grounds."

  "There's no one about," Penny maintained after peering carefullyaround. "Probably I imagined that I heard footsteps. Come on, let'sgo to the house."

  It was reassuring to see a light burning in the kitchen. The windowshades had not been drawn and from the outside, Mrs. Gallup could beobserved washing dishes. As the girls came in she greeted them inobvious relief.

  "I'm so glad you're back, Penny. I was beginning to be afraid thatsomething had happened to you."

  "Quite a bit did happen," Penny laughed. "By the way, you haven't seenanyone prowling about the yard this evening, have you?"

  "Why, no, I've been so busy that I've scarcely glanced out the window.Early this afternoon a tramp stopped at the door for food. After Igave him a sandwich he went off. I hope he hasn't come back to maketrouble."

  "Oh, no," Penny assured her quickly, "I'm sure there's no need foralarm."

  "Then why did you ask?"

  Penny was forced to relate what the policeman had told her, althoughshe realized that the warning would worry the housekeeper.

  "Dear me, I don't feel safe with your father gone. To think that somuch has been going on around here and I didn't know a thing about it!Why, I haven't even locked the doors!"

  "I doubt that it will be necessary now," Penny said, peering into therefrigerator to see what she could find for a belated supper. "Dadwill soon be home anyway."

  "I'm going to lock all the doors and windows this minute," Mrs. Gallupinsisted firmly. "With so much silverware in the house, it isn't wiseto take any chance."

  Lowering the window blinds in the dining room, the housekeeper wentdirectly to the buffet, removing a quantity of choice silverware whichhad been in the Nichols family for several generations. Leaving thegirls to forage their own supper, she carried the box upstairs,intending to lock it in her own bureau drawer. Returning again to thelower floor she scurried about closing doors and slamming down windows.

  "Since she's bent upon doing such a thorough job, I suppose I shouldhelp," Penny remarked to her chum. "Finish your supper while I lockthe back door."

  "Don't forget to set out the milk bottle before you barricade us in,"Susan laughed.

  Penny picked the bottle up from the kitchen table and crossed the porchto place it on the step. It took her so long outside that Susan cameto the door to learn what detained her. She was astonished to beholdPenny standing as rigid as a statue, her eyes riveted upon the garagedoor.

  "What's wrong?" Susan inquired.

  "Didn't I close that door when I put the car away?" Penny demanded in alow tone.

  "Why, yes, I'm sure you did. The wind must have blown it open."

  Penny shook her head.

  "The door has a special catch so I know it couldn't have opened byitself. Susan, I believe someone has sneaked into the garage since weleft it!"

  Susan's eyes dilated with fear. Involuntarily, she took a stepbackwards, turning toward the kitchen door.

  Penny caught her by the hand.

  "Don't tell Mrs. Gallup or she'll go into hysterics. Let's find out ifthere really is anyone in the garage before we call the police."

  At first Susan hung back, but when she found that Penny was determinedto investigate the garage alone, she reluctantly followed her chum downthe path.

  Cautiously, they peeped into the garage. It appeared to be deserted.

  "I'll get Dad's flashlight from the sedan pocket," Penny whispered.

  She tiptoed across the cement floor. Groping about inside the car shefound the light, but before she could turn it on she was startled tohear a slight sound overhead.

  Penny's heart began to beat a trifle faster. She was almost certainthat someone was hiding in the little room above the garage. In formeryears it had been occupied by a chauffeur whom Mr. Nichols employed,but now that the detective drove his own car it was used only for thestorage of a few old boxes and trunks.

  "Don't you dare go up there!" Susan whispered tensely, sensing thethought in her chum's mind. "It isn't safe."

  "It's safe enough if you stand guard here at the door," Penny insisted."If anything goes wrong scream for Mrs. Gallup."

  Before Susan could stop her she tiptoed across the cement floor andquietly crept up the stairway leading to the storage room.

  Reaching the top step Penny paused to listen. She could hear nounusual sound, yet a certain intuition warned her that someone was inthe room.

  Systematically, she flashed the beam of her light over the walls.Nothing appeared amiss.

  "My imagination is running riot tonight," she thought in disgust."There's no one here."

  She started toward the stairway, but paused, unable to rid herself ofthe conviction that all was not as it should be. Then her lightchanced to focus for an instant upon an old trunk in one corner of theroom. Beside it in a crumpled heap lay an old rug.

  From her father Penny had learned to be an unusually keen observer.She was positive that upon her last visit to the storeroom, the carpethad covered the trunk, protecting it from dust.

  Summoning her courage, she cautiously approached the trunk. She pausedto listen again. Distinctly, she could hear the sound of softbreathing.

  Suddenly she flung back the lid. A man cowered inside.

