Read Online (#30) The Clue of the Velvet Mask by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online
Authors: Carolyn Keene
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stitching of the lining. There were no numbers on this mask.
The policewoman ripped the lining of the coat. Nothing had been hidden inside, and the garment had no marks of identification.
“I’ll take the coat, mask, and kit to headquarters,” she said.
After Nancy reached home, Linda Seeley telephoned to apologize for her absence from the musicale.
“Mr. Tombar sent me on a trifling errand instead,” she explained. “I guess he thought I wasn’t capable of handling the affair.”
Nancy remarked that Mr. Tombar himself had not performed too efficiently and told of the robbery.
“Oh, how dreadful!” Linda cried.
After the phone call, Nancy sat lost in thought. Suddenly an idea came to her. She would have a chemical analysis made of the ink notations which she had discovered on the lining of the first hooded mask.
In the morning she went to a laboratory and was informed by one of the chemists that the fluid was rather uncommon. It was new and was sold exclusively for marking garments.
“Then any number of dry cleaners might have similar ink?” Nancy asked.
“Not necessarily,” the chemist replied. “This particular type of ink is pretty expensive.”
Nancy was excited. Did the Lightner Entertainment Company use it? she wondered. At noon she found Linda at the drugstore soda counter and asked her how costumes and masks were marked.
“Oh, we use a special indelible ink that lasts forever,” Linda replied.
“Could you let me borrow a bottle of it?”
“Why, I guess so. How soon do you want it, Nancy?”
“Right away if possible.”
“Wait here and I’ll see if I can slip one out of the supply room,” Linda said.
Ten minutes later she returned with the bottle of ink tucked in an office envelope. As she gave it to Nancy, Peter Tombar entered the drugstore.
He could not possibly have known what the fat envelope contained, because Nancy thrust it quickly into her handbag. Nevertheless, he regarded the two girls intently, then walked over to the soda counter.
“Miss Seeley, you are five minutes over your lunch hour,” he said.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Tombar. I—I was just leaving.”
“Leaving? I thought you were just coming. Didn’t you hand—?”
“Are you eating here?” Nancy broke in.
Tombar glared at her but did not reply. Linda took advantage of the moment to escape.
Nancy regretted the meeting with Tombar. He could not possibly know what Linda had given her, but he might be suspicious.
No sooner had Tombar left the drugstore than Nancy returned to the laboratory. She gave the chemist the bottle of ink for analysis and waited for his report.
Finally it came. She was informed that the fluid was identical to the one used to write the numbers on the lining of the hooded mask.
“What a clue!” Nancy thought, and hurried from the laboratory to return the bottle to Linda.
Nancy talked with Linda for a few minutes. Then, just as she managed to slip her the envelope with the bottle in it, Tombar entered from a back room. He stopped short when he saw the two girls.
“Miss Seeley,” he said coldly, “I suggest that you return to the work you left. I will help Miss Drew.”
“Never mind,” Nancy said quickly. “I’m just going!” She sailed out cheerfully, but her heart was thumping uncomfortably. Had the man seen the bottle change hands?
On Sunday she told her father about the ink clue. “Now I’m positive someone at Lightner’s is a member of the gang,” Nancy said. “If I could only work there a few days, I could watch everyone.”
“Couldn’t you help Linda with the office work? I’m sure Mr. Lightner would give his permission.”
Nancy’s father called the man’s home. After a brief conversation he said good-by. “It’s all settled,” Mr. Drew reported. “Mr. Lightner was most agreeable to the suggestion.”
Nancy appeared punctually at the Lightner Entertainment Company at nine o’clock Monday morning. She noted, with some amusement, Tombar’s
The policewoman ripped the lining of the coat. Nothing had been hidden inside, and the garment had no marks of identification.
“I’ll take the coat, mask, and kit to headquarters,” she said.
After Nancy reached home, Linda Seeley telephoned to apologize for her absence from the musicale.
“Mr. Tombar sent me on a trifling errand instead,” she explained. “I guess he thought I wasn’t capable of handling the affair.”
Nancy remarked that Mr. Tombar himself had not performed too efficiently and told of the robbery.
“Oh, how dreadful!” Linda cried.
After the phone call, Nancy sat lost in thought. Suddenly an idea came to her. She would have a chemical analysis made of the ink notations which she had discovered on the lining of the first hooded mask.
In the morning she went to a laboratory and was informed by one of the chemists that the fluid was rather uncommon. It was new and was sold exclusively for marking garments.
“Then any number of dry cleaners might have similar ink?” Nancy asked.
“Not necessarily,” the chemist replied. “This particular type of ink is pretty expensive.”
Nancy was excited. Did the Lightner Entertainment Company use it? she wondered. At noon she found Linda at the drugstore soda counter and asked her how costumes and masks were marked.
“Oh, we use a special indelible ink that lasts forever,” Linda replied.
“Could you let me borrow a bottle of it?”
“Why, I guess so. How soon do you want it, Nancy?”
“Right away if possible.”
“Wait here and I’ll see if I can slip one out of the supply room,” Linda said.
Ten minutes later she returned with the bottle of ink tucked in an office envelope. As she gave it to Nancy, Peter Tombar entered the drugstore.
He could not possibly have known what the fat envelope contained, because Nancy thrust it quickly into her handbag. Nevertheless, he regarded the two girls intently, then walked over to the soda counter.
“Miss Seeley, you are five minutes over your lunch hour,” he said.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Tombar. I—I was just leaving.”
“Leaving? I thought you were just coming. Didn’t you hand—?”
“Are you eating here?” Nancy broke in.
Tombar glared at her but did not reply. Linda took advantage of the moment to escape.
Nancy regretted the meeting with Tombar. He could not possibly know what Linda had given her, but he might be suspicious.
No sooner had Tombar left the drugstore than Nancy returned to the laboratory. She gave the chemist the bottle of ink for analysis and waited for his report.
Finally it came. She was informed that the fluid was identical to the one used to write the numbers on the lining of the hooded mask.
“What a clue!” Nancy thought, and hurried from the laboratory to return the bottle to Linda.
Nancy talked with Linda for a few minutes. Then, just as she managed to slip her the envelope with the bottle in it, Tombar entered from a back room. He stopped short when he saw the two girls.
“Miss Seeley,” he said coldly, “I suggest that you return to the work you left. I will help Miss Drew.”
“Never mind,” Nancy said quickly. “I’m just going!” She sailed out cheerfully, but her heart was thumping uncomfortably. Had the man seen the bottle change hands?
On Sunday she told her father about the ink clue. “Now I’m positive someone at Lightner’s is a member of the gang,” Nancy said. “If I could only work there a few days, I could watch everyone.”
“Couldn’t you help Linda with the office work? I’m sure Mr. Lightner would give his permission.”
Nancy’s father called the man’s home. After a brief conversation he said good-by. “It’s all settled,” Mr. Drew reported. “Mr. Lightner was most agreeable to the suggestion.”
Nancy appeared punctually at the Lightner Entertainment Company at nine o’clock Monday morning. She noted, with some amusement, Tombar’s
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