“He was driving?” said Jupiter.
“Well, sure,” Pete put in. “An old tan Ford. He went on up the road.”
“Hm,” said Jupiter. “No reason why he shouldn’t take a drive along the ocean. Well, we had better get home. See you tomorrow, Mrs Dobson.”
“Goodnight, boys,” said Mrs Dobson. She took the tray of dirty cups from Tom and headed for the kitchen.
Jupiter quickly filled in Tom and Pete on the full events at Hilltop House and the subsequent gunshot. He warned them again about keeping the blinds down. After Jupe and Bob went out, they could hear the sound of locks being locked and bolts being bolted.
“I think I am extremely pleased that The Potter equipped his house so well with locks,” said Jupiter.
The boys began the walk back to Rocky Beach on the shoulder of the road.
“Do you think Pete and the Dobsons are in any real danger?” wondered Bob.
“No,” said Jupiter. “No, I think not. The men at Hilltop House may be curious about them, but we know now that they are really interested in The Potter. And they are aware that The Potter is not at home.”
“What about the guy on the hill?” said Bob. “You know, the one who took a shot at us.”
“We were the ones who were threatened,” said Jupiter. “It does not appear that he menaced the Dobsons in any way. It is interesting that Mr Farrier has been so persistent in his attentions to Mrs Dobson. She has certainly not encouraged him, and Aunt Mathilda was positively rude to him this afternoon. Most people do not intrude when they are clearly unwelcome. That tan Ford is also interesting.”
“There must be a million of those around,” said Bob. “Why is it interesting?”
“Because it doesn’t match the rest of the man,” explained Jupiter. “As Mrs Dobson agreed, he is quite splendid in his appearance. One would expect him to drive something more elegant–a foreign sports car, perhaps. And although he seems meticulous about his own appearance, he has not even troubled to have his car washed.”
The lights of Rocky Beach gleamed ahead, and the boys walked faster, suddenly fearful that Aunt Mathilda might be looking for them. The Jones house was quiet, however, when the boys reached it. Jupiter peered in through the window to see his Uncle Titus still napping contentedly as an old movie unfolded on the TV screen.
“Come over with me, and we’ll close the yard up for the night,” said Jupiter to Bob.
The boys went across and in through the big iron gates. The light burned brightly in Jupiter’s outdoor workshop. As Jupiter reached to turn it off, a red light over the printing press flashed furiously off and on. This was the signal that the telephone in Headquarters was ringing.
“At this hour?” exclaimed Bob. “Now who–?”
“Pete!” said Jupiter. “It could only be Pete.” He tore aside the grating that covered Tunnel Two. In seconds he and Bob were inside Headquarters and Jupiter had snatched up the telephone.
“Come back!” Pete’s voice sounded thin and shaky coming over the wire. “It’s happened again!”
“More footprints?” said Jupiter tersely.
“Three of them, on the stairs,” said Pete, “I put them out. There’s a funny smell. Also, Mrs Dobson is having hysterics.”
“We’ll be right there,” promised Jupiter.
He hung up the telephone.
“Another set of naming footprints,” he told Bob. “On the stairs, this time. Also, Pete reports that Mrs Dobson is having hysterics, which is not surprising.”
“Back we go?” questioned Bob.
“Back we go,” said Jupiter.
The boys hurried out through Tunnel Two and were just locking the gate of the salvage yard when Aunt Mathilda opened the door of the Jones house. “What are you boys doing over there all this time?” she called.
“Just sorting things out,” Jupiter called back. He turned away from the gate and ran across to his aunt. “We thought we might ride up and see how Mrs Dobson and Tom are getting along,” he said. “Do you mind?”
“I do,” said Aunt Mathilda. “It’s too late to go visiting. And Jupiter, you know I don’t like to have you on that busy road after dark.”
“The bikes have lights,” Jupiter pointed out, “and we’ll be careful. Mrs Dobson was so upset this afternoon, we thought we might just check in on her and see if she’s settled comfortably.”
“Well . . . all right, Jupiter. But you boys be careful.” She stopped suddenly. “Where’s Pete?” she asked.
“He left,” said Jupiter shortly.
