The House of Storms

By: Geron Kees
(© 2017 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

GKees@tickiestories.us

Chapter 3

They arrived in Land's End just after noon. Mr. Dane had spent more time with the state troopers that had showed up in the radio cruiser than expected, going over the details of the attempt on their lives, and handing over the odd pistol wrapped in the handkerchief for fingerprint examination.
 
The sun was high in the sky and the day had warmed considerably by the time the black sedan pulled up by the hotel doors. The valet - a young man with a welcoming smile on his face - ran to the driver's door...and paused at the damage he saw there.
 
"Ohmigosh! Are you people okay? That looks like it just happened."
 
"Little mishap on the way up," Mr. Dane said, climbing out. The boys opened their doors and got out of the car, too, nodding at the two bellman who came down the steps and waited patiently by the trunk of the sedan.
 
"Glad to see no one was hurt," the valet said, frowning. "How'd the other car fare?"
 
"It was a little worse," Joe said, shaking his head.
 
Mr. Dane handed the keys to the valet. "All the bags in the trunk come inside. I hope you can get that trunk lid open. It's a little dented, too."
 
 he valet nodded, handed the elder Dane his ticket stub. "Yes, sir. Hope you all have a very nice visit."
 
The boys followed the detective inside, and across the hotel lobby to the front desk.  They registered, got their room keys, and headed upstairs. The bellmen followed, and carried their bags into their rooms.
 
 Mr. Dane had a room to himself, while Joe and Tony shared the next room, and Frank and Chip another. They were all in a line, with doors between them, and the first thing they did was open the connecting doors and explore each other's rooms. Each had a small but clean bath, with fresh towels laid out; a dresser with drawers lined with fresh paper; a small sofa and coffee table; a nightstand with lamp by either side of the bed; a console radio against the wall; and a small writing desk with paper, envelopes, pens and pencils. A telephone stood upon each desk. The rooms were much the same, right down to the number of flowers in the vase by each window.
 
 They separated then, going back to their own rooms to unpack. After they'd put their clothing in the dresser drawers, Frank sat on the edge of the wide, double bed in their room and nodded appreciatively. "Nice. No problem sleeping on this."
 
 Chip came and sat next to him, bounced once, and then laughed. "This is better than my bed at home!"
 
 The two boys grinned at each other, and looked over at the open door to the room shared by Joe and Tony. The other boys were not visible, but they could hear them talking as they unpacked. Frank and Chip looked back at each other, and Frank leaned quickly forward and gave Chip a quick kiss on the lips. "Can't wait to sleep with you tonight!" he whispered.
 
 Chip grinned, and nodded. "And how!"
 
 The boys quickly separated then, as they heard Joe and Tony coming.
 
 "Nice rooms," Joe said, as he came through the door. He grinned at Frank and Chip. "Dad said to figure out what we want to do first, and then let's get started."
 
 It was agreed that a meal was in order, and the five of them went down to the hotel dining room and were seated for late lunch. The dining room was large and about half full. Grand chandeliers hung from the ceiling, filling the corners of the room with light. A great wall of windows in the exterior side of the room let in a view of the beach, and one end of the carnival that stood above the boardwalk. The great Ferris wheel turned slowly in the afternoon sun, towering above gaily-colored tents and open-sided canopies housing all sorts of entertaining attractions. The end of a large pavilion was visible, and a bandstand next to it, from which drifted the sounds of brass and an organ. People milled everywhere, laughing and having a good time.
 
 "Seems gay enough," Mr. Dane said. "Whatever is going on here isn't obvious, anyway." Frank and Chip glanced at each other and smiled, but didn't say anything.
 
 "Uh, yeah, everything seems real cheerful," Joe agreed, watching the crowds. "Nothing sinister in sight."
 
 Mr. Dane laughed at the sound of disappointment in his son's voice. "Crime seldom wears a sign, son."
 
 Joe grinned. "Aw, that's not what I meant, dad. I guess."
 
 They all laughed.
 
 "What's our first move?" Frank asked in a low voice, leaning towards his father.
 
