“Mr. Applegate, please, there is no evidence that points specifically to Mr. Robinson being the thief,” said Chief Collig. “I need more than your suspicions to arrest him!”
“It’s taken less than that to arrest other people,” mumbled Mr. Applegate.
“And those other people you are referring to, if we are thinking of the same people, were proven to be innocent and had to suffer needlessly for a crime they didn’t commit. No, Mr. Applegate, I try to follow the system,” said Chief Collig, crossing his arms and glaring at Mr. Applegate.
Mr. Applegate scoffed. “Some system.”
“A system that says innocent until proven guilty, not guilty until proven innocent,” said Frank cooly.
“Frank,” warned Mr. Hardy, but it got the attention of Mr. Applegate and Collig.
“Ah, it’s the Hardys! So glad you could come!” said Collig. He then mouthed the word “help” before turning to Mr. Applegate as the elder gentleman spoke.
“Fine, if you won’t arrest Henry, then I’ll hire Fenton Hardy to take a look at the clues and have to tell you that he did!”
“I’m afraid I’m not available for hire,” said Fenton, “I am currently working on a case. But I can take a quick look at the clues and tell you my professional opinion. If you require further services, you’ll have to talk to my boys. They are trying to find their friend’s car, but I’m sure they can handle both cases.”
Joe gasped. “What? But . . .”
“We’ll talk more at home, Joe,” said Fenton firmly, giving his youngest a glance.
Joe wanted to say something else, but hearing that tone of voice from his father and seeing the look in his eyes made him snap his mouth shut. That look and tone meant his father meant every word, they would talk about the case at home.
“Well,” said Frank thoughtfully, “we are chasing a thief.”
“A professional thief at that,” said Joe, catching on to his brother’s train of thought.
Frank glanced at Mr. Applegate. “When did you notice that the money was gone?”
“Chief Collig already asked me that!”
“Do you want them to solve this case or not?” said Collig.
Mr. Applegate sighed before motioning them to follow him. They followed him into the next room, which looked to be an office of sorts.
“Dad!” cried out Slim as he rushed towards his father who was sitting in an armchair with a policeman standing next to him.
Henry shot his son a weak smile. “What’s up, Slim? Did you have a question on your homework?”
Slim pursed his lips. “Yeah, how could anyone suspect a man they know is innocent of committing a crime?”
Henry’s eyes narrowed. “Slim, save that question for another time.”
“Yes sir,” said Slim, but there was still fire raging in his eyes.
Hurd scoffed. “Like father like son. Chief, I don’t want these two in here. If you’re not going to arrest him, then get him off my property.”
“But . . .” began Slim. He paused when his father laid a gentle, but trembling hand on his son’s shoulder as he stood up.
“Let it go, Slim, let it go.” He turned and glanced firmly at Hurd. “I guess I shall leave now. I’ll be back in the morning for my things.”
“Think you’ll tell your special friends, the Hardys, how you came by that nine hundred dollars?” spat out Hurd.
Henry glanced between him and the Hardys. “As I told you and the sheriff, I am not at liberty to say. I wish I did have the liberty, otherwise, this whole thing could have gone differently.”
Hurd let out a huff. “Fine, get out.”
“Henry, Hurd, what in the world is going on?” Adelia Applegate showed up in the doorway, completely bewildered. She was wearing her handmade skirt that looked like a quilt. Adelia made it herself so she could have lots of pockets. She never really liked purses.
Collig cleared his throat. “Your brother suspects Henry here of robbing him.”
“What?” Adelia just about shrieked, causing her brother to wince. “You’d suspect the one man who’s taken care of our yard and helped you run that stamp museum these past ten years? That’s extremely low of you, Hurd Applegate!”
Frank let out a gasp. “Mr. Robinson, when did you deposit that money?”
Henry blinked. “Uh, this morning, when the bank opened.”
“Can the teller verify that?”
Henry nodded. “Jasmine Hooper always takes care of me.”
Frank turned to Hurd. “You were telling us when the money was stolen?”
Hurd seemed to be shooting daggers, but he answered cordially, mostly. “It had to have happened sometime between two and four o’clock. I had come in around one to eat my lunch. Then, just before two, I came back out here to help Henry run the museum until we closed at four. When I came into the office to pick up the money we earned, the safe was open and everything was gone.”
