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.Anyway, I bet that's howhe did it!""Wow!" Sandy said softly.Now his eyes were as bright as Ken's."Wow!" Then hesobered."But could it have been that simple? Wouldn't a carton have beennoticed when- No," he broke off."I remember now.Chris said he and Turney hadbeen wrapping packages all day, right up until six o'clock when they had tohelp in the front of the store.So even if they'd mailed part of the stuffearlier, the packages they'd done late that afternoon probably would be heldover until Monday."122 THE MYSTERY OF THE VANISHING MAGICIANKen nodded."That's the way I figured.And Tur-ney probably used a fake nameon the label, and addressed it care of general delivery at some town fairlyPage 51 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlnear Hilldale.Then all he had to do was drive over several days later andpick it up.""If the package was registered, or insured, or whatever you call it," Sandysaid, "he'd have had to sign for it.But-""But that would have been no problem," Ken finished for him."He'd simply signthe name he'd invented-the one he wrote on the label-and offer a faked letteras identification."For a moment they were silent, both staring blankly at the closed and darkenedgas station at the crossroads just beyond them, while they searched theirminds for possible flaws in the idea that had completely changed their outlookwithin a few moments."Turney would have had time to do it," Ken pointed out."He was used towrapping stuff.He must have been fast at it.""Right.Of course," Sandy said slowly, "there was a chance that the policewould have opened all those packages that night, just to check on this verypossibility.""So? In that case Turney would have lost the loot.""And gone to jail," Sandy reminded him."If the label on the package was inhis handwriting, they'd know he'd wrapped it up.""He probably typed the label-either that night or Monday morning," Ken said."And in that case they wouldn't be able to prove who did it.But there's atougher problem than that-the same one Bert pointed out when you firstmentioned Turney as a suspect.Why would the man rob a store where he'dA NEW RAY OF HOPE 123worked all that time? You see, even if we can figure out the mechanicalangles-and I think we can-we still have no idea why he'd do such a thing.Andwithout a motive-""But didn't you think up an answer to that once?" Sandy interrupted."Something about Turney having always wanted to rob the place, maybe, and justrealizing on the spur of the moment that he could get away with it and letChris take the rap.""Yes," Ken admitted slowly, "but we hadn't met Balfour then.Now we know whatgood friends the two men always were-how much Balfour trusted Turney.AndBalfour's no fool.He'd have sensed it if Turney had just been waiting allthat time for the chance to rob him some day.' He slumped lower in his seat,arms resting heavily on the steering wheel."No.I don't think that answer ofmine looks very good any more."Sandy spoke after a long pause."But suppose something had just happened toTurney-that he'd lost a lot of money somehow, or gotten into debt? In thatcase he might have been suddenly tempted to take the stuff, even if he hadbeen Balfour's friend right up until then.""Mmm.I suppose that's possible.How do you suppose we could check on that?"Ken wondered."We couldn't," Sandy told him."That's a job for experts."Suddenly he jerked open the glove compartment and hauled out a flashlight andthe Pennsylvania road map they had used earlier that day."What's struck you?" Ken demanded.Sandy didn't answer.His finger was tracing a line on the map by the light ofthe flash."We left Hill-" dale about.so that means we've come."124 THE MYSTERY OF THE VANISHING MAGICIANHis half-spoken thoughts shifted into coherent speech, and he was grinning."The way I figure it," he said, "we can't be very far from the crossroad thatgoes up to Wanaka-and not more than ten miles away from the place itself.There's an expert at Wanaka.You told me that's where Land was going tonight.And we need an expert.Let's go!""Huh!" Ken stared at him for an instant and then he too was grinning."Great!Why, for all we know, Land might have looked into Turney's background at thetime.There wasn't anything about it in that report we saw, but that doesn'tprove he didn't.Even if he found Turney was in debt, he might not havementioned it on the grounds that Turney was in the clear, according to thePage 52 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlrest of his investigation.Let's go is right!""You don't think Land is so eager to convict Chris that he wouldn't evenlisten to this idea?" Sandy asked cautiously."I just think he's eager for a conviction and thinks Chris is the onlycandidate," Ken assured him."After