The Mystery of the Flaming Footprints - M. V. Carey [29]
“It’s Jupiter Jones, Mrs Dobson. And Bob Andrews is with me.”
“Oh,” she said. “Just a second.”
The window slammed shut. An instant later, Jupe and Bob heard locks turning and bolts being drawn back. The door opened and Pete looked out.
“What’s up?” he demanded.
“Let us in, and keep calm,” said Jupiter in a low voice.
“I am calm. What’s the matter?”
Jupe and Bob stepped into the hall. “I don’t want to alarm Mrs Dobson unnecessarily,” said Jupiter quickly, “but the men at Hilltop House –”
Jupiter broke off when Mrs Dobson appeared at the top of the stairs and started down. “Did you hear a loud bang a minute ago, Jupiter?” she asked. “Like a shot?”
“It was only a backfire on the road,” said Jupiter quickly. “Mrs Dobson, you haven’t met our friend, Bob Andrews.”
“How do you do, Mrs Dobson,” said Bob.
Mrs Dobson smiled and came the rest of the way down the stairs. “I’m glad to meet you, Bob,” she said. “What brings you two here so late?”
Tom Dobson came down the stairs carrying a tray piled with empty cups. “Hey, Jupe!” he said.
Again Jupiter introduced Bob.
“Aha!” said Tom. “The Third Investigator!”
“The what?” said Mrs Dobson.
“Nothing, Mum,” said Tom. “It’s just a joke. Kind of.”
“Hm!” Mrs Dobson looked at her son in the searching manner peculiar to mothers. “We can do without jokes right now,” she said. “What are you boys up to?
It’s not that I don’t appreciate your trouble. It’s very nice to have Pete spend the night with us, but let’s not have any secrets, huh?”
“I’m sorry, Mrs Dobson,” said Jupiter. “Bob and I hadn’t planned to come here tonight. However, we went hiking along the path at the top of the hill, and we could not help but notice the men at Hilltop House.”
Bob choked.
Jupiter continued calmly. “Hilltop House is the big place almost directly behind this house, but up near the crest of the hill. Two new tenants moved into the place yesterday, and from their terrace they can look directly into the back bedrooms in this house. The thought came to us that you would wish to know of this, so that you can keep the window blinds down.”
“Oh, that’s just great!” Mrs Dobson sat down on the stairs. “Makes the day perfect. First we get flaming footprints, then that nut from the inn, and now a couple of Peeping Toms.”
“Nut from the inn?” questioned Bob. “What nut, from what inn?”
“Guy named Farrier,” answered Pete. “He popped up about half an hour ago, said he wanted to see if Mrs Dobson and Tom got moved in okay, and was there anything he could do for them?”
“The jolly fisherman,” said Jupiter.
“Too jolly for words,” said Mrs Dobson. “For some reason, he gives me the creeps. Why’s he trying so hard? He smiles so much my face aches just watching him, and he’s always so darned … so darned …”
“Splendid?” said Jupiter.
“I guess you could say splendid.” Mrs Dobson put her chin in her hands and rested her elbows on her knees. “He looks like … well, like one of those dummies in a department store. I don’t think he sweats. Anyhow, he tried to invite himself in for coffee. I told him I was planning to lie down with a cold cloth on my head, and he took the hint and went away.”
“He was driving?” said Jupiter.
“Well, sure,” Pete put in. “An old tan Ford. He went on up the road.”
“Hm,” said Jupiter. “No reason why he shouldn’t take a drive along the ocean.
Well, we had better get home. See you tomorrow, Mrs Dobson.”
“Goodnight, boys,” said Mrs Dobson. She took the tray of dirty cups from Tom and headed for the kitchen.
Jupiter quickly filled in Tom and Pete on the full events at Hilltop House and the subsequent gunshot. He warned them again about keeping the blinds down. After Jupe and Bob went out, they could hear the sound of locks being locked and bolts being bolted.
“I think I am extremely pleased that The Potter equipped his house so well with locks,” said Jupiter.
The boys began the walk back to Rocky Beach on the shoulder of the road.
“Do you think Pete and the Dobsons are in any real danger?” wondered Bob.
“No,” said Jupiter. “No, I think not. The men at Hilltop House may be curious about