over
Europe!”
Pete and Bob looked at each other in
astonishment, their mouths hanging open.
“How did you know?” cried Pete in amazement.
Then understanding washed over his face. “You must have found
another newspaper!”
Jupiter grinned at the Second Investigator
and patted him on the shoulder. “I assure you I did not find
another newspaper, Pete,” he laughed, pulling a slightly damp
envelope out from under his shirt. “And it wasn’t mindreading,
either.”
“That’s what we went to London for,”
explained Ben. “Jupiter has got the key to the case right inside
that envelope!”
Bob Makes An Accusation
“ THE FITCHHORNS ARE
the ghost?” cried Patricia, “or is it someone else?”
Jupiter shook his head. “I don’t have any
concrete evidence yet – but I think I can get it!”
“How Jupe?” asked Pete.
Jupiter grabbed an apple from a basket of
fruit on the kitchen table and bit into it hungrily. He had a big
smile on his face and he explained while he munched. “By having
everyone in this house assemble in the library so we can unmask
this ‘ghost’ once and for all!” he said dramatically.
“Records, Second – go around the house and
tell everyone to meet in the library in five minutes.”
“At least let me know what happened to your
shoes and socks,” demanded Patricia.
“They were too muddy to wear inside, Aunt
Patty,” answered Ben. “When Jupiter and I pulled up the drive, we
saw someone by the light of my headlamps creeping around the
garden. Of course we jumped out and gave chase – well, Jupiter will
fill you in on the rest when we get to the library.”
“Okay, Jupe,” she said, throwing up her
hands. “Lead the way!”
Within five minutes the entire household
except for Julia had congregated in the musty library. Jupiter
paced back and forth in front of the windows. He held the large
envelope in one pudgy hand and the apple in the other, as the
lights flickered in tune to the thunder outside.
“Winston, be a dear and bring us some
candles,” said Patricia. “In case the lights go out.”
“Very good, madam,” he bowed. The tall
butler left the room and soon returned with several candles. He
placed them about the library and lit them with a box of
matches.
Patricia smiled, slightly embarrassed.
“Thank you, Winston. I guess I don’t want to be left in the dark on
a night like this.”
“Of course, madam,” the butler agreed.
Timothy Fitchhorn poured brandy into a
crystal tumbler and pushed his hair back on his head. “Okay kid,
this better be important,” he said impatiently. The fat man put his
arm up on the mantle of the fireplace and drank deeply.
“Yes,” agreed his wife, honking her nose
into a lace handkerchief, “we’re missing our favorite television
program!”
“Aye,” said Jebediah, “someone should be
with poor Julia. ‘Tis not right leaving her by her lonesome on a
night like this.”
“Actually,” said Jupiter, “she’s in the
safest place of all.”
Winston was lazily spinning the large globe
in the corner. He suddenly looked up at Jupiter and glared. “What
do you mean, young man?” he snapped. “I believe Jebediah is
correct. Perhaps I should fetch my wife this instant”
Jupiter stopped pacing and stood in the
middle of the room. “I simply meant that she is safe in the
servant’s cottage because the ‘ghost’ is in this very room as we
speak!”
They all looked around them, as if the ghost
of Molly Thibidoux were sneaking up behind each one of them, ready
to cinch her icy noose around their necks. A fresh burst of
lightning and thunder crackled – and when the lights in the library
flickered, everyone in the room gasped.
Jupiter seemed the most frightened of all.
At the sound of the thunder, he clumsily dropped the half-eaten
apple he was holding. It fell on the floor in front of Winston.
“Sorry,” he said, somewhat embarrassed. The
overweight Investigator kneeled down to pick up the apple
Europe!”
Pete and Bob looked at each other in
astonishment, their mouths hanging open.
“How did you know?” cried Pete in amazement.
Then understanding washed over his face. “You must have found
another newspaper!”
Jupiter grinned at the Second Investigator
and patted him on the shoulder. “I assure you I did not find
another newspaper, Pete,” he laughed, pulling a slightly damp
envelope out from under his shirt. “And it wasn’t mindreading,
either.”
“That’s what we went to London for,”
explained Ben. “Jupiter has got the key to the case right inside
that envelope!”
Bob Makes An Accusation
“ THE FITCHHORNS ARE
the ghost?” cried Patricia, “or is it someone else?”
Jupiter shook his head. “I don’t have any
concrete evidence yet – but I think I can get it!”
“How Jupe?” asked Pete.
Jupiter grabbed an apple from a basket of
fruit on the kitchen table and bit into it hungrily. He had a big
smile on his face and he explained while he munched. “By having
everyone in this house assemble in the library so we can unmask
this ‘ghost’ once and for all!” he said dramatically.
“Records, Second – go around the house and
tell everyone to meet in the library in five minutes.”
“At least let me know what happened to your
shoes and socks,” demanded Patricia.
“They were too muddy to wear inside, Aunt
Patty,” answered Ben. “When Jupiter and I pulled up the drive, we
saw someone by the light of my headlamps creeping around the
garden. Of course we jumped out and gave chase – well, Jupiter will
fill you in on the rest when we get to the library.”
“Okay, Jupe,” she said, throwing up her
hands. “Lead the way!”
Within five minutes the entire household
except for Julia had congregated in the musty library. Jupiter
paced back and forth in front of the windows. He held the large
envelope in one pudgy hand and the apple in the other, as the
lights flickered in tune to the thunder outside.
“Winston, be a dear and bring us some
candles,” said Patricia. “In case the lights go out.”
“Very good, madam,” he bowed. The tall
butler left the room and soon returned with several candles. He
placed them about the library and lit them with a box of
matches.
Patricia smiled, slightly embarrassed.
“Thank you, Winston. I guess I don’t want to be left in the dark on
a night like this.”
“Of course, madam,” the butler agreed.
Timothy Fitchhorn poured brandy into a
crystal tumbler and pushed his hair back on his head. “Okay kid,
this better be important,” he said impatiently. The fat man put his
arm up on the mantle of the fireplace and drank deeply.
“Yes,” agreed his wife, honking her nose
into a lace handkerchief, “we’re missing our favorite television
program!”
“Aye,” said Jebediah, “someone should be
with poor Julia. ‘Tis not right leaving her by her lonesome on a
night like this.”
“Actually,” said Jupiter, “she’s in the
safest place of all.”
Winston was lazily spinning the large globe
in the corner. He suddenly looked up at Jupiter and glared. “What
do you mean, young man?” he snapped. “I believe Jebediah is
correct. Perhaps I should fetch my wife this instant”
Jupiter stopped pacing and stood in the
middle of the room. “I simply meant that she is safe in the
servant’s cottage because the ‘ghost’ is in this very room as we
speak!”
They all looked around them, as if the ghost
of Molly Thibidoux were sneaking up behind each one of them, ready
to cinch her icy noose around their necks. A fresh burst of
lightning and thunder crackled – and when the lights in the library
flickered, everyone in the room gasped.
Jupiter seemed the most frightened of all.
At the sound of the thunder, he clumsily dropped the half-eaten
apple he was holding. It fell on the floor in front of Winston.
“Sorry,” he said, somewhat embarrassed. The
overweight Investigator kneeled down to pick up the apple
Similar Books