 "I'm for the soup. Probably a sandwich, too," Mr. Dane returned, his eyes bright.
 
 Frank nodded. "Okay, okay. You'll let us in on things when you're ready."
 
 The elder Dane sighed, relenting. "I intend to simply walk around the place and have an eyeful of what's going on. I suggest you boys do the same. I like to do this on my own to get the best perspective, so after we eat, I'll go one way, and you fellows can go the other. We'll meet back at the rooms for dinner."
 
 "Anything special you want us to watch for?" Joe asked.
 
 Mr. Dane shrugged. "It is my experience that the mind does its own observing and sorting, and immediately marks the things that look unusual. I think if you see anything out of place, you will note it immediately. The more specialized things I want to look for I cannot convey to you easily in a short session." He nodded. "Just look around, and see what you can see. And don't forget the important thing, boys."
 
 All four of the teens leaned forward. "What's that?" Frank whispered.
 
 "Have fun," Mr. Dane answered, smiling. "Now, let's see what we have on this menu, shall we?"

* * * * * * * 

Later, the four boys changed into their swim trunks, donned tee-shirts and canvas deck shoes, and headed out towards the vast carnival to see what could be seen. Mr. Dane was similarly dressed, but wore dark glasses beneath a straw fedora, and carried a newspaper under his arm. They separated at the hotel's beach doors, Mr. Dane going one way, the boys going the other.
 
 "Man, this place is crowded!" Joe exclaimed, as the boys merged with the flow of guests at the carnival's edge.
 
 All about them, crowds of adults and children moved among the many tents and stalls of the carnival. A large carousel turned slowly beyond, it's ornate horses rising and falling as they pranced about the circle, smiling children and adults alike riding tall in the saddles. Other rides occupied a large area to the left, set upon compacted gravel: a Tilt-A-Whirl, a Rotor, a Loop-O-Plane, and a Hurricane, with short lines of thrill-seekers waiting to board each. A boat ride ran the length of a long, twisting wooden flume full of water; a large pavilion beyond that attraction housed bumper cars. There was a house of mirrors, a haunted castle, and a freak show in a large, gaudy tent, with signage out front hawking the world's tallest woman, a man of plastic, and a dog-faced boy.
 
 A roller coaster second only to the one at Coney Island roared in the distance, close by the enormous Ferris wheel - an elegant circle of steel that turned slowly against a blue sky packed with summer clouds.
 
 The great center pavilion, the focus of the carnival area, with its wide stage and row after row of seating, was vacant just then; as dusk approached, the Grand Show of the Magical Arts, with the renowned magician, Jack Dark, presiding, would unfold its mysteries to an audience of hundreds of wide-eyed, enraptured viewers. Jack Dark had gained a national reputation as one of the finest magicians in the field today, and the boys were looking forward to catching his show while they were visiting.
 
 Beyond the carnival, a long seawall ran above the beach, and a wide boardwalk ran along the top of it, home to stands selling confections like cotton candy and malted milk balls, and every manner of food and drink. Signs could be seen promising super long hot dogs and super-sized burgers, and everything else from hot pretzels to cold beer. Below the seawall, the wide beach of white sand extended out of view in both directions, and was covered with umbrellas and beach towels and people lounging in the afternoon sun. A gentle surf washed against the shore, holding a multitude of swimmers and bathers, while the waters much farther out showed the white wakes of power boats pulling skiers as they zipped by.
 
 The center pavilion straddled the seawall, with the stage and the first few rows of seating mounted atop piers that sank deep into the sand of the beach below. When the pavilion showcased musical events the rear doors were opened behind the stage and the curtains drawn back, revealing the ocean beyond, apparently just outside to those seated within. The central pavilion at Land's End was known for its amazing view, and bookings there were considered choice by most performers in the industry.
 
 The boys looked about almost in a daze, not sure where to begin their journey.
 
 "This is amazing!" Frank breathed, shaking his head. "I don't know where to go first!"
 
