The Mystery of the Invisible Dog - M. V. Carey [9]
I called the police immediately from a neighbour’s phone.”
“Really, Charles, you were a little careless,” said Mr. Prentice with a trace of bitterness.
“Now, Fenton, let’s not quarrel,” answered Niedland. “Let’s just call it bad luck.”
“Did anyone else know the Hound was to be delivered yesterday?” asked Jupe.
Both men shook their heads.
“Was the Hound insured?” asked Bob.
“Yes, but what use is that when it can’t be replaced?” replied Prentice. “It’s … why, it’s like losing the Mona Lisa! You can’t be repaid for a thing like that.”
“I assume the police looked for fingerprints and that sort of thing?” said Jupe.
“They were here half the night dusting fingerprint powder around,” replied Niedland.
“Apparently they found nothing conclusive. They are now checking their files of known criminals in case a specialist in art theft is involved.”
“I’m sure they’ll be very thorough,” said Jupiter. “I doubt that there is more we could do.”
Mr. Prentice nodded, took his leave of Charles Niedland, and led the boys back through the alley and into the courtyard of his building. Mrs. Bortz was there, picking a dead leaf off a plant. Mr. Prentice ignored her and went upstairs with the boys trailing him.
Once they were in Prentice’s apartment, with the door locked, Jupiter produced his jar of ointment and explained his plan. “There are ceramic knobs on your desk drawers,”
he told Mr. Prentice. “They are perfect for our purpose. This chemical reacts with metal and might damage copper or brass, but it can’t hurt ceramics. We’ll coat the knobs with the ointment, then go out. If someone comes in here while we’re away and opens a desk drawer, he will get black stains on his hands.”
“The intruder seems able to come and go whether I am here or not,” said Prentice.
“Also, he seems able to ignore solid walls and doors. Why should a drawer handle bother him?”
“Mr. Prentice, we can at least try it,” said Jupe. “You told us that you once came home and found that your desk had been gone through.”
“Very well,” said Prentice. “I am willing to try anything. Anoint the drawer handles, and then let’s go and get something to eat.”
“Wonderful!” cried Pete. “I’m starved!”
Jupe applied his magic ointment to the knobs on Prentice’s desk drawers, using a paper towel to get the ointment out of the jar. Then he and Pete and Bob went out with Mr. Prentice and walked slowly down the stairs, talking loudly of the place where they would eat. The courtyard was empty, but at the gate they encountered Mrs. Bortz and the lank young man named Sonny Elmquist. Both were looking down towards the church. An ambulance was at the church door.
“What happened?” asked Pete.
“It’s the caretaker at the church,” said Elmquist. “He’s been hurt! The pastor found him a little while ago up in the choir loft!”
Chapter 5
The Guilty Stains
The Three Investigators and Mr. Prentice rushed next door to the church. Two men in white were just coming out with a stretcher. On it lay Earl, the caretaker, covered to the chin with a blanket.
Father McGovern came out together with the vocal Mrs. O’Reilly.
“He’s killed!” the woman wailed. “Killed!
Murdered! Dead!”
“Mrs. O’Reilly, he’s not dead, thanks be
to God!” The priest was pale. His hands
shook as he locked the church door. “I should
have come back here with him last night and
helped him close up. It isn’t the first time he’s
fallen, but to have him lie in the choir loft all
night!”
The priest came down the steps. “It’s my
fault for giving him his own way,” he said.
“He turns out most of the lights when he can
and goes groping about in the gloom. He
thinks he’s saving money for the parish.”
“Precious little he’ll save on this piece of foolishness,” said Mrs. O’Reilly. “And who’s
to do his work