all, he's a professional investigator.Heprobably doesn't have any feelings about the business at all.""O.K., then.There are some signs at that crossroads.Pull up so we can readthem and find out exactly where we are."Ken started the car and eased it forward a few hundred feet, pulling into thedriveway of the closed gas station from which the signs were readily legible."Hey! Look at that!" Sandy's voice was exultant."The road to the left goes toWanaka and it's only ten miles!"They grinned at each other, convinced that thisA NEW RAY OF HOPE 125was a good omen for the validity of their new theory."What time was Land arriving there?" Sandy asked suddenly."Did Pop tell youthat?"Ken frowned, trying to recall Pop's exact words over the phone."I don't thinkhe said.Chris could reach him there tonight is all I remember.But wait aminute! Pop did say something about Land having been in Chris's room right upuntil he drove out of town at-at-" Ken beat a fist against his forehead in theeffort to recall-"at four o'clock, I think he said.""Good.Then we can figure." Sandy consulted the map again."In that case heought to get there at about ten or ten thirty, allowing time out to eat dinneron the way.And it's ten thirty right now.So we ought to find him there allright."Ken was looking thoughtfully at the illuminated telephone booth on the outsidewall of the filling station."I think we ought to phone him first," he saidslowly."He may not want to talk to us at Tur-ney's.Maybe he'd rather meet ussome place else.What do you think?""Good idea," Sandy agreed."I'm tempted to call home too," he added, "but nowthat we're this close we might as well check with Land first, and see what heknows, before we get their hopes up again."Ken nodded, and they slid out of the car and headed for the booth."If the motel clerk connects me with him," Ken said, half to himself, "I'lljust try to hint what we're after and ask him if he wants to meet us someplace else.I'd just as soon not meet Turney himself tonight."A moment later he was fishing in his pocket for change, dialing the operator,and asking to be con-126 THE MYSTERY OF THE VANISHING MAGICIANnected with the motor court managed by James Turney in Wanaka."You must mean the Wanaka Motor Court," the operator said crisply."There'sonly one there.""I guess I do," Ken agreed.He deposited the sum she asked for and waited [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Anyway, I bet that's howhe did it!""Wow!" Sandy said softly.Now his eyes were as bright as Ken's."Wow!" Then hesobered."But could it have been that simple? Wouldn't a carton have beennoticed when- No," he broke off."I remember now.Chris said he and Turney hadbeen wrapping packages all day, right up until six o'clock when they had tohelp in the front of the store.So even if they'd mailed part of the stuffearlier, the packages they'd done late that afternoon probably would be heldover until Monday."122 THE MYSTERY OF THE VANISHING MAGICIANKen nodded."That's the way I figured.And Tur-ney probably used a fake nameon the label, and addressed it care of general delivery at some town fairlyPage 51 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlnear Hilldale.Then all he had to do was drive over several days later andpick it up.""If the package was registered, or insured, or whatever you call it," Sandysaid, "he'd have had to sign for it.But-""But that would have been no problem," Ken finished for him."He'd simply signthe name he'd invented-the one he wrote on the label-and offer a faked letteras identification."For a moment they were silent, both staring blankly at the closed and darkenedgas station at the crossroads just beyond them, while they searched theirminds for possible flaws in the idea that had completely changed their outlookwithin a few moments."Turney would have had time to do it," Ken pointed out."He was used towrapping stuff.He must have been fast at it.""Right.Of course," Sandy said slowly, "there was a chance that the policewould have opened all those packages that night, just to check on this verypossibility.""So? In that case Turney would have lost the loot.""And gone to jail," Sandy reminded him."If the label on the package was inhis handwriting, they'd know he'd wrapped it up.""He probably typed the label-either that night or Monday morning," Ken said."And in that case they wouldn't be able to prove who did it.But there's atougher problem than that-the same one Bert pointed out when you firstmentioned Turney as a suspect.Why would the man rob a store where he'dA NEW RAY OF HOPE 123worked all that time? You see, even if we can figure out the mechanicalangles-and I think we can-we still have no idea why he'd do such a thing.Andwithout a motive-""But didn't you think up an answer to that once?" Sandy