The Mystery of the Rogues' Reunion - Marc Brandel [33]
Both cars went through a green light. There was a long, fairly empty stretch of the boulevard in front of them. Bonehead was increasing speed. In the open car with the wind in his face, his blond hair was whipped back even farther. His cheeks and his neck were visible all the way up to his scalp.
Watching him, the First Investigator felt a surge of excitement.
“Now,” he said.
The limousine shot forward. It drew abreast of the sports car. Jupe swivelled in his seat, facing the window beside him. He pressed his lapel close to the glass.
If Bonehead turned his head now and glanced at the limousine, Jupe’s one chance would be lost. His plan would be ruined.
Bonehead was still looking straight ahead. Jupiter reached up and snapped the trigger of the hidden camera. Bonehead did turn and glance at him then. But it didn’t matter now. The First Investigator’s new invention had achieved its secret purpose. Bonehead couldn’t know his picture had been taken.
“Okay, you can drop back now,” Jupe told Gordon Harker.
As the limousine slowed and fell behind the sports car, Jupe was already unfastening the camera from the lapel of his jacket. He handed it to Bob.
“As soon as you’ve dropped me off at the television studio, take this back to Headquarters and develop and enlarge it,” he said. “I’m afraid you and Mr. Harker will miss the quiz show, but I’ve got to have a good, big print of that photograph by the time the taping finishes. Bring it up to me onstage, will you, Bob, as soon as the show is over?”
“Sure.” Bob took the camera and slipped it into his pocket. “But how about letting us in on the mystery, Jupe? What did you want to take a picture of Bonehead for?”
As First Investigator, Jupe was often a step ahead of his two friends. He even rather enjoyed puzzling them at times. But he felt that now the moment had come to explain his actions a little.
“It isn’t just a picture of Bonehead,” he said. “It’s a close up profile of him in an open car on a windy day. Surely you can see the importance of that, can’t you?”
“No,” Pete admitted. “Frankly, I can’t.”
“Neither can I,” Bob put in.
“His long blond hair,” Jupe pointed out. “As you may have noticed, he keeps it carefully combed straight down all the time. But thanks to the wind, I was able to get a photograph of one of his features which he usually keeps hidden. Do you understand now?”
“No,” Bob and Pete said in unison.
“What feature are you talking about?” Pete asked.
“His ears,” the First Investigator told him, “Bonehead’s famous wiggling ears.”
Chapter 12
The Second Quiz
IT WAS ONE MINUTE to two. Jupe saw Milton Glass glance anxiously at the clock again. It was the third time he had done it since Jupe had been watching him.
In one minute the second and final Wee Rogues Quiz Show was due to start taping and so far only three of the contestants were in their places on the stage. Bonehead, Bloodhound, and Jupe himself. There was no sign of either Footsie or Peggy.
Jupe looked out at the studio audience. Pete was sitting in the back row. He looked as anxious as Glass did. When he saw Jupe looking at him, he shrugged in a puzzled way. Jupe shrugged back. He could think of no explanation for Footsie’s absence, but he was deeply worried about Peggy.
His eyes moved to the rear of the audience. Luther Lomax was in his usual place in the control booth. He was wearing his usual shabby grey suit; his white hair was ruffled and there were deep shadows under his eyes. He looked like a tired old man.
The First Investigator’s attention was caught by a movement in the aisle. Footsie was hurrying towards the stage. He paused to hand an envelope to Milton Glass, then walked over to take his place among the contestants.
It was exactly two o’clock now, and Peggy was still missing.
Jupe stood up to let Footsie slide into the seat next to him.
“Close tiling,” Jupe whispered.
“Yeah.” Footsie smiled. “I had a message to pick up at Glass