Read Online The Twisted Window by Lois Duncan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lois Duncan
Tags: General, Action & Adventure, Family, Juvenile Fiction, Survival Stories, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Stepfamilies
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Brad had been quickly proclaimed too young and inexperienced a driver to be allowed behind the wheel, so by default the car had become Gavin's own special baby.
Now Brad brought the Impala to a stop on the side of the street opposite the hated symbol of his stepfather's self-indulgence and switched off the engine and the headlights. Like the other houses in the subdivision, the one numbered 2753 was small and boxy and set close to the street. There were lights on inside, but the drapes that were drawn across the front window obscured any view of the interior.
"Tell me again what happened over there," Brad said.
"You've already had me go over it twice," said Tracy.
"Tell me one more time. I want every detail. Maybe there was something you missed."
"There aren't any other details. Jim Tyler didn't mention his roommate's name. The only way I learned the name of the brother-in-law was from overhearing Jim's side of a phone conversation. While he was busy on the telephone, I searched the apartment. There was no sign that a child had ever spent time there."
"But Mindy's picture was in one of the bedrooms?"
"Yes," said Tracy. "I'm certain, though, that she doesn't live there."
"Then Gavin has got to be keeping her somewhere else," Brad said. "That makes sense. It would be almost impossible to conceal a two-year-old in a singles apartment building. Kids Mindy's age don't like to stay cooped up inside."
"So where do you think Mindy is?"
"I'm not sure," said Brad. "All I know is, whatever it takes, I'm going to find her." He shoved the car door open. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes."
"Where are you going?"
"Just to check things out. Maybe I can find a side window that isn't curtained over."
"I'm coming with you," Tracy told him.
"It would be better if you didn't. One person is less likely to attract attention."
"I said I'm coming." She got out of the car and came around to stand next to him in the street. "I'm in this too. Don't forget, I'm the one who did the major part of the detective work."
"Okay," Brad said grudgingly. "Come on, then, but be careful not to make any noise. If the Carvers have a dog, we don't want to start it barking."
They crossed the street in silence. On the far side. Brad paused beside the parked Jaguar and impulsively placed his hand on the sleek silver hood. The metal surface was cool to his touch, but he was surprised to find that it was also dull and gritty. Back when Gavin had been a part of their Albuquerque household, he had been compulsive about keeping his car in mint condition.
Brad tried the door and found that it was not locked. He opened it, and the ceiling light flashed on, flooding the interior with an uneven yellow glow.
"See those boxes back there?" he said to Tracy, gesturing toward the rear seat stereo speakers. "There's a story behind those, and it isn't a pretty one. The morning Gavin was installing them, Mom left Mindy with him for a few minutes while she went out for groceries. He got so caught up in what he was doing that he forgot her. She came toddling up to the door and walked into his soldering iron. The poor kid's still got a scar across her belly."
"You'd better close the door," Tracy said nervously. "Somebody in the house might look out and see the light."
"They won't do that. Not with the curtains drawn."
The inside of the car seemed both familiar and strange to him. The walnut dashboard, in which Gavin had taken such pride, was coated with road dust, and the cream-colored upholstery was stained in several places, as though someone had tipped over a can of soda pop and not bothered to clean up the spill. The ashtray was full to overflowing with butts and ashes, and the carpet on the floor on the driver's side was littered with gum wrappers.
The state of the car's interior made Brad a bit less sure of the identity of its owner. Was it possible that it might not be
Now Brad brought the Impala to a stop on the side of the street opposite the hated symbol of his stepfather's self-indulgence and switched off the engine and the headlights. Like the other houses in the subdivision, the one numbered 2753 was small and boxy and set close to the street. There were lights on inside, but the drapes that were drawn across the front window obscured any view of the interior.
"Tell me again what happened over there," Brad said.
"You've already had me go over it twice," said Tracy.
"Tell me one more time. I want every detail. Maybe there was something you missed."
"There aren't any other details. Jim Tyler didn't mention his roommate's name. The only way I learned the name of the brother-in-law was from overhearing Jim's side of a phone conversation. While he was busy on the telephone, I searched the apartment. There was no sign that a child had ever spent time there."
"But Mindy's picture was in one of the bedrooms?"
"Yes," said Tracy. "I'm certain, though, that she doesn't live there."
"Then Gavin has got to be keeping her somewhere else," Brad said. "That makes sense. It would be almost impossible to conceal a two-year-old in a singles apartment building. Kids Mindy's age don't like to stay cooped up inside."
"So where do you think Mindy is?"
"I'm not sure," said Brad. "All I know is, whatever it takes, I'm going to find her." He shoved the car door open. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes."
"Where are you going?"
"Just to check things out. Maybe I can find a side window that isn't curtained over."
"I'm coming with you," Tracy told him.
"It would be better if you didn't. One person is less likely to attract attention."
"I said I'm coming." She got out of the car and came around to stand next to him in the street. "I'm in this too. Don't forget, I'm the one who did the major part of the detective work."
"Okay," Brad said grudgingly. "Come on, then, but be careful not to make any noise. If the Carvers have a dog, we don't want to start it barking."
They crossed the street in silence. On the far side. Brad paused beside the parked Jaguar and impulsively placed his hand on the sleek silver hood. The metal surface was cool to his touch, but he was surprised to find that it was also dull and gritty. Back when Gavin had been a part of their Albuquerque household, he had been compulsive about keeping his car in mint condition.
Brad tried the door and found that it was not locked. He opened it, and the ceiling light flashed on, flooding the interior with an uneven yellow glow.
"See those boxes back there?" he said to Tracy, gesturing toward the rear seat stereo speakers. "There's a story behind those, and it isn't a pretty one. The morning Gavin was installing them, Mom left Mindy with him for a few minutes while she went out for groceries. He got so caught up in what he was doing that he forgot her. She came toddling up to the door and walked into his soldering iron. The poor kid's still got a scar across her belly."
"You'd better close the door," Tracy said nervously. "Somebody in the house might look out and see the light."
"They won't do that. Not with the curtains drawn."
The inside of the car seemed both familiar and strange to him. The walnut dashboard, in which Gavin had taken such pride, was coated with road dust, and the cream-colored upholstery was stained in several places, as though someone had tipped over a can of soda pop and not bothered to clean up the spill. The ashtray was full to overflowing with butts and ashes, and the carpet on the floor on the driver's side was littered with gum wrappers.
The state of the car's interior made Brad a bit less sure of the identity of its owner. Was it possible that it might not be
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