interrupted."Something about Turney having always wanted to rob the place, maybe, and justrealizing on the spur of the moment that he could get away with it and letChris take the rap.""Yes," Ken admitted slowly, "but we hadn't met Balfour then.Now we know whatgood friends the two men always were-how much Balfour trusted Turney.AndBalfour's no fool.He'd have sensed it if Turney had just been waiting allthat time for the chance to rob him some day.' He slumped lower in his seat,arms resting heavily on the steering wheel."No.I don't think that answer ofmine looks very good any more."Sandy spoke after a long pause."But suppose something had just happened toTurney-that he'd lost a lot of money somehow, or gotten into debt? In thatcase he might have been suddenly tempted to take the stuff, even if he hadbeen Balfour's friend right up until then.""Mmm.I suppose that's possible.How do you suppose we could check on that?"Ken wondered."We couldn't," Sandy told him."That's a job for experts."Suddenly he jerked open the glove compartment and hauled out a flashlight andthe Pennsylvania road map they had used earlier that day."What's struck you?" Ken demanded.Sandy didn't answer.His finger was tracing a line on the map by the light ofthe flash."We left Hill-" dale about.so that means we've come."124 THE MYSTERY OF THE VANISHING MAGICIANHis half-spoken thoughts shifted into coherent speech, and he was grinning."The way I figure it," he said, "we can't be very far from the crossroad thatgoes up to Wanaka-and not more than ten miles away from the place itself.There's an expert at Wanaka.You told me that's where Land was going tonight.And we need an expert.Let's go!""Huh!" Ken stared at him for an instant and then he too was grinning."Great!Why, for all we know, Land might have looked into Turney's background at thetime.There wasn't anything about it in that report we saw, but that doesn'tprove he didn't.Even if he found Turney was in debt, he might not havementioned it on the grounds that Turney was in the clear, according to thePage 52 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlrest of his investigation.Let's go is right!""You don't think Land is so eager to convict Chris that he wouldn't evenlisten to this idea?" Sandy asked cautiously."I just think he's eager for a conviction and thinks Chris is the onlycandidate," Ken assured him."After all, he's a professional investigator.Heprobably doesn't have any feelings about the business at all.""O.K., then.There are some signs at that crossroads.Pull up so we can readthem and find out exactly where we are."Ken started the car and eased it forward a few hundred feet, pulling into thedriveway of the closed gas station from which the signs were readily legible."Hey! Look at that!" Sandy's voice was exultant."The road to the left goes toWanaka and it's only ten miles!"They grinned at each other, convinced that thisA NEW RAY OF HOPE 125was a good omen for the validity of their new theory."What time was Land arriving there?" Sandy asked suddenly."Did Pop tell youthat?"Ken frowned, trying to recall Pop's exact words over the phone."I don't thinkhe said.Chris could reach him there tonight is all I remember.But wait aminute! Pop did say something about Land having been in Chris's room right upuntil he drove out of town at-at-" Ken beat a fist against his forehead in theeffort to recall-"at four o'clock, I think he said.""Good.Then we can figure." Sandy consulted the map again."In that case heought to get there at about ten or ten thirty, allowing time out to eat dinneron the way.And it's ten thirty right now.So we ought to find him there allright."Ken was looking thoughtfully at the illuminated telephone booth on the outsidewall of the filling station."I think we ought to phone him first," he saidslowly."He may not want to talk to us at Tur-ney's.Maybe he'd rather meet ussome place else.What do you think?""Good idea," Sandy agreed."I'm tempted to call home too," he added, "but nowthat we're this close we might as well check with Land first, and see what heknows, before we get their hopes up again."Ken nodded, and they slid out of the car and headed for the booth."If the motel clerk connects me with him," Ken said, half to himself, "I'lljust try to hint what we're after and ask him if he wants to meet us someplace else.I'd just as soon not meet Turney himself tonight."A moment later he was fishing in his pocket for change, dialing the operator,and asking to be con-126 THE MYSTERY OF THE VANISHING MAGICIANnected with the motor court managed by James Turney in Wanaka."You must mean the Wanaka Motor Court," the operator said crisply."There'sonly one there.""I guess I do," Ken agreed.He deposited the sum she asked for and waited [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]