The Mystery of the Invisible Dog - M. V. Carey [22]
“How about Mrs. Bortz?” Bob suggested. “She could have seen papers referring to the Hound when she snooped in Mr. Prentice’s apartment.”
“If she knew about the Hound, so did everyone in the neighbourhood!” exclaimed Pete.
“Jupe, do you think the burglar went to Niedland’s house intending to steal the Carpathian Hound?” asked Bob.
“It’s hard to say. How would he have known the Hound was there just then? Perhaps he just hoped to find something of value in the house. If he lived in the neighbourhood, he would know the house was vacant. So he broke in, found the sculpture, and was scared off by the police. He ran into the church and disguised himself as a statue of St Patrick. What nerve! To simply stand there in a cape and mitre while the police swarmed around!”
“Then the police left but the caretaker came back,” continued Bob. “So the burglar knocked him out and escaped!”
“I think we can assume violence on the part of the burglar,” agreed Jupe. “He’d know that, sooner or later, Earl would notice a brand new statue. It seems most likely that the burglar struck Earl, then hid the sculpture in the church and came back for it last night.”
“But why?” asked Pete. “Why couldn’t the burglar put it in his pocket or under his jacket the night he stole it? Why leave it in the church?”
“Too risky,” answered Jupiter. “He might be afraid that squad cars were still in the area. He might be afraid of being stopped and questioned and even searched. He’d guess it was safer to leave the Hound in the church for a day and retrieve it the next day.”
“So he came back last night as the phantom priest,” said Pete.
“No, I don’t think so,” said Jupe. “The phantom priest was simply standing down by the altar when I saw him. The crook would have gone directly to the hiding place of the crystal dog and then left immediately. I think he must have been leaving when I came in.
He gave me a shove to get me out of the way and ran out, locking the door behind him.”
“Then who was the phantom priest?” asked Bob.
“Sonny Elmquist?” suggested Pete. “He likes ghosts, and he was home last night.
Maybe he’s in cahoots with the burglar.”
“That would be an unlikely combination,” said Jupe. “A man who is interested in separating himself from worldly desires teamed up with a burglar?”
“But he said he needs money, Jupe!” Bob reminded him excitedly. “He’s trying to get enough money to go to India, remember?”
“Hey, maybe Elmquist is the burglar himself!” added Pete.
“You forget. Elmquist was asleep in his apartment when the police chased the burglar through the courtyard,” said Jupe. “And then he was standing in front of the church with us while the police searched the building—and presumably the burglar was inside posing as a saint.”
“But Elmquist seems able to be in two places at once,” said Bob. “If he can haunt Mr. Prentice’s apartment while he’s at home downstairs, then he can be inside and outside the church at the same time, too!”
Jupe shook his head in frustration. “It’s just not possible. But I agree with you on one thing. There’s a lot about Sonny Elmquist that hasn’t been explained. I think we should keep an eye on that man, and I have an idea how to do it. I’ve been working on—”
The telephone on the desk rang. Jupe picked it up.
“Yes?” he said. Then, “Oh, Mr. Prentice, just a moment.”
Jupiter held the telephone receiver near a special microphone and loudspeaker he had rigged up from parts of an old radio. Now all three of the boys could hear what the art collector was saying.
“Please go ahead, Mr. Prentice,” said Jupiter.
“I have just received a telephone call.” The man’s voice was shaky and excited. “It was from the person who now has possession of the Carpathian Hound. You told me that it would be a difficult thing to dispose of. Well, he has found the perfect place to sell it.
He offers it to me for ten thousand dollars!”
Chapter 10
A Case of Poison
THE THREE INVESTIGATORS sat in stunned silence.
“Jupiter? Are you there?” Fenton Prentice demanded.
“Uh, yes. Yes, sir.” It was