The Mystery of the Invisible Dog - M. V. Carey [36]
“Do you know where Belvedere Clinic is?” asked Jupiter.
“Sure, kid. Down at Wilshire and Yale.”
Jupe got into the cab. “I’d like to go there.”
“Okay.” The driver nipped the flag that started his meter and drove away from Central. Jupe realized that they were headed back in the direction of the Prentice apartment. Indeed, Belvedere Clinic turned out to be a small private hospital only two blocks from Paseo Place.
Jupe paid the driver and went into the building.
Compared to Central Hospital, it was elegant. The reception room was thickly carpeted and tastefully decorated with some Christmas ornaments. The receptionist was dressed not in white, but in a soft pink smock. She called John Murphy’s room and announced that Jupiter Jones was in the hospital and would like to see Murphy. She then smiled, and gave Murphy’s room number to Jupe.
Murphy’s room was a big one in a corner. Sunlight streamed through two windows.
Murphy was in bed, his usually ruddy face as white as the pillow. His nephew, Harley Johnson, sat in an armchair at the foot of the bed, looking at Murphy with a mixture of amusement and disapproval.
Murphy almost glared at Jupe when he appeared in the room.
“If you’ve come to lecture, too,” he snapped, “please don’t. I’ve had all I can take from Harley for one day.”
“I always said smoking would kill you,” declared Harley. “I didn’t expect it would be so soon!”
“I was tired,” said Murphy. His voice was sulky. “I was tired, that’s all. I’m usually very careful. I don’t even keep cigarettes in the bedroom.”
“Then you should sleep in the bedroom and not on the sofa,” said Harley.
Murphy groaned. “There is nothing more terrible than a righteous nephew.”
“Is that what happened?” asked Jupiter. “You fell asleep on the sofa and dropped a cigarette?”
“I suppose so,” admitted Murphy. “I can’t think what else might have happened. I remember coming in — after Mrs. Bortz’s car exploded — and sitting down. I was going to have one last cigarette and go to bed. I must have dropped off. The next thing I knew the room was full of smoke. I tried to find the door. Then I passed out.”
“You went in the wrong direction,” said Jupe. “You headed for the bedroom.”
Murphy nodded. “You got me out,” he said.
“We all did,” Jupe told him. “Bob and Pete and Sonny Elmquist. He was the one who saw the fire.”
“Creepy little guy,” muttered Murphy. “Never liked him much. Now I owe my life to him.”
“Mr. Murphy,” said Jupiter, “did you know about the dog Mr. Prentice was going to get?”
“Dog?” Murphy raised his head from his pillow. “Now, what would Prentice do with a dog? I understand he’s got an apartment loaded with antiques. A dog? You must be kidding!”
“Mrs. Bortz was rather upset about it,” said Jupiter.
“She upsets easily. Anyway, who listens to Mrs. Bortz? Her tongue’s tied in the middle and wags at both ends.”
He stretched out as if very weary. “I may move,” he said. He looked at Jupe. “You kids ought to get out of that building, too. Place isn’t safe.”
Harley stood up and came to the foot of the bed. “Don’t worry about it now,” he advised. “The doctor said you need rest. I’ll go around to your place and get things back in shape for you. When you’re feeling better, we can look for a new apartment.”
Murphy smiled. “You’re a good kid, Harley. Sometimes I think you’ve been a better guardian to me than I’ve been to you.”
Harley and Jupiter left together.
“My uncle smokes too much,” said Harley. “He also works too hard and he worries a lot. In a way, I’m almost glad that fire happened.”
Jupe shot a look at the young man.
“I don’t mean I’m glad he’s in the hospital or anything like that,” said Harley quickly.
“But he’s been very nervous lately, and he doesn’t sleep well. I noticed that when I was with him over Christmas. He got up a couple of times and paced around when he thought I was asleep. I’m not sure his business is going well. The smoke inhalation wasn’t much. You guys got him out in time. But his doctor wants to keep him in bed for a couple of days and run some tests and