The Mystery of Sinister Scarecrow - M. V. Carey [32]
Jupe frowned and began to pull at his lower lip.
“It isn’t any use,” said Letitia. “And it doesn’t matter, really, because I’m not going to be here much longer. I’m going back to Europe. The scarecrow … well, he came back last night.”
Jupiter and Pete looked at her questioningly.
“About midnight,” she said. “I was in Mrs. Chumley’s room and the lights were out. I saw him out on the driveway. He was pushing a wheelbarrow down toward the garage.”
“A wheelbarrow?” echoed Jupe. “An empty wheelbarrow? Or was there something in it?”
“There was a pile of
something,” said Letitia. “It
was too dark to see exactly
what. Dirt, maybe.”
“Didn’t you call anyone?”
asked Jupiter.
“No. I’m sick of calling
people.” Her tone was bleak.
“If I’m going crazy, I’ll do it
quietly from now on. The
other way doesn’t get me
anywhere.”
“I see,” said Jupe.
“And I don’t know any
one who would have a grudge
against me. It would have to be a very old grudge. I haven’t spent much time in Los Angeles for years.”
Mrs. Burroughs came to the doorway between the living room and the dining room. “Excuse me, miss,” she said. “Burroughs is going into Rocky Beach to the market. Is there anything you want?”
“Some more aspirin, Mrs. Burroughs, if you please,” said Letitia.
“Certainly, miss.”
Mrs. Burroughs went away, and Letitia stood up. “Are you boys going to stay for a while?” she asked. “I’d like it if you would. I feel safer somehow with you here.”
“Of course,” said Jupe. “Where is Dr. Woolley, by the way?”
“After I burned down the guest house, he moved into the barn,” said Letitia. “I imagine he’s there now, getting some rest. And I think I’ll get some rest, too.”
She started for the hall, then hesitated. ‘I think I’ll ask Mrs. Burroughs to go upstairs with me,” she said. “I don’t feel safe alone.”
“Good idea,” said Jupe.
Letitia went to the kitchen. A moment later Pete and Jupe heard Mrs. Burroughs exclaiming in her usual hearty way. She and Letitia went up the stairs. Jupe strolled to a front window and saw a big black Buick drive away down Chaparral Canyon.
“Burroughs just left for town,” said Jupe, “and the Car he’s driving is riding low.”
Bob came in from the hall just then. “Mrs. Chumley’s asleep now,” he said. “She took a pill for the pain.”
He paused. “Funny,” he said. “Just before she had me wheel her into her bedroom and help her to bed, she told me about the real Vermeer that hangs upstairs in the museum. She also mentioned the candelabra outside, and described how its prisms vibrate every time the grandfather clock on the landing strikes the hour.”
Pete stared. “She said that? But — but she can’t climb stairs! How could she know?”
“No doubt Gerhart Malz told her,” said Jupe indifferently. “He seems completely intrigued with that candelabra.” Jupe paused, and his eyes lit up. “Now, Mrs.
Chumley is sleeping. Letitia and Mrs. Burroughs are upstairs and Burroughs is in town. The coast is clear, fellows! We can do what we should have done a long time ago.”
“What’s that?” asked Pete.
“Search the house!” said Jupiter.
Chapter 17
Caught!
THE THREE INVESTIGATORS moved quietly through the big house. They were mindful of Letitia Radford and Mrs. Burroughs upstairs, and of Mrs. Chumley in her suite on the first floor. Stealthily they opened cupboards and closets, peered into drawers, and felt along the tops of cabinets.
They found nothing in
the kitchen or the pantry that
could be a clue to the
identity of the scarecrow.
The small servants’ sitting
room beyond the kitchen was
also innocent. So were the
two
bedrooms
in
the
servants’ wing. There were
uniforms in the closet of one
of the rooms, and a few
dresses and a sports jacket
and some slacks, but there
was no burlap sack and no
black hat which might have
made up a scarecrow.
“But we know that Burroughs isn’t the scarecrow!” protested Bob. “Why are we doing this?”
“It would be foolish not to,” said Jupiter. “We’ve been so afraid of upsetting Letitia Radford that we haven’t been at all thorough. Never mind. I didn’t think we’d find anything