 They wandered into the maze of tents, gawking at everything in sight. The variety was amazing, and the boys agreed that they had never been any place with so many tantalizing things to offer. They paused at a knife-throwing exhibition, and marveled at the incredible accuracy of the performer; gasped at the muscles on the strong man at another stage, as he lifted a bar with chairs attached to each end, and two people seated in each. The row of active performances was long and impressive, and it was a half-hour before they reached the end of it and started back up the other side.
 
 They had just passed a small stage with a juggler tossing a half-dozen hatchets in the air when Chip put a hand on Frank's arm and pointed to a nearby tent. "Look, Frank - a fortuneteller!"
 
 Both Dane boys laughed. "You want to know your future?" Frank asked, playfully. "You're going to be dizzy for the rest of your life!"
 
 Chip grinned and gave Frank a gentle push. "Oh, come on," he said, trying to conceal a smile. "The way this day has been going, it might not be a bad thing to have a leg up on tomorrow." He pointed at the tent. "It only costs five cents. I think I can spring for that."
 
 "These things are all shams," Joe pointed out, gently. "Our dad has a lot of books on carnival and circus practices. These people are really good at fooling others, Chip."
 
 Chip put his hands on his hips. "We're here to have fun, right? Well, I want to go in and see what the swami has to say, okay?"
 
 The boys all grinned, but followed as Chip headed towards the large gray tent.
 
 A sign out front depicting the Taj Mahal with lightning flashing in the turbulent sky above proclaimed that the Mistress Kani, Seeress of the Indus, was in residence within. Large red letters told that "The spirits know all things!". There was no line at the entry, but as they approached, two women came bustling out, their faces lit with glee.
 
 "I told you that nice Mr. Johnson was making eyes at me, I just told you! The Seeress said a man of means with a beautiful smile would be paying attention to me in a business setting, and that's Mr. Johnson, at the office, to a tee!"
 
 "Oh, Natalie, I'm just so happy for you! Why just think...a few short months from now, you could be married!"
 
 The two woman hurried off, talking excitedly, and Joe turned to Tony and grinned. "Oh, Tony! Just think! We may meet the sweethearts of our dreams!" he cooed, in a high voice.
 
 Tony took a fake swat at his friend, causing Joe to laugh and pull back. "Speak for yourself!" Tony said, laughing. "I'm doing okay hunting for a sweetheart on my own!"
 
 To that Joe just grinned, while Frank shook his head. "Okay, you two, let's just go in and see, shall we?" They pushed through the double flaps covering the entry to the tent, letting them swish closed behind them.
 
 The interior of the tent was dimly lit by candles in sconces hanging on the support poles, and decorated in tapestries and hangings that spoke of the mysterious far east. A small table draped in dark blue silk stood in the center of the open area, with a wooden bench before it wide enough to accommodate a half dozen people. Upon the covered table stood a large crystal ball, which pulsed with faint, multi-hued light from deep within. Beyond the table, another set of flaps covered an entry to the rear area of the tent.
 
 A faint sound filled the air about them - a sound that really could not be named. It seemed just at the limit of the boy's hearing, soft and mysterious, somehow both restful and slightly eerie at the same time.
 
 Chip gazed about with wide eyes full of wonder, and grinned at Frank. "Is this place the gas, or what?" he whispered. Frank grinned at his friend's delight, and wished for a moment that he was free to do more than nod and pat the boy on the shoulder.
 
 A deep, male voice suddenly spoke, causing the boys to jump. "Please be seated. The Seeress will be with you momentarily."
 
 The voice seemed to come from all about them, from everywhere and nowhere, all at the same time.
 
 "That's a great trick," Joe whispered. "Let's sit down."
 
 The boys lined up on the bench, shoulder-to-shoulder, and stared at the crystal ball, which continued to show odd lights in its depths.
 
 "They've got the mood down pat, I'll give them that," Frank whispered. "This place is plenty creepy, don't you fellows think?"
 
 But before anyone could answer, the flaps at the rear of the tent parted, and a woman came in. She was small and dark, her body encased in silken wraps, and her head veiled in such a manner that only her eyes showed through. She came forward and sat in the chair on the other side of the table, and steepled hands made ornate with exotically carved rings before her.
 
 "I am the Seeress Kani. How may I help you today?"
 
