Read The Sinister Signpost Online
Authors: Franklin W. Dixon
The Sinister Signpost (12 page)
“Like stealing Topnotch?” Joe interjected.
“Yes. But Dodson promised that the horse would be returned in a few days. It wasn't until they attacked the groom the night we took Topnotch that I realized the theft was meant to be more than a joke.”
“Why did you meet two of Dodson's henchmen in that restaurant in Clayton?” Frank inquired. “By then you knew they were crooks.”
“I had to,” Roger replied. “Dodson sent them to warn me not to talk; otherwise he'd see that I went to jail with them.”
“What made you change your mind?” Joe asked.
“When you told me Dodson had mentioned my name, I thought it over and decided to tell you what I know. I would have before, but I was afraid.”
“You made a wise decision,” Frank assured him. “And if you continue to cooperate, we'll do everything in our power to see that you get a break.”
“What should I do now?” Roger asked.
“I suggest you tell your father everything you've told us,” Frank advised. “You're going to need his help as well as ours.”
Roger thanked the Hardys and drove off.
“Roger's completely changed,” Joe commented as he and his brother returned to their car.
“He's scared,” Frank said. “And it's a good thing. Maybe this will teach him a lesson.”
When the boys arrived home, their father greeted them with alarming news.
“Dodson has escaped!” he announced.
CHAPTER XVI
Dilemma
FRANK and Joe were startled by the news.
“I can't believe it!” Joe exclaimed.
“How did he manage to get away?” Frank asked quickly.
“That's the most fantastic part of what I have to tell you,” Mr. Hardy replied.
He told his sons that Lieutenant Monroe of the Haversville police had telephoned. The officer had informed him that Dodson escaped while he and his men were being transferred to the county jail in Myles City.
“The prisoners were sent in a patrol car,” Mr. Hardy continued. “When they were about halfway to their destination, the windshield suddenly crazed. The driver lost control, skidded off the road, and turned over in a ditch.”
“Leaping lizards!” Joe exclaimed. “That's exactly what caused Mr. Alden's race cars to crash!”
“Then what happened?” Frank asked.
“The occupants were badly shaken up,” the detective replied. “But one of the officers faintly recalls seeing two masked men run toward the patrol car. They pulled Dodson out and disappeared. That's all he remembers.”
“What about the men with him?” Frank inquired.
“They were left behind,” Mr. Hardy answered.
“That's strange,” Joe muttered. “I wonder why.”
“I don't know,” their father admitted. “But I suggest we fly to Myles City tomorrow and have another talk with Dodson's pals.”
At that moment Aunt Gertrude entered the room and began one of her tirades.
“Horsenappers! Ransom money! It's all too horrible to imagine,” she sputtered. “And to think those criminals were connected with that awful stable I inherited.”
“It's not really as bad as all that,” Mrs. Hardy commented in a soft voice. “Horses are wonderful animals. Think how pleasant it must be for them to have a lovely place in which to retire.”
“Fiddlesticks!” Aunt Gertrude retorted. “I'll have no part of it.” She glanced at Mr. Hardy. “Are you sure Mr. Benson is doing his best to sell the stable?”
“Yes, he is,” the detective assured her. “You'll probably be hearing from him any day now.”
“I certainly hope so,” his sister said. “The next thing you know, they'll be setting up public ticket booths and holding races in the paddock.”
The others smiled, then Frank changed the subject.
Early the next morning Jack Wayne and the Hardys were streaking down the runway on take-off at the Bayport field. Less than three hours later, the boys and their father were at the county jail in Myles City. Lieutenant Monroe was there to greet them.
“We've checked on the prisoners,” he said. “They all have police records a mile long.”
“We'd like to question them one at a time,” Mr. Hardy requested.
“Okay,” the lieutenant replied. “We can use the chief guard's office.”
Beaver was the only one among the three prisoners willing to talk. “Dodson's left us holding the bag!” he growled. “That rat won't get away with this. Whatcha' want to know?”
“When did you first meet Dodson?” Mr. Hardy asked.
“A couple of months ago in Maryland,” Beaver answered. “I was on the lam at the time and came across the stable he was managin'. He was lookin' for workers and offered me a job. I took it 'cause I thought it would be a good place to lay low for a while.”
