The Mystery of the Magic Circle - M. V. Carey [39]
Chapter 20
The Surprise Party
AT DUSK THAT evening, Beefy drove up from the Coast Highway to the Bainbridge ranch. The Three Investigators were with him, and so was his uncle. For once, William Tremayne did not seem bored. His eyes were eager, and from time to time he touched his pocket, where he carried a revolver.
There was a Mercedes parked near the porch of the Bainbridge house. Behind it was a light-coloured Ford. “The Ford must belong to Harold Thomas,” said Jupe.
“The Mercedes is Gray’s. Let’s make sure that neither of them leave here before we’re ready for them to leave.”
Pete smiled and tried the doors of the two cars. Neither vehicle was locked. “Very good,” said Pete. He took a pair of pliers out of his pocket and went to work. In seconds he had disconnected the ignition wires, disabling both cars.
“I’ll stay here and keep out of sight until Long arrives,” he told the others. “Good luck.”
Jupiter, Bob, and the Tremaynes started up the front steps. There was an outburst of barking. It sounded muffled and far away.
“Sounds like somebody locked Bruno in the cellar,” said Bob.
“Thank goodness,” exclaimed Jupe. “I don’t want to meet him face to face. Not when he takes his orders from Marvin Gray.”
Jupe then strode boldly across the porch and rang the doorbell.
After a moment, there were footsteps in the hall. “Who’s there?” called Marvin Gray.
“I have something for Mr. Gray,” said Jupe loudly.
The front door opened and Marvin Gray looked out.
“Mr. Horace Tremayne would like to talk to you,” said Jupiter. “So would Mr.
William Tremayne.”
Jupiter stood aside, and Beefy stepped forward and planted his foot squarely on the doorsill. “Sorry to be dropping in so late,” he said, “but somehow this seemed like the right moment.”
Gray drew back. “Mr. Tremayne! What is it? I’d invite you in but … but the ladies have retired and I don’t want to disturb them.”
Beefy shoved the door wide and stepped across the threshold. His uncle and the boys were close behind him.
“You’ve met Jupiter Jones before,” said Beefy. “Jupiter is a very curious young man. Some people might even say he’s nosey. We’re here tonight to help him satisfy his curiosity — and mine!”
Gray retreated as Beefy and Jupiter advanced. He backed into the living-room, where Harold Thomas was looking around wildly, as if trying to find a place to hide the package he held.
“That’s the manuscript, isn’t it?” said Jupiter. “You stole it from Beefy Tremayne’s apartment the same night you burned down the Amigos Adobe.”
Thomas dropped the package, which broke open and spilled loose pages across the floor. He spun around and started towards the windows.
“Stay right where you are, Thomas!” shouted Uncle Will.
Thomas looked over his shoulder and saw that William Tremayne had a gun. He stopped where he was.
Beefy picked up the manuscript from the floor. He flipped through it, stopping a few times to read a paragraph or two. Then he grinned. “This is it,” he said.
Jupe went back out into the hall. “Miss Bainbridge?” he called.
“She’s asleep,” said Marvin Gray. “She’s asleep and you’d better not wake her up.
I don’t know anything about that bunch of papers, or the guy who brought them here, and —”
Gray stopped talking, for Madeline Bainbridge was coming down the stairs. Her white-gold hair was done up in a knot at the nape of her neck, and on her handsome face there was a smile that was both sad and triumphant.
“Marvin,” she said, with a scolding note in her voice. “You hadn’t planned to see me awake, but here I am.”
Her eyes went to Harold Thomas, who stood gaping. “So, Charles. It is you. I wish I could say that it’s pleasant to see you again, but it is not.”
She seated herself in the living-room. Clara Adams scampered down the stairs, her faded eyes twinkling with enjoyment. She perched on a window-sill behind Madeline Bainbridge.
“What is that?” asked the actress, pointing to the sheaf of papers which Beefy held.
Beefy smiled and handed the manuscript