Penny Nichols and the Black Imp Part 22

"The Reliance Insurance Company? I don't understand. What have they to do with it?"

"Your necklace was insured with them, I believe," Mr. Nichols said evenly.

"Oh, no!"

"For fifteen thousand dollars."

"Certainly not," Mrs. Dillon replied indignantly. "Are you suggesting that I would lie about the matter?"

"I thought you might have forgotten."

"This is too ridiculous!" Mrs. Dillon snapped. "I didn't come here to be insulted."

"Please don't consider my remarks in that light, Mrs. Dillon. I was merely explaining why I can't take the case. I expect to serve the Reliance Company."

"They have absolutely nothing to do with the necklace." Mrs. Dillon angrily arose. "I am sorry I wasted my time coming here!"

Haughtily, she left the house, and Penny, who watched from the window, saw her drive away with her chauffeur.

"Do you really intend to take the case for the Reliance people?" she questioned eagerly.

"Oh, I suppose I shall."

"What do you think of Mrs. Dillon, Dad?"

"She bores me," Mr. Nichols yawned. "Without a background of money and social position she would be nothing but a noisy phonograph record."

"I meant about her claim regarding the necklace. Were the pearls actually insured?"

"Oh, of course," Mr. Nichols returned, a trifle impatiently. He laughed. "I can't imagine the Reliance people turning over a cold fifteen thousand dollars if they didn't owe it."

"But if Mrs. Dillon expects to collect the money why should she lie?"

The detective shrugged. "Some women are funny."

Mrs. Gallup came to announce dinner and at the table the subject was not resumed. Penny sighed as she stole a glance at her father's immobile face. She could never tell what he was thinking and his reluctance to discuss any case upon which he happened to be working was at times irritating.

The next morning after helping Mrs. Gallup wash windows, Penny went down town to have luncheon with her father. She felt rather important as she entered the office for it was not often that he extended such an invitation.

The door of the inner room was ajar and Miss Arrow was nowhere in sight, so Penny entered. To her surprise the private office was in great confusion. Papers had been tossed over the floor and the filing cabinet rifled. Mr. Nichols and his secretary were occupied examining the contents of the safe.

"What's the matter?" Penny questioned. "Are you house cleaning or did a cyclone strike the place?"

"Someone broke in here last night and went through everything," Mr.

Nichols answered.

"Anything valuable taken?"

"No, not so far as we've discovered. Only a little cash that was in the safe--nothing of consequence."

"Who do you suppose did it?" Penny asked. She leaned carelessly against the desk but her father pulled her away.

"Be careful where you park yourself," he ordered. "I haven't finished taking finger prints yet."

Penny waited while Miss Arrow and her father made a systematic inventory of the contents of the room. They were both too busy to talk. At one o'clock Penny grew discouraged.

"How much longer before you'll be ready to go to lunch, Dad?"

"Oh, an hour at least."

"Then I guess I'll go by myself. I'm dreadfully hungry."

"Good idea," the detective approved. "You might have some sandwiches and coffee sent in for Miss Arrow and myself." He tossed her a bill and went on with his work.

At a nearby restaurant Penny ordered luncheon for herself and had a package of cold food and a large thermos bottle of coffee dispatched to her father's office.

She ate somewhat mechanically as she reflected upon the audacity of the person who had dared to rifle her father's office. A few years before she recalled that a thief had broken into the safe, but he had been captured within forty-eight hours.

As Penny left the restaurant she purchased a newspaper and glanced at the headlines. The story of the Dillon robbery appeared in column one but the details were not given very accurately.

Penny folded the paper and walked slowly down the street. Having no destination in mind she wandered toward the park. Seating herself on a bench she idly watched the pa.s.sersby.

Presently her attention was drawn to a man who had paused near a large tree not far away. He appeared strangely familiar, but at first glance Penny did not recognize him. She scrutinized him closely. He wore dark horn-rimmed gla.s.ses and kept the brim of his broad hat pulled low.

"Why, it's Mr. Hoges!" Penny thought. "The museum workman!"

She felt certain that the man had not worn dark gla.s.ses when she had seen him at the Gage Galleries. He was well dressed, even expensively, yet she knew the salary he had received from the museum could not be a large one.

"Mr. Hoges was supposed to be out of the city on vacation too," she reflected. "I think I'll go over and talk with him."

Before she could move from the bench she saw the man take out his watch and stare at it. Then he gazed impatiently up and down the walk as if he were expecting someone. Penny kept her head bent and he did not bestow a second glance in her direction.

She thought: "I'll just wait and see for whom he's waiting. I may learn more that way."

Ten minutes pa.s.sed. Mr. Hoges grew more impatient. He paced back and forth in front of the tree. Then abruptly he halted, and his face lighted up.

From the other side of the park a girl in a blue coat rapidly approached. As she hurried up to the waiting Mr. Hoges, her face was slightly averted.

"I'm sorry to be late," she murmured.

The voice was musical and low. Penny recognized it instantly, yet found it difficult to believe her own ears. If only the girl would turn her head----

Just then she did, and Penny could no longer hope that she had been mistaken. The newcomer was Amy Coulter.

CHAPTER XIII