“Was it his idea to steal Topnotch?” Frank questioned.
“Yes,” the prisoner admitted. “I got to be on friendly terms with Dodson. Told 'im I had a police record. He said not to worry about it. Later he asked me if I would help his men steal a race horse, and get a couple o' my friends to come in on the deal. Needin' money, I jumped at the chance.”
“Do you know if he was involved in any other shady activities?” Joe asked.
“Not that I know of,” Beaver replied. “But he was away from the stable two and three days at a stretch sometimes. Maybe he
was
up to somethin' that he never told me about.”
was
up to somethin' that he never told me about.”
“Think hard,” Mr. Hardy urged. “Did Dodson ever mention anything about experimental race cars or motors?”
“Not to me he didn't,” the prisoner answered.
When the interview was over, the boys and their father discussed the information.
“I believe he was telling the truth,” Frank commented.
“So do I,” Mr. Hardy agreed. “And it explains why Beaver and the other two prisoners were left behind.”
“What do you mean?” Joe queried.
“I'm convinced that Dodson is part of a gang that's trying to steal Mr. Alden's experimental motor. The theft of Topnotch must have been his own private deal. As a result, the gang knew nothing about his horsenapping plans or the men who were helping him.”
“Makes sense,” Joe remarked. He thought for a moment. “But how did the guys who helped him escape know he was being taken to Myles City?”
Frank turned to Lieutenant Monroe, who was seated nearby. “Did Dodson have any visitors, or make any phone calls from Haversville?” he asked.
“He didn't have any visitors,” the officer told him, “but he was permitted to make a call. When I informed him that we were taking him to Myles City, he demanded that he be allowed to contact his lawyer. I dialed the number for him.”
“Did you check the number?” Frank asked.
“No,” the lieutenant replied. “But I have a record of it back at headquarters. I'll call the desk sergeant and have him check it immediately.”
Monroe picked up the phone. Twenty minutes went by before he obtained the information. “It's an unlisted number in Clayton,” he said, “registered in the name of Barto Sigor.”
“Barto!” Joe exclaimed. “Mr. Alden's chief sheet-metal worker!”
Mr. Hardy jumped to his feet. “There's no time to lose!” he told his sons. “We're flying back to Bayport immediately!”
Shortly Jack Wayne and his passengers were airborne. When they reached their destination, the Hardys drove at once to Alden's plant. They found the executive in his office. He was greatly upset.
“What's wrong?” Frank asked.
“Barto drove off in my experimental car!” Alden declared.
“When?”
“A few minutes ago! I've already notified the police.”
“Have you any idea which way he went?” Joe asked.
“No.”
“Your car has a bright silver finish and a distinctive shape,” Frank commented. “We should be able to spot it from the air.”
“Good idea!” Mr. Hardy said. “You boys go aloft. I'll stay here with Mr. Alden in case the police come up with anything.”
Frank rushed to the phone and dialed the number of Jack Wayne's office at the Bayport field. Luckily he caught the pilot just as he was about to go home.
“Sorry to ask you to go up again,” he said. “You've been doing so much flying the past couple of days you're likely to sprout wings. But this is an emergency!”
“I don't mind,” the pilot assured him.
Frank glanced at Alden. “Is it okay if Jack lands the plane on your private drag strip?” he asked. “It'll save time.”
“By all means,” the executive said.
Soon the boys and their pilot were cruising high above the plant.
“Where do we start searching?” Joe inquired.
“My guess is that Barto will stick to the back roads,” Frank explained. “There are lots of them to the west.”
Jack maneuvered the sleek aircraft to a westerly direction. Frank and Joe scanned the terrain below. Thin ribbons of secluded roads cut across the hills and through the heavy forests.
“I'll climb a bit higher so you can take in more area,” the pilot said as he advanced the throttle.
More minutes passed. Then suddenly Joe pointed down toward a bright speck moving along one of the narrow roads. “Look!” he cried. “That might be the car!”
“I'll go down on the deck and make a head-on pass,” Jack announced.
