Part 17 (1/2)
Rick grinned ”It's Sunday Lost track of tiers ”Hey! Duke and Jerry are coe to Cap'n Mike en route through a o”
They took both of the island boats, planning to leave one for Duke and Jerry to use later in the day Then, after tying up the boats at thethe car, they called first on Captain Douglas of the State Police
The officer knew the boys well, and knew in addition of their connection with JANIG He promised readily to assist
”Probably my own officers won't be too much help,” he said, ”but they can ask the local police to keep their eyes open up and down the coast We won't say anything about the federal govern interested To everyone but me, this will be a routine State Police matter”
Rick hesitated for a las'
discretion ”We're interested in the new barber, too,” he added
”Steve Aht keep your eyes open”
”I'll do that,” Captain Douglas assured him ”And how about the Boy Scout leaders camped behind Spindrift?”
Rick was about to say casually that he didn't suspect any Boy Scout leaders, then he caught the twinkle in the captain's eye
”He's hep,” Scotty said
Captain Douglas nodded ”One of my officers paid them a call He's a sharp one, and heinto their tent He ca expedition of souns I took a car full of armed troopers and we dropped in One of the Scout leaders turned out to be a man as in the same FBI class that I attended He showed ave him my phone number in case he needed help And that was that”
Scotty said thoughtfully, ”I guess the hardest thing in the world is keeping a secret”
”That's the second hardest,” Douglas corrected ”The hardest usually is finding out how the secret became public in the first place”
The boys went fro Record_ and found Jerry on the job ”The press never sleeps,” he greeted thes you two to town on a peaceful Sunday?”
”We brought you a boat,” Rick explained ”In exchange for a favor”
Jerry eyed them suspiciously ”What kind of a favor?”
It took only a reed ”Duke won't object to keeping you posted We'll keep an eye open for you And we'll collect for the favor with an extra helping of pie tonight”
”It's a deal,” Rick agreed
As it turned out, Jerry's bargain of an extra helping of pie was conservative He had three for dessert that night
Rick noticed that both Jerry and Duke eyed Dr Morrison curiously, and he knew they were trying to recall if they had ever seen a picture that would help place him in their minds Not that they would use the inforh order of frustration in the face of aelse She ca fresh coffee for his friends ”Rick, those friends of yours are nice Have you noticed how much Mr Barrows looks like Dad?”
Rick looked The tere deep in conversation, and it was the first tiether They looked verydarkness They were about the saive or take a fraction of an inch, and both had the sahed within five pounds of each other Actually, however, the reseht have been cousins, but not brothers
”They do look alike,” Rick agreed
Later, he saw Jan deep in conversation with Jerry and wandered by, to eavesdrop a little He knew that Jerry was entirely trustworthy, but his friend was also a nosy reporter ould try to puirl