Read Online The Mystery of the Blinking Eye by Julie Campbell - Free Book Online Page A

that,” Mart said.
    “Of course I didn’t,” Miss Trask said indignantly. “Did you let him in?” Jim asked quietly.
    “No, I told him to wait right there in the corridor while I went to check with the custodian.” Miss Trask’s voice trembled. “It took me a long time to find Mr. Pebbles. He was working in the building next door. The same company owns both buildings.”
    “Go on—go on—please!” Trixie begged impatiently. “He told me he’d be up just as soon as he finished replacing some broken tile on the kitchen floor where he was working. He said he had to finish it while the cement base was still damp—”
    “Oh, dear! Miss Trask, what happened ?” Trixie was almost frantic.
    “I’m getting to it, Trixie, as fast as I can. The custodian told me to tell the man to wait in the hall out there.”
    “Then what?”
    “I’ll show you what—just follow me!”
    She led them to the bedroom Honey and Trixie had been sharing. There wasn’t a thing in the room that hadn’t been pulled out of place, turned over, or tossed on the floor. Even the pictures were askew; the mattresses had been moved; the bed coverings were wadded into rolls. Dresser drawers lay on their sides, spilling their contents.
    “Jeepers!” Trixie said in amazement.
    “Thieves!” Honey cried. “I know my beautiful watch is gone, the one Daddy gave me for my birthday. Trixie, did you leave your watch here, too?”
    “I did. There it is on the dressing table. Your watch is there, too, Honey. It wasn’t jewelry he wanted. Here is where one of the men was while his companion was at the United Nations... see? What did Mr. Pebbles say when he came up here?”
    “He hasn’t been here yet; don’t you understand?” Miss Trask said. “It just now happened. When I came back to give that man the message from the custodian, he wasn’t here. The door to the apartment was open, and I found all this!”
    There was a knock at the door.
    “That must be Mr. Pebbles now,” Jim broke in. “We’re here, sir,” he called to the custodian.
    Mr. Pebbles was puffing. “I thought over what you said, Miss Trask. Then I remembered I hadn’t told anyone to look at the apartment. I knew that man was lying and was up to no good. I hurried as fast as I could. He didn’t waste any time, did he? Have you checked to see what he got away with?”
    Trixie and Honey made a quick survey.
    “Not a single thing is missing,” they reported after a few minutes.
    “I guess he was scared off when he heard the elevator and knew you were coming back, Miss Trask,” the custodian said thoughtfully. “How he ever got into the building—I’ve got it! I had a locksmith working on the entrance door. He must have slipped past him. I’ll get the police on the job right away.”
    A policeman arrived shortly. Bob and Barbara stood wide-eyed while he looked for fingerprints, took down everyone’s name, and questioned the Bob-Whites, their visitors, and Miss Trask. Then he left.
    “He could have given us some idea of what he was going to do next,” Trixie said.
    “He’s not supposed to talk,” Dan told her. “Anyway, what does he know about what happened? Not half as much as you do, Trixie. I can even see your mind working. You think that man was a pal of the sleek gentleman at the United Nations; that both of them are after the Incan idol.”
    “They could very well be, Dan,” Jim said thoughtfully.
    “Two smart thugs after one little statue?” Dan was dubious. “I’ll believe it when I see it. This guy just saw a chance to sneak past the locksmith and go after the loot. This apartment happened to be first on his list in the building.”
    “Aren’t we going to find out anything more now?” Barbara asked, disappointed.
    “Not now or ever, or I’ll miss my guess,” Dan said. “Burglary attempts are made all the time. The police have time to concern themselves only with the jobs where the thieves are successful. Looks like you have a clean-up job