Part 3 (1/2)
The lot where No. 66 should have been was as vacant as the look on the boy's face. A tangle of small trees and sumac grew up through the heavy weeds.
”A phony address,” Frank said.
Joe turned the car around and went back to the business section.
”I'm going into that p.a.w.nshop again and ask that guy some more questions,” he declared.
29 ”Not now,” Frank said as they pulled up. ”He's closed. Besides, Aunt Gertrude has supper ready, and we'd better not keep her waiting! We'll come back here in the morning.”
Joe could hardly wait to finish his breakfast the next day, so eager was he to rush off.
When Aunt Gertrude objected, he said: ”But this is a hot tip!”
”Makes no difference,” his aunt replied. ”First your father races down and eats nothing at all. Then you come along and want to leave this good food. Well, you're not going to. It's highway robbery what the stores charge, and bacon and eggs-Oh!”
Something in the kitchen was burning. Frank and Joe grinned as their aunt flew off.
Scorched toast had ended the tirade!
Half an hour later the brothers drove up to the p.a.w.nshop. The proprietor was surprised to see them.
”Want to look at another watch?” he asked.
”No,” said Frank as the man dangled a gold timepiece in front of him. ”I want to find out who Annie Smith is.”
”I gave you her address,” the p.a.w.nbroker said.
”It's a fake,” Joe interjected. ”There isn't even a house at No. 66.”
”No fault of mine,” the man said in self-defense.
30 ”We know that,” Frank replied politely. ”But we've got to find this Annie Smith. Perhaps you can help by giving us a description of her.”
”What's wrong? She owe you money?”
”No.” Frank laughed. ”There's another reason. Now tell me. What does Annie Smith look like?”
The man hesitated a moment. Could he be covering up, the boys wondered. Was Annie Smith a pal of his in some crooked deal? As the boys pondered this question, the p.a.w.nbroker began slowly: ”Well, this Annie is a-whatcha call it-a character.”
”You mean she's sort of queer?” Joe asked.
”Yeah, kinda queer, you might say. She comes around once in a while and p.a.w.ns things.”
Suddenly the p.a.w.nbroker grabbed Frank's arm.
”Hey, look!” he shouted. ”There she goes now!”
Frank and Joe whirled around to catch a fleeting glimpse of a woman pa.s.sing the dingy shopwindow. When the boys rushed out, she was only a few paces down the street. They caught up to her, and Frank, a trifle embarra.s.sed, said: ”Beg your pardon, Miss Smith. There's something we'd like to ask you.”
The woman, startled by the boys' sudden approach, looked at them with wild eyes. Her face 31 was neither young nor old. She wore a slovenly dress, and her hair was untidy, hanging in wisps over her face.
”Sorry we frightened you,” Joe apologized.
”What d' you want?” she asked.
”We'd like to know where you got the wrist watch you p.a.w.ned a couple of months ago at Maxby's,” Frank said.
”Me? I didn't p.a.w.n no watch,” the woman replied. ”What's it to you, anyway?”
”Then you did p.a.w.n a watch?” Joe queried.
”No.”
”The records show you did,” Frank said quietly. ”You'd better tell us the truth.”
”I won't tell anybody nuthin',” the woman said defiantly. ”Now go away and don't bother me.”
As Annie Smith started to push past the boys, Frank said: ”Well, Fenton Hardy might like to ask you a few questions if you don't tell us.”
The name worked like magic. ”Fenton Hardy?” Annie Smith repeated. ”Oh, no. Please.
I don't want to see no detectives!” Then she added nervously, ”I'll tell you boys where I got the watch. I found it.”
”Where?” Joe asked.
”Right in front of Al's Tobacco Shop.”
32 With that Annie turned on her heel and hurried down the street.
”What do you make of it?” Joe asked.
”I think she's telling the truth,” Frank said.
”She might be mixed up with some of that crooked arrow mob,” Joe ventured. ”Did you see how she jumped at the mention of Dad's name?”
”I have an idea,” Frank put in. ”Let's take a run over to the police station and check on her.”
Shortly afterward the brothers walked into the office of Police Chief Collig. The officer pulled himself up in his chair until one of his chins rested comfortably on the other.
”h.e.l.lo, boys,” he said with dignity. ”What can I do for you this time? Got another holdup to report?”
”We'd like to find out something about Annie Smith,” Frank said.
”That's easy,” the chief replied. ”Nothing particularly wrong with Annie except she's got the wanderl.u.s.t.”
”Is she mixed up with any gang?” Joe queried.