 "Don't you know?" Joe asked, not meaning to be smart, but feeling that anyone that could really see the future ought not to be asking questions like that.
 
 Behind the veil, the Seeress Kani smiled. "There is much between you four in your futures. Unless you wish to sit for a very long time and listen, it is always best to be specific so that I can get more quickly to the points that interest you."
 
 Chip leaned forward and laid a nickel on the table. "I'm the one that wants to know my future. Maybe just the next couple of days will do, okay?"
 
 The Seeress Kani nodded, and gently laid her hands on the surface of the crystal ball. As if in answer, the orb flashed even brighter, and new colors swirled within. "My contact with the spirit world is close now," she said softly. "Her name is Manta, and she will soon take over my voice. What you hear next will be her words, spoken from beyond the veil of light."
 
 The candles in the sconces about them suddenly dimmed, and then began to flicker strangely, as if a small breeze had suddenly wafted through the tent. But the boys could feel no movement in the air, and the effect was quite mysterious.
 
 Frank leaned forward slightly and looked at Joe, who simply shrugged and nodded back at the Seeress, as if saying let's wait and see.
 
 "You have come a long way to be here," the woman said in a new voice, one oddly accented, and deeper than the one she had used before. "And the trip fraught with danger, too. There are those that feel threatened by your mission here in Land's End."
 
 Frank tensed and sat forward, and noticed the others doing the same thing.
 
 "What does that mean?" Chip asked, his good humor suddenly gone.
 
 The Seeress peered more closely at the crystal ball, which pulsed furiously now. "An old secret, an old debt. Something stolen, and not returned. But there is one who seeks it, someone powerful. Someone who will stop at nothing to regain what was taken."
 
 Frank licked his lips now. "What was taken?" he asked softly.
 
 "A...birthright, a legacy. Old with the tattered shrouds of time. Payment past due, and soon to be collected."
 
 "That sounds pretty dire," Frank offered. "What should we do about it?"
 
 "You have one recourse to safety," the seeress continued. "Leave Land's End! Leave now...before it's too late!"
 
 Joe jumped to his feet. "What's going on?" he demanded. "Who put you up to this?"
 
 The Seeress Kani suddenly slumped, and then shook her head from side to side. "Manta...she has gone."
 
 Frank stood then, too. "You said someone would stop at nothing to regain what was lost. Does that include sabotage, and attempted murder? What do you know?"
 
 "Yeah," Joe said, anger apparent now his voice. "We nearly got rubbed out on the way up here. Talk!"
 
 The Mistress Kani suddenly gazed up at them, more aware now...and looking frightened. "I...I do not know."
 
 "You know something," Joe said, leaning forward against the tabletop. "And you'd better start talking right now, or..."
 
 The flaps to the rear of the tent opened, and a man came into the front. A very large man. He easily towered six and a half feet above the floor, with wide shoulders and powerful arms visible beneath the far eastern raiment he wore. His face and hair were dark, his skin brown like that of the Seeress. His eyes looked angry.
 
 "The session is over," he said firmly, and it was the same voice that had bade them to be seated upon entering. "The Mistress Kani knows not what her contact speaks of."
 
 All the boys came to their feet now.
 
 "Look," Frank said, trying to stay calm, "she referred to things that nobody could know. Nobody that was not in on a crime, that is."
 
 The man shook his head. "My daughter knows not what the spirit speaks of."
 
 Chip made a startled noise. "Are you saying that that was a real fortunetelling? That a real spirit was talking to us?"
 
 "It is stated so on the sign out front." The man leaned forward. "You in the west think you know everything of the world. You do not."
 
 "Look, mister," Frank said then, shaking his head. "We're not here to make trouble. But the Seeress just said some things that the police will want to hear, and..."
 
 The man took a quick step towards them. "Go!"
 
 The boys jumped and backed away, and the man came around the table and literally herded them out of the tent and pulled the flaps closed after them.
 
 "That didn't go well," Frank said, staring at the tent.
 
 "Guess we came on too strong," Joe agreed then, looking a little sheepish. "Scared them. My temper again. Sorry."
 
