The Secret of the Haunted Mirror - M. V. Carey [42]
He probably saw Santora come calling on Mrs. Darnley and trailed him back to his hotel. He knew Santora would get in his way so he attacked him.
“Santora discovered where Gómez was staying by doing what we didn’t have time to do. He rented a car and cruised the Silverlake area until he learned where Gómez’s cousin lived. By trailing Gómez from there, be learned about the empty farmhouse in the San Fernando valley, though he didn’t know why Gómez was interested in it. The day he was released from the hospital, he finally located Gómez at the farmhouse, but he didn’t know Jeff was inside. He simply spotted Gómez’s car out front and followed it into San Pedro.”
“Señor Santora was lucky,” said Mr. Hitchcock. “Gómez might have killed him.
But what about the magician, Baldini? I believe I’ve heard the name before.”
Jupiter Jones chuckled. “Santora knew about Baldini. He had seen him perform in Ruffino. Baldini was an escape artist, among other things. Santora said that he once saw Baldini handcuffed and wrapped in chains that were fastened with padlocks, and in three seconds he was free. Santora was sure Baldini could get into a house that was as securely locked as the Darnley place.
“Santora found Baldini very simply. He called theatrical agents who booked night-club acts until he found Baldini’s. At first he thought Baldini would have to slip in and out of the house to impersonate the phantom of the glass. But Baldini had known Drakestar, and he knew about that secret door and the hidden room under the library.
He just moved in and stayed. Santora was paying him plenty, and Santora convinced him that he only wanted to play a practical joke on Mrs. Darnley.
“Poor Baldini. When we found the hidden door and came down those stairs, he began to think practical jokes weren’t funny at all. After he escaped from the Darnley house, he decided he was mixed up in something that was too big for him to handle.
He moved out of his boarding-house and went into hiding. He didn’t want to see us or Santora again.
“Mrs. Darnley has forgiven him, however. She put an advertisement in Variety and also in the Hollywood Reporter to let him know everything was all right. He’s going to be at the dinner party, by the way. He’ll wear Drakestar’s robe and do Drakestar’s famous disappearing act — using the secret door.”
“And that must be an extremely well-built secret door,” said Mr. Hitchcock. “I would rather enjoy seeing it.”
“You’ll see it if you accept the invitation,” promised Pete.
“Most intriguing,” said Alfred Hitchcock. “And I trust that Henry Anderson, that admirable young bread man, did not get into trouble with his employer?”
“Nope. Seems that all those police around the San Pedro warehouse got hungry and bought up all of Henry’s baked goods. His boss was pleased when he returned with an empty van.” Pete grinned and went on. “Now Henry’s decided the bakery business is too quiet. He wants to be a private detective! Mrs. Darnley’s promised to help him any way she can.”
“Excellent,” said Mr. Hitchcock. “And you are right. I will keep the facts you have given me in the strictest confidence. If you plan to publish this case, I am sure you will do the same. For the good of the republic, change all the names.”
“Of course,” said Jupiter Jones.
“If I attend the dinner, will I also see the haunted looking-glass?” asked Mr.
Hitchcock.
Jupe nodded. “But it won’t be hanging in the library,” he told the director.
“Señora Manolos is coming from Ruffino, you see, and she hates that mirror, so Mrs.
Darnley has had it moved to the hidden room. I think that Mrs. Darnley doesn’t like the glass, either. She almost lost Jeff because of it. Also …”
Jupiter Jones stopped and gazed into space.
“Don’t tell me she’s afraid of it?” said Mr. Hitchcock.
“No. Not really. But Gómez said he saw something in it and … well, that was a disaster for Gómez, wasn’t it? He is now in jail, and he’ll be there for quite a while”
“What do you think?” asked Mr. Hitchcock.
Jupe smiled. “I think it’s very ugly, and if I had it, I’d hide it in the basement too.”
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