Descending to almost ground level, the pilot headed toward the oncoming vehicle. The tall trees that flanked the road seemed just inches away from the wing tips.
“It's Mr. Alden's race car all right!” Frank observed. “Barto is pulling it off to the side.”
The plane swept by the vehicle at high speed. Then Jack pulled up into a climbing turn and came around for a second pass. As he did this, Frank saw a man run out onto the road. “Must be Barto!” he shouted.
As Jack flew closer, the boys noticed that the man was aiming a long, cylindrical object at them.
“Be careful!” Frank warned the pilot. “It might be a weapon of some kind!”
In the next instant the windows of the plane crazed completely. The occupants were unable to see through the milky whiteness.
“We're flying blind!” Jack cried as he hauled back on the control wheel and soared skyward.
“How can we land?” Frank asked tensely.
CHAPTER XVII
Emergency Landing
THE Hardys sat frozen in their seats. They heard the loud, thudding sound of the treetops whipping against the underside of the wings.
“I veered off course slightly!” Jack cried. “We just managed to clear the trees!”
Seconds later a large, dark shadow flashed over the top of the plane's canopy. This was followed by a severe buffeting that rocked the craft violently.
“What was that?” Joe shouted.
“We almost collided with another plane!” the pilot declared nervously. “I must contact air traffic control. They'll have to handle us just as if we were flying in bad weather!”
Jack switched the radio transceiver to emergency frequency. “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!” he declared. “Bayport Center! Do you read me?”
There was an immediate reply as the radio's loudspeaker crackled to life. “This is Bayport Center!” came a voice. “Aircraft calling Mayday! Give position, altitude, and identification!”
“This is Skyhawk One-One-Eight-Howe-Boscoe!” the pilot responded. “Now inbound on the two-eight-four-degree radial of Bayport Omni, approximately forty miles from the station! Present altitude, three thousand!” He then explained their predicament.
“Roger, Eight-Howe-Boscoe!” the air traffic operator replied. “Maintain present heading and altitude! Will advise when we have radar contact!”
It was several minutes before the air traffic controller informed Jack that the plane had been identified on the radar screens. He was also told that his craft would be brought down for a landing by means of a Ground Approach. Frank and Joe knew this meant radar operators would detect their aircraft's heading, descent, and distance from a landing runway. Jack Wayne would be literally “talked down.”
The boys watched in admiration as he skillfully maneuvered the plane. When finally advised by the controller that he had just crossed the threshold of the runway, Jack chopped the power and settled to the ground.
“Whew!” Joe sighed, mopping his forehead. “I don't want to go through that again. For a while it was like driving in heavy traffic with your eyes shut.”
Jack brought the plane to a stop. “We'll wait here until a tractor arrives to tow us back to the hangar.”
After this was done, the Hardys and their pilot examined the windows of the plane curiously.
“I've never seen anything like it,” Joe declared.
“It looks as if something had upset the molecular structure of the material in the windows,” Jack said.
“Whatever caused the crazing,” Frank concluded, “must have had something to do with that gadget Barto was aiming at us.”
“Let's search his apartment in Clayton,” Joe suggested. “Maybe we'll find a clue.”
“Just what I had in mind,” Frank said. “I'll call Dad at Mr. Alden's office and ask if he can arrange to get a search warrant.”
“I almost forgot,” Joe interjected. “Our car is at the plant.”
“Use mine,” Jack said, tossing a set of keys to the boys. “I'll stay here and see about getting the windows replaced.”
The boys hurried off to meet their father at Alden's office.
Other books
The Last Word by Lee Goldberg
Whispers of the Heart by Ruth Scofield
Only the Strong by Jabari Asim
The Outcast's Redemption (The Infamous Arrandales) by Sarah Mallory
After the Honeymoon by Fraser, Janey
Death Overdue (Librarian Mysteries) by Kirwin, Mary Lou
All She Ever Wanted by Rosalind Noonan
Extinction Evolution (The Extinction Cycle Book 4) by Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Whiskey and Wry (Sinners Series) by Rhys Ford
Core Topics in General & Emergency Surgery: Companion to Specialist Surgical Practice by Paterson-Brown MBBS MPhil MS FRCS, Simon
