The Mystery of the Magic Circle - M. V. Carey [37]
“I know it isn’t,” said Jupiter. He stood still, his head to one side as if he were listening to voices that the others couldn’t hear. “There’s been something that’s been bothering me about this case all along — something I’ve been missing. I know what it is now. It’s something I saw, but I didn’t see. Not at the time. As a matter of fact, there were a couple of things that I missed. We can verify them when we need to. The evidence will be there. I know it will.”
“Jupe’s having one of his brainstorms,” said Pete, who was amused by the look on Beefy’s face.
“It’ll be okay,” Bob assured the young publisher. “Jupe has a photographic memory, and if he’s just recalling something he heard or saw, you can bet he’s recalling it exactly!”
“Now I’d like to search the apartment,” said Jupe. “I’d like to start with your uncle’s room.”
“Well … well, I guess it’s all right,” said Beefy. “If it will help.”
Beefy led the way to the big bedroom that had windows facing to the south. The boys followed him.
Jupe went directly to the closet, which had sliding doors that took up almost an entire wall of the room. He pulled back the doors. The boys saw dozens of neatly tailored jackets and racks of gleaming shoes.
Jupiter started to go through the pockets of the jackets. He worked quickly. After only a few minutes he said, “Aha!” and pulled a strip of metal from the pocket of a tan flannel jacket.
“Don’t tell me that’s magnesium!” said Beefy.
“I’m sure that any laboratory test would confirm it,” said Jupe. “And now I am quite positive that your uncle didn’t set the fire. He just panicked and ran. If he were guilty, he’d have taken the magnesium with him.”
The telephone on the table beside the bed began to ring.
“Want to answer that?” said Jupiter to Beefy. Jupe looked almost joyful. “I gave this number to Madeline Bainbridge and asked her to call here or at Headquarters in Rocky Beach if Gray did anything unusual. Perhaps that’s her now.”
Beefy picked up the telephone and said, “Hello.” He listened for a moment, then handed the telephone to Jupe. “It is Madeline Bainbridge,” he said, “and she wants to talk with you.”
Chapter 19
Setting the Trap
JUPITER STOOD with the telephone to his ear, and as he listened to Madeline Bainbridge, he grinned.
“That’s fine, Miss Bainbridge,” he said at last. “I was hoping for something like this. Now if Gray offers you something to eat or drink tonight, just pretend to take it.
And warn Miss Adams. Both of you want to be alert when Gray has his visitor. Of course, you’ll pretend to be asleep.
“I think we’ll be able to solve the entire series of crimes, and get proof that will satisfy the police. But there is one other person who should be there — Jefferson Long.”
The telephone made muted noises which the others in the room with Jupe couldn’t understand. Jupe nodded. “It won’t be difficult at all,” he said. “You can reach Long through Video Enterprises. He does his television series for them. Tell him that there are some things about him in your memoirs, and that you’re having doubts about some of them. Say you want to go over the incidents with him because you’d hate to embarrass him in public. That will surely bring him running. Tell him to be at the house about nine.”
Jupe waited, then nodded and smiled. “Fine. We’ll be there, so see that the dog isn’t loose.”
He hung up. “Madeline Bainbridge overheard Gray making a telephone call to someone named Charlie. He told Charlie to come tonight, and he’d have the money ready for him.”
“Charles Goodfellow!” exclaimed Pete.
“It seems likely,” said Jupiter. “And if Madeline Bainbridge is able to get Jefferson Long to the house, we should be able to settle everything at once. I think it will be very interesting to see Long and Gray and Goodfellow all together. Who wants to come along?”
“Are you kidding?” cried Pete. “I wouldn’t miss it!”
“I hope I’m invited,” said Beefy.
“Certainly,” said Jupiter. “I think we should bring your