The Mystery of the Death Trap Mine - M. V. Carey [16]
There were further details about the planned sealing of the mine in the paper dated May 13, and the issue for May 20 carried a story of the simple safety measure that had caused tremendous excitement in the little town. There had been a parade before the mine was sealed, then a ceremony as the grill was actually cemented into place.
“They made a big thing out of it,” Pete observed.
“You heard what Mr. Kingsley said,” Bob reminded him. “There isn’t much news here.
Sealing the mine would be an event.”
He turned the pages of the newspaper, looking at pictures of the residents of Twin Lakes parading down the village street. Suddenly he said, “Hey! Here’s something. On the fourth page. When the people went out to put the grill in place at the mine entrance, they found a car abandoned on the mine property. It was a Chevrolet sedan, and it was identified as a car that had been stolen from the parking lot of a market in Lordsburg three days before. Sheriff Tait is even quoted in the article. He guessed that the car had been swiped by Twin Lakes teenagers who wanted a ride home from Lordsburg. And he warned that if he caught any kids joyriding, he’d see to it that they wound up in jail.”
Bob looked up. Jupe was pulling at his lower lip, as he often did when he was thinking intensely.
“A car stolen from Lordsburg, then found near the mine on the day the mine was sealed,” he said. “And inside the mine was a convicted thief. I don’t think we would be making a wild guess if we assumed that the car was stolen by the dead man. He drove it to Twin Lakes and left it near the mine. Then he went into the mine for some reason and …
and he did not come out again.”
“Okay,” said Pete. “But that leaves us about where we were before, except that we can guess he went from San Francisco to Lordsburg and from Lordsburg to Twin Lakes. But why? What brought him here?”
Jupe shrugged.
Bob continued to page through old papers. There was nothing else that seemed remotely related to their mystery. Wesley Thurgood was not mentioned. In an issue for October of that year, Mrs. Macomber’s return to Twin Lakes was announced. Two follow-up stories told of her purchase of some of the property that had once belonged to Death Trap Mine.
“I wonder how long Gilbert Morgan was in Lordsburg after he left San Francisco?” said Jupiter.
Pete leaned against the linotype machine. “Who knows? He was a parole-breaker. He’d have laid low. And it all happened five years ago. The trail is cold by now.”
“True,” said Jupiter. “And he seems to have been here for no reason. Yet he was here, in a mine that was subsequently purchased by Wesley Thurgood. How could Thurgood not have known about that body? Could there be a connection between Thurgood, a successful real estate tycoon, and Morgan, a loser, a paroled convict? There is only one thing we can do right now.”
“What?” asked Pete.
“We can try to take a step backward into Morgan’s past. If he stayed in Lordsburg at all, he must have stayed somewhere. I know it’s almost hopeless after all this time, but we can try to trace him. We can check the newspapers and the city directory. It’s the only thing we can do.”
Chapter 8
A Prowler in the Night
ALLIE AND THE BOYS arrived back at the Christmas tree ranch in the early afternoon.
Uncle Harry was standing on the porch, his ruddy face flushed with impatience. There were three cars in the drive, and several people were clustered near the porch, trying to argue with Uncle Harry.
“My niece cannot possibly talk with anyone,” Uncle Harry was saying. “She’s a sensitive young girl, and she’s far too upset after …”
He broke off short when he saw Allie and the boys. “Allie — into the house!” He jumped off the porch, took Allie by the elbow, and propelled her through the door. Jupiter, Pete, and Bob hurried after her, and when they were inside, Uncle Harry slammed the door behind them.
“Those people are reporters and I do not want you talking to them,” said Uncle Harry.
“Why not?” asked Allie. “I’m news, aren’t I?”
“Because if