 Frank shook his head. "That was strange. I got the distinct impression those people really did not know what we were talking about." He paused to consider that. "Certainly if they were involved with the attack upon us on the road, it would have been stupid for them to say so."
 
 "So what do you think it was about?" Tony asked. "Are you saying that what the woman said was somehow a real message from the spirit world?"
 
 Frank and Joe looked at each other. Their father had often talked of the scams that went on at carnivals and circuses, but he had been just as plain in saying that he had encountered many things in his life the he could not explain, and that it was never safe to jump to conclusions about things that seemed unbelievable in nature.
 
 "I don't know," Frank admitted. "Maybe the best course is to keep an eye out for dad and let him know what happened."
 
 It was agreed. The boys walked on, looking over the carnival, keeping an eye out for Mr. Dane, and taking in the sights. But they all seemed a little tense now, and some of the fun of being there had gone. The session with the fortuneteller had left them with far too many questions to leave them feeling confident.
 
 Mr. Dane was nowhere to be seen, and the boys began to wonder if he was off somewhere else than the carnival itself. After more than an hour of looking, they decided to go back to their rooms and wait for him.
 
 They went to Joe's room, which was in the middle, and knocked on the closed door to their father's room.
 
 "Come in!"
 
 Frank sighed. "He was here all along."
 
 They opened the door and went into the next room. Mr. Dane was seated at the desk, writing in a small notebook. He smiled up at them, finished a line of print, and then closed the notebook. "Hi, guys. Having a good time?"
 
 The boys moved to the desk and crowded around the older man.
 
 "We have something to tell you!" Joe exclaimed.
 
 The boys took turns giving their recollections of what had happened in the tent of the fortuneteller. Mr. Dane listened attentively, nodding, asking a question here and there. His eyebrows went up at Frank's mention of what the Seeress had said about their trip up, and what was going on at Land's End.
 
 "Legacy, huh?" Mr. Dane shook his head. "I think we need to go and talk to these people."
 
 They got up and headed back out. As they passed through the lobby of the hotel they met the concierge, who asked them if they wanted tickets to the magic show that evening. The boys all lit up, and Mr. Dane grinned, and bought five seats.
 
 "Show starts at eight," the concierge said, smiling. "The earlier you get to the pavilion, the better the seating."
 
 After that, they headed back to the beach and the tent of the fortuneteller. As they neared the tent, Frank immediately noticed that something had changed. "Hey! The sign is gone!"
 
 It was true. The ornate sign with the picture of the Taj Mahal was absent from its spot before the tent. The front flaps of the tent were tied back, and as they neared they could see a man in a white uniform sweeping up inside.
 
 Mr. Dane looked at the boys, and held a finger to his lips to indicate that he wished to do the talking.
 
 "Excuse me," the detective said, sticking his head inside. "Isn't this the tent of the fortuneteller?"
 
 The man looked up from where he had been sweeping paper trash into a dustpan. "Was, until about a half hour ago."
 
 Mr. Dane nodded. "Where did they go?"
 
 "Dunno," the fellow said, shrugging. "Quit and took off, is all I know."
 
 Frank and Joe looked around the inside of the tent. The hangings, the sconces, the table, and the crystal ball were all gone.
 
 Mr. Dane sighed. But then he looked at the wastebasket next to the janitor. "Mind if I look in that?"
 
 The man gave a grunt of surprise. "Just trash, mister."
 
 Mr. Dane nodded, and produced a dollar bill from his pocket and offered it to the man.
 
 The janitor grinned, reaching for it. "Guess it's your trash, after all. I'll wait out front, okay?" He took his broom and passed them, heading outside.
 
 Frank and Joe immediately went to their father. "We're sorry, dad," Frank said. "We spooked them."
 
 The detective frowned. "Maybe. Maybe not. Let's look around, okay?"
 
 They split up, circling the tent, examining the floor while Mr. Dane went through the trashcan.
 
 Frank and Chip took the back room of the tent. It was small, contained two cots and a washstand, and a trunk against the back wall. They examined the floor carefully, the cots, and then went to the trunk. It was a large steamer model, with a tray that raised with the lid, and a number of compartments built into the floor for storage. They examined everything, found nothing, and Chip was about to close the lid when he spied a flash of metal.
 
