Robert Turnbull got off the stool so violently that it toppled over. “I must leave at once and contact my family to learn if they have any information about Raymond. Perhaps he has sought shelter with them. Poor Raymond!”
The scientist gathered his work together, scooped up a sheaf of papers, and hurried out of the room. Feeling justified about the questioning but sorry that it had upset Robert Turnbull, the Swifts returned to their own office.
136 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT ROBOT
No sooner had they entered than the blinker monitor again registered a call from Shopton.
Tom gave a mock groan and said, “I wonder if this is more trouble?”
From the other end of the line, Radnor’s voice was hollow. “Hate to bother you again, but something has come up.”
The young inventor steadied himself. “What’s wrong, Rad?” he asked tersely.
“Marco is gone!” Rad reported.
Tom winced. Their key contact had vanished!
Radnor said Marco had melted into a downtown crowd, eluding the shadowing detective. The next evening he had not appeared for work. That could only mean the watchman had found out that he was under suspicion.
It also implied that he probably had learned about the fake messages planted on the tape. He might have gathered the real facts through some other source.
Tom informed Radnor about the conference with Robert Turnbull, then signed off.
“I’m afraid we’re in for more trouble,” Tom said, and told his father about Radnor’s report.
“The Citadel and everyone in it is probably a target now,” Tom continued.