“All right. Well, if you’re going, hurry. It’s not getting any earlier. And remember–be careful!”
“We’ll remember,” promised Jupiter.
With the bicycles, the return trip to The Potter’s house took only minutes. Bob and Jupiter pounded on the front door and called, and Pete let them in.
“Did you search the house?” Jupiter asked.
“By myself?” said Pete. “You crazy? Besides, I’ve been busy. I had a set of burning footprints to put out, and a trip to the telephone on the main road to call you guys, and Mrs Dobson is going out of her head.”
Indeed, Mrs Dobson was not herself. Bob and Jupiter followed Pete upstairs to the big front bedroom where the brass bed had been put up. Mrs Dobson was stretched out on the bed, face down, and sobbing bitterly. Young Tom Dobson sat beside her, patting her shoulder and looking highly nervous.
Bob slipped into the bathroom, turned on the cold water tap, and soaked a washcloth.
“There it goes again!” cried Mrs Dobson.
“There what goes?” asked Jupiter.
“It stopped,” said Mrs Dobson. “The water was running someplace.”
“I did that, Mrs Dobson.” Bob came in, carrying the wet cloth. “I thought you might use this.”
“Oh.” She took the cloth and dabbed at her face.
“Just after you left,” Pete explained, “we could hear water running in the pipes, but every tap in the house was turned off. Then, we were all about to turn in, and there was this sound downstairs, like a thud. Mrs Dobson came out to see what was up, and there were three little fires on the stairs. I smothered them with a blanket, and we’ve got another set of footprints.”
Jupiter and Bob returned to the stairs to examine the charred marks.
“Exactly like the ones in the kitchen,” said Jupiter. He touched one, then sniffed his fingertips. “Peculiar odour. Chemicals of some type.”
“So what does that get us?” demanded Pete. “We’ve got a ghost with a Ph.D. in chemistry?”
“It is probably too late,” said Jupiter, “but I suggest that we search the house.”
“Jupe, nobody could have got in here,” insisted Pete. “This place is locked up tighter than the vault at the Bank of America.”
Jupiter insisted, however, and the house was searched from cellar to attic. Except for the Dobsons, The Three Investigators, and a vast amount of ceramic art, the place was empty.
“I want to go home,” said Eloise Dobson.
“We’ll go, Mum,” promised Tom. “We’ll go in the morning, okay?”
“What’s the matter with right now?” asked Mrs Dobson.
“You’re tired, Mum.”
“You think I could sleep in this place?” demanded Mrs Dobson.
“Would you feel safer if we all stayed tonight?” asked Jupiter Jones.
Eloise Dobson shivered and stretched out on the brass bed, kicking at the footboard with her stocking feet. “I’d feel safer,” she admitted. “Do you suppose we could ask the fire department up for the night, too?”
“Let’s hope we don’t need them,” said Jupiter.
“Try to rest, huh, Mum?” Tom had padded out to the linen closet for an extra blanket. He covered his mother, who was still wearing the blouse and skirt she had had on that afternoon.
“I ought to get up and get undressed,” said Mrs Dobson wearily. She didn’t, however. She put one arm up to cover her eyes. “Don’t turn out the light,” she said.
“I won’t,” said Tom.
“And don’t go away,” she murmured.
“I’ll stay right here,” said Tom.
Mrs Dobson said nothing more. She had dropped into an exhausted slumber.
The boys tiptoed out to the landing. “I’ll get another blanket and sleep on the floor in Mum’s room,” said Tom softly. “Will you guys really stay all night?”
“I can telephone Aunt Mathilda,” announced Jupiter. “I will inform her that your mother is feeling rather upset and wishes company. And perhaps she can call Mrs Andrews.”
“I’ll call my mother,” said Bob. “I can just tell her I’m staying over with you.”
“Maybe we should call the police,” said Tom.
“So far that has done no good,” Jupiter told him. “Lock the door after us when we go to the call box.”
“Don’t worry,” said Pete.
“I’ll rap three times when we come back,” said Jupiter. “Then I’ll wait, and rap three more times.”
“Got you.” Pete unlocked and unbolted the door and Jupiter and Bob slipped out into the night, crossed The Potter’s yard, and went into the call box on the main road.