 "Hey...what's that?"
 
 Frank saw it, too, down in a corner of the trunk. He stuck his fingers down and dug around, until his fingertips closed on a small metallic disc. He drew it forth and looked at it, while Chip drew close and peered at it with him.
 
 "What is it?'
 
 It looked like a coin, except for the little bracket at the top, that looked like it was designed to hang the thing from. One side held the crowned head of a man, and was circled by a cryptic string of letters. When he flipped it over, it was to find the image of a lion perched atop a strange animal, with the body of a lion but the head of a bird. The year '1939' was there, with the year '1945' just beneath it.
 
 "Strange looking thing," Chip said. "What's with that bottom lion? It looks like it has the head of an eagle."
 
 "It's a gryphon, I think," Frank returned. "A mythical beast." He looked up at Chip, his eyes bright. "Known for guarding treasures of great value."
 
 "Really?" the other boy laughed. "What do you think it's doing here? Maybe it's someone's good luck charm."
 
 Frank shrugged. "I don't know. We'd better show it to my dad."
 
 They closed the trunk and returned to the outer room. Mr. Dane was talking to Joe and Tony, who were holding handfuls of papers.
 
 "Find anything?" Frank asked, as they came up to the others.
 
 Mr. Dane shook his head. "A few receipts, what look like grocery and laundry lists - nothing much. We'll take them along and I'll go over them again back at the hotel. What about you two?"
 
 Frank held up the little medallion. "Just this." He handed the object to Mr. Dane, whose eyebrows went up immediately.
 
 "This is interesting. Do you know what this is, boys?"
 
 Frank and Chip looked at each other. "We thought it might be a good luck piece or something."
 
 The elder Dane shook his head. "It's a medal. You know - a military award? British, by the look of it. That's King George on the front. See the little bracket at the top? That's where the ribbon goes through. This thing was once pinned to someone's uniform."
 
 "Gosh," Frank breathed, looking excitedly at Chip. "You think it means something?"
 
 The detective frowned. "I don't know. But I have a friend in New York - Wes Bradley - who deals in old coins and medallions and the like. I'll give him a call later and describe it to him."
 
 They pocketed the items they had, and exited the tent. The janitor was out front, leaning on his broom, smoking a cigarette. "All through, gents?"
 
 Mr. Dane nodded. "Yes. Thanks."
 
 They headed back towards the hotel. The sky, which had been blue with a horizon of white, puffy clouds, seemed to have darkened while they were inside the tent.
 
 "Rain, later, it looks like" Mr. Dane said, eying the sky.
 
 "Hope it holds off until after the magic show tonight," Chip said, grinning at Frank. "That's a good walk to the pavilion, and I forgot my rain coat."
 
 Tony laughed. "Don't feel bad - I didn't bring one either."
 
 It turned out that none of the boys had thought to bring along rain gear. They were heading for the beach for sun and sand - none of them had considered the idea of rain. Only Mr. Dane had packed a trench coat, and he quickly pointed out that there was not enough room inside of it for five of them.
 
 The boys laughed.
 
 They returned to the hotel and their rooms, and had a little pow wow at Mr. Dane's desk. They agreed to keep looking about, but also to try to have some fun. "It's a vacation, too," Mr. Dane reminded the boys.
 
 After that, the boys left the detective and closed the door between their rooms so that he could make some phones calls in private. The boys went to Frank's room, turned on the radio low, and sprawled about the furniture, talking.
 
 "This thing is getting to be a pretty good mystery," Tony said, grinning at Joe, and then Frank. "Do either of you have a guess about what's going on?"
 
 Joe just shrugged. "Too early for me."
 
 "Me, too," Frank admitted. "I'm sure even my dad doesn't have a real idea what's happening yet."
 
 "Is this normal for a case?" Chip asked.
 
 "Oh, sure." Frank nodded. "We've only got a couple of clues so far. The more clues we get, the closer we'll get to solving the mystery."
 
