The Secret of the Haunted Mirror - M. V. Carey [28]
Jupe made another call then to the Beverly Sunset Hotel. The hotel operator put him through to Santora’s room, and Santora answered. Jupe quickly hung up.
“So Santora’s at his hotel,” said Bob. “Want me to go over and keep an eye on him? Somebody might remember seeing Pete there yesterday.”
Mrs. Darnley took her handbag from the coffee table, pulled several notes from her purse, gave them to Bob. “Call a cab,” she ordered. “And telephone me here when you get to the hotel.”
He took the money. “I will. And I won’t let Santora see me, so don’t worry.”
Bob left and the four people in the living-room sat in gloomy silence, Jupiter frowning, Pete going from mirror to mirror, looking into the glasses as if he had never seen his own face before.
At quarter to four the telephone rang. Jean jumped and so did Jupiter. Mrs.
Darnley strode to the desk where the telephone stood and picked up the receiver.
“What do you want?” she said. Her voice was rough.
After a second she said, “Oh, thanks,” and put down the telephone.
“Was that Bob?” asked Jupiter Jones.
“Yes. He said Santora was having a late lunch in the coffee shop. Bob is in the hotel lobby and he’ll stay there.”
“So much for that, for the moment,” said Jupiter Jones.
“I wish we knew where that burglar is right now,” said Pete. “Also Baldini.”
“Baldini?” echoed Jean. “Who’s he?”
“A magician from Ruffino,” Jupiter told her, “and your former ghost.”
“Oh, good heavens !” exclaimed Mrs. Darnley. “Another character from that awful place! I wish I never heard of it. I wish I’d never met Isabella Manolos.”
The telephone rang again.
“That must be it!” said Mrs. Darnley. Suddenly she began to tremble.
There was another ring.
“You answer,” said Jupiter. “I’ll listen on the extension in the kitchen.”
He sped out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen, where John Chan was stolidly polishing silver. Carefully he lifted the receiver from the extension near the stove.
“I’m okay, Grandma,” Jupe heard Jeff say.
“Thank heavens!”
“I can’t say where I am,” said Jeff. “I have just to tell you what to do and then hang up, okay?”
“Okay. Tell me and I’ll do it.”
“There’s a warehouse in San Pedro,” said Jeff. “It’s on Ocean Boulevard, and there’s a sign out in front that says it’s The Peckham Storage Company — only it’s empty.”
“An abandoned warehouse, Ocean Boulevard, San Pedro,” repeated Mrs.
Darnley. “I’m writing it down.”
“You’re to have the Chiavo glass delivered there,” said Jeff. “Call a removal company or a van hirer or somebody and have them take the mirror and leave it in the warehouse and then go away. They’ve got to lean it against a post towards the back of the warehouse and just go away. And Grandma?”
“What, Jeff?”
“It has to be there by seven tonight.”
“It will be,” said Mrs. Darnley.
“I’ll call you after,” said Jeff. “He said I can call you again, but not until he has the mirror.”
With that, the telephone clicked and the line went dead.
Chapter 13
The Tell-tale Bells
“WHERE CAN I HIRE a van at this hour?” moaned Mrs. Darnley. ”It’s after four! Suppose I can’t get a van?”
“I’ll call my uncle,” said Jupiter. “He can come with Hans and Konrad. He’ll be glad to do it, Mrs. Darnley. Don’t worry. The mirror will be in San Pedro by seven.”
“Oh, thank you, Jupiter.” She sat down on the sofa. “Would you mind calling your uncle right away? It’ll take time to get that mirror down and we don’t want to be late.”
Jupe went to the telephone, lifted the receiver, then paused, stared at the wall for a second, and quietly replaced the receiver.
“Jupiter, we don’t have much time!” cried Mrs. Darnley. “Do hurry up and call your uncle.”
“Just a second,” said Jupe. “There was something on the telephone when Jeff made his call. Something in the background. Music. Did you hear it?”
“Music?” Mrs. Darnley looked bewildered. “I . . . only heard Jeff. But what if there was music? It doesn’t mean anything. Jupiter, make the call.”
“Chimes,” said Jupe. There were chimes playing a little tune. I didn’t hear them at first. Then I heard them