The Mystery of the Flaming Footprints - M. V. Carey [35]
“I can only recognize two things,” he announced after a few moments. “One is the seal at the bottom. It is our old friend, the two-headed eagle. The other is a name – it’s Kerenov. Someone at some time conferred some honour on one Alexis Kerenov.
Have you ever heard that name, Tom?”
“No,” said Tom. “It couldn’t have been Grandfather. Like I said, his name was real, real long.”
“You recall the name, Bob, don’t you?” said Jupiter.
“You bet I do,” said Bob. “Kerenov was the artisan who created the crown for old Federic Azimov.”
Tom stared from one of them to the other. “Federic Azimov? Who’s he?”
“He was the first king of Lapathia,” Jupiter told him. “He lived 400 years ago.”
Tom Dobson stared at the Investigators. “But what would that have to do with my grandfather?” he asked.
“We don’t know,” said Jupiter, “but we intend to find out.”
Chapter 13
The Odd Eagle
JUPITER JONES piled the copies of the Belleview newspaper neatly on the shelves in the compartment above the fireplace and swung the panel closed.
“Your mother will be back any minute,” Jupiter said, “and I imagine Chief Reynolds will be with her. I have a strong feeling that we would be doing your grandfather a disservice if we turned the document we found over to the chief. The Three Investigators are following up certain lines of inquiry having to do with Lapathia and the royal family of the Azimovs. Do you agree, Tom, that we should be allowed to continue these until we have real evidence to present to the police?”
Tom scratched his head in bewilderment. “Wherever you are, you’re way ahead of me,” he said. “Okay. You keep the paper — for the time being. What about those newspapers behind the plaque?”
“It is possible that the police will discover the secret compartment,” said Jupiter.
“If so, there can be no harm done. I believe that is what the compartment was built for
— to draw attention away from the real secret.”
“I sure hope I get to meet my grandfather before all this is over,” said Tom. “He must be a character.”
“It will be an interesting experience,” Jupiter promised him.
Bob looked out of the window. “Here comes Mrs Dobson now,” he reported.
“Chief Reynolds with her?” asked Jupe.
“There’s a squad car right behind her,” said Bob.
“Omigosh! The dishes!” cried Pete.
“Indeed,” said Jupiter Jones, and the boys dashed down the stairs. By the time Mrs Dobson had parked and crossed the yard to the front door, Jupiter was running hot water into the sink, Tom was frantically scraping plates, and Bob stood by with a towel.
“Oh, how nice!” said Mrs Dobson when she saw the activity in the kitchen.
“Delicious breakfast, Mrs Dobson,” said Pete.
Chief Reynolds, followed by Officer Haines, stalked into the kitchen after Mrs Dobson. He ignored the other boys and focused his wrath on Jupiter. “Why didn’t you call me last night?” he demanded.
“Mrs Potter was upset,” said Jupiter.
“And since when are you a member of the Ladies Aid Society?” demanded the chief. “Jupiter Jones, one of these days, you are going to get your fat head knocked clean off.”
“Yes, sir,” agreed Jupe.
“Flaming footprints!” snorted the chief. He turned to Haines. “Search the house,”
he ordered.
“We did that, Chief,” Jupiter reported. “There wasn’t anyone here.”
“You mind if we do it our way?” said the chief.
“No, sir.”
“And get out, will you?” said the irate police chief. “Go on. Go and play baseball, or whatever it is normal kids do.”
The boys fled to the yard.
“Is he always that grumpy?” Tom asked.
“Only when Jupe doesn’t let him in on things,” said Bob.
“That figures.” Tom sat down on the steps between the two huge urns which were banded with double-headed eagles.
Jupiter frowned at one of the urns.
“What’s your problem?” said Bob.
“One of these eagles has only one head,” said Jupiter, puzzled.
The boys crowded round the urn. It was true. One of the birds in the bright band which decorated the piece was missing a head – the right-hand head. It looked like an ordinary, one-headed creature gazing off