 Chip shook his head. "How about that fortuneteller? That was some strange stuff."
 
 The boys considered that. "I guess we've been warned," Frank concluded. "Real spirit or not, that was a definite suggestion to go home and mind our own business."
 
 "We're not doing that, are we?" Tony asked, looking from one Dane to the other.
 
 "Heck, no," Joe said, grinning. "Being told to muck off just means you're on the trail of something someone is worried about."
 
 Frank nodded. "I agree. That whole thing in the fortuneteller's tent was strange. I really felt that that girl had no idea what was going on."
 
 Chip's eyes were bright with interest. "Could it have been a real warning...from the great beyond?"
 
 "Lots of bizarre things in the world," Joe said, considering. "I think those people took off because we mentioned talking to the police. Dad says carnival people shy away from that sort of thing just as a matter of course. So unless we find where they went, I doubt we'll ever know what they really knew."
 
 They talked on, listening to music on the radio. After about an hour, the door to Mr. Dane's room opened and he came across to Frank's room.
 
 "Can you turn that radio off a moment, Joe? I want to tell you boys a few things."
 
 Joe reached over and twisted the knob on the big console. "What's up, dad?"
 
 "I talked to Wes Bradley about the medal you found. He told me that it's an India medal, given out to Indian troops that served in non-combatant positions with the British in World War Two."
 
 Frank snapped his fingers. "The fortuneteller's father! They both looked like they might be from India. Maybe it belonged to him."
 
 "Undoubtedly so," Mr. Dane agreed. "So it's probably not involved in the mystery itself, just something that got left behind in their rush to leave." He smiled. "It has a small number engraved on it, and Wes said it can be traced to the man it belongs to that way. So we might have a chance to return in to him someday."
 
 Joe sighed. "I was hoping that it might be a clue."
 
 "Don't count it out just yet," Mr. Dane said, laughing. "But for now, we'll mark it as a low priority, okay?"
 
 Chip raised a hand. "So we don't know any more now than we did before."
 
 "That's not quite true," the detective said. "We know that the man served his country honorably and was recognized for it. That moves him and his daughter both upward in my estimation, and lowers the chance that they are directly involved with this case."
 
 Tony nodded. "That's something. We can't afford to be chasing red herrings."
 
 Frank grinned. "Been reading mysteries again, Tony?"
 
 The other boy blushed. "Well, Dashiell Hammet makes it look easy!"
 
 Everyone laughed at that.
 
 Mr. Dane leaned forward then. "I also spoke to John Lewis."
 
 Frank and Joe looked at each other. "The car!" Frank said. "You have some news?"
 
 "Yes. Firstly, the touring car was pulled from the ocean off Beach Road. There were three bodies inside."
 
 "Three!" Joe exclaimed. "There were four men in the car!"
 
 The sleuth nodded. "The rear door on the passenger side was open. The possibility exists that the man seated there - the man that brandished the gun - fell out on impact, and that his body was swept away by the current." Mr. Dane shook his head. "But the chance also exists that he bailed out before the car hit the water, survived the fall, and is still alive."
 
 "The prints," Frank said, "were the State Police able to identify them?"
 
 "Not yet," Mr. Dane admitted, frowning. "They don't match anyone in the local criminal files. John sent copies on to the FBI to check them against the national records next."
 
 The boys looked at each other. The idea that the man that had been about to shoot them might still be walking about was sobering.
 
 Mr. Dane nodded. "So I want everyone to be aware of the people around them. Stay together, okay? I don't want any of you going off alone."
 
 "Okay, dad," Frank said. "You have our word. Right, fellas?"
 
 All the boys nodded.
 
 Mr. Dane smiled and got to his feet, gazing at his watch. "You boys relax a bit, okay? Listen to some more music, or what have you. I need to make some more calls. After that, we'll think about going down to the dining room for dinner, and then we have the magic show later, don't forget."
 
 The boys grinned at each other. "That's going to be swell!" Joe said. "This guy Jack Dark is supposed to be the best!"
 
 Mr. Dane smiled, and left them to discuss the upcoming show.

To be continued...

Posted: 03/01/19