  "Don't make a move," Penny warned coolly, blinding him with the light.Protected as she was by the darkness, he could not know that she had noweapon.

  "Don't shoot!" he pleaded, stepping from the trunk with hands heldabove his head.

  It was then that Penny observed that her prisoner was a mere boy. Hedid not appear to be more than a year or two older than herself.

  "March down the stairs in front of me and don't try any tricks," sheordered, trying to keep her voice steady.

  She had grown a little frightened at her own daring. It appearedreasonable to suppose that the youth she had captured was the samecrook whom the police had warned her against and yet the boy seemed tooyoung to be a hardened criminal.

  Penny decided upon a bold move.

  "Susan, stand guard at the outside door," she directed.

  As her chum took the position, Penny reached up and switched on thegarage light.

  "I have no weapon," she admitted, knowing that the youth had perceivedthe fact instantly. "But it will do you no good to try to escape forthe police are combing the neighborhood."

  Her words had the desired effect. Blinking in the unexpected glare ofthe light, the young fugitive shrank back against the wall, his facetwisted by fear.

  "Do they suspect I'm here?" he questioned. "Have they surrounded thedistrict?"

  "I talked with an officer only a few minutes ago," Penny answeredtruthfully. "He advised me that our property was being watched."

  She was studying the boy with increasing interest. He was exceedinglywell dressed and while his garments were in need of pressing theyfitted him perfectly, disclosing a fine physique. He had broadshoulders and powerful muscles. It struck Penny that he looked morelike a football player than a crook. Yet, as she studied his face, s
herealized that it lacked character.

  "Don't turn me over to the police," the boy begged. "I've done nothingwrong."

  "Then why were you hiding in my garage?"

  "It's true the police were chasing me," he admitted reluctantly, "butthey mistook me for someone else."

  "If you weren't guilty why did you run?" Penny demanded suspiciously."Why didn't you wait and explain?"

  "You can't explain to a cop," the boy told her with a scornful curl ofhis lip. "You see, I have a juvenile court record--it doesn't amountto much but the police won't give me a chance. I've been trying to gostraight, but every move I make they watch me."

  "Tell me your name."

  The boy hesitated, then said quietly:

  "Jerry Barrows."

  "I mean your real name," Penny smiled.

  A telltale flush crept over the youth's face, but he threw back hishead a trifle defiantly.

  "It is my real name. I'm no thief either. I admit I've been in alittle trouble before this, but today it wasn't my fault. Anotherfellow and myself were standing in a crowd when an old lady let out aholler that someone had picked her pocketbook. The police camerunning. They spotted me right off. I hadn't been near the old lady,but she was so excited she was ready to identify anyone. When the copstried to arrest me on suspicion I took to my heels."

  "What sort of juvenile court record do you have?" Penny asked.

  "Nothing of consequence. Once I was in a gang that took some applesfrom a pushcart. It was done in fun, but the judge put me on probationon account of it."

  Penny occasionally had visited juvenile court sessions and in manyrespects the stories she had heard there corresponded to Jerry Barrows'account of his difficulties. Yet in some ways his tale did not ringtrue. Obviously, he was trying to convey the impression that he hadnever had a chance and yet he wore expensive clothing. She suspectedtoo that he had been educated in a school fully as good as the one sheattended.

  "I am sorry, but I must turn you over to the police," she told him. "Idon't believe your story. It doesn't hang together."

  A strange change came over the boy's face. The last trace of arroganceleft him as he turned pleading eyes upon the two girls.

  "I lied about my name," he admitted, "but I did it because I want toprotect my mother. If she learns that I am in trouble again it willkill her. Please, won't you let me go free?"

  Even as the boy spoke, his eyes were roving to the door. It would notbe difficult for him to overpower the two girls and escape if he reallychose.

  "If I should let you go will you promise not to get into any moretrouble?" Penny asked suddenly.

  The boy nodded.

  "I'll find a job and keep straight."

  "Would you really work if you had a position?" Penny questioned.

  "Would I? Just try me!"

  "Then I'm going to turn you loose," she decided. "Come to my father'soffice tomorrow at nine o'clock. I'll ask him to help you find aposition."

  "Where is his office?" the boy inquired.

  "In room 305 of the Leader building. You'll see his name on the door.Christopher Nichols."

  "Nichols, the detective?" the boy questioned uneasily.

  "Yes, but you needn't be afraid he'll turn you over to the police.Wait now, and I'll see if the coast is clear."

  Opening the garage door a tiny crack, Penny peered out. As she hadexpected there were no officers lingering about the neighborhood.

  "It's safe to leave," she informed.

  He started away, then paused and offered his hand to Penny.

  "Thanks for giving me a break," he told her gratefully. "I reallymeant what I said about going straight."

  With that he darted through the open door and was lost in the night.