Joe gasped and snapped his fingers. “Then there was no way Mr. Robinson could have stolen anything!”
Collig shot Hurd an ‘I-told-you-so’ look before turning back to the Hardys. “But now comes the million-dollar question, who did commit the theft?”
Joe glanced between Hurd and Henry. “Do you remember who came into the museum between two and four o’clock?”
Hurd crossed his arms. “What do you take me to be, a camera?”
“Hurd, really,” said Adelia. “Let the Hardys and Chief Collig do their jobs. You want the treasure back, don’t you?”
Hurd let out a huff. He seemed to relax a bit, but he still eyed Henry with doubt. “Fine, we mostly had a few families come in.” He nodded at Henry. “I let Henry take care of those, I’m . . . I’m not particularly good with kids like Henry is.” He paused and thought for a moment. “There were also a few single folks meandering around.”
“That one fellow took a long time in the bathroom,” said Henry, his eyes widening with every word. He glanced at Collig and the Hardys. “He went into the bathroom at around two-thirty and didn’t come out until three o’clock, right when I was just going to check on him too!”
Collig quickly wrote down the information. “Why were neither of you able to check up on him before three?”
“We were both giving tours,” said Hurd. “Henry finished first, went to check up on him, and basically let the thief walk out of here with my treasure.” Frank and Joe glanced at each other. So was that why Hurd suspected Henry still, because he was the last one to see the thief?
“Do you remember what this guy looked like?” asked Joe, hoping to hear about fiery red hair.
“Not too well, though I do recall that he had an odd haircut, making him look older, I think, even though his face didn’t make him look that old.” Henry shrugged. “I guess some fellows gray earlier than others.”
Frank crossed his arms and Joe restrained himself from stamping his feet in frustration. Both were hoping it was the Queen’s thief. But if he hadn’t come here, where had he gone with the Queen? And who in fact stole from the Tower Mansion?
“Is there anything else either of you can remember about him?” asked Fenton. “Any detail you remember, no matter how odd or crazy it may seem, could help them catch him faster.”
“He had shifty eyes,” mumbled Hurd. “Should have warned me, I suppose.”
“So, do you still suspect Henry Robinson?” asked Adelia.
The look on Hurd’s face seemed to say it all. Adelia humphed.
Henry sighed. “I’ll leave now . . .”
“Yes, go enjoy your vacation,” said Adelia with a wave of her hand. Hurd’s mouth dropped open. “What? He’s as much in my employ as in yours. You may fire him, but I will not.” She turned back to Henry. “I will give you a paid vacation . . .”
“Adelia!!”
“I’ll do what I want with my money, Hurd, and my trust. Henry shall have both.” She humphed again before taking both of Henry’s hands into hers. “Don’t worry about a thing. Between the Hardys and Chief Collig, I’m sure they’ll have the treasure back in no time.”
Henry’s eyes moistened. “How, how can I ever thank you, Miss Adelia?”
“You can thank me by using your vacation time to finish drawing up those plans for the greenhouse. Tower Mansion shall have two attractions yet.”
Henry chuckled. “I will, thank you.” He nodded at the others. “Good night gentlemen, and good luck.”
Collig grinned. “Thanks Henry, and a good night to you and your boy.”
Slim nodded. “Good night, Chief, Miss Adelia. Good night Mr. Hardy, Frank, Joe.”
“Good night Slim,” said Joe.
“We’ll call you when we get home,” said Frank. Slim nodded before following his father out. Adelia walked with them.
Hurd grumbled. “Maybe having the Hardys working on this is a bad idea, seeing as they’re such special friends with the Robinsons.” Joe puffed out his cheeks in an attempt to calm himself down and do something he would regret. Frank, on the other hand, though he could always control his emotions, his eyes still flashed with anger as he turned to face Hurd.
“Why don’t you give us a chance, Mr. Applegate,” said Frank cooly, “before jumping to conclusions?”
Hurd glanced at Fenton. “Are you sure I can’t hire you for a little while? I know these are your sons, but you’re the one with the experience, not them.”
“My answer is still the same, Mr. Applegate, I am unavailable for hire, but my boys are available. Unless, that is, you’d rather Richard Mason and his boys?”
Chief Collig let out a sigh as Hurd replied with, “I already did, I called them first in fact. Apparently they’re on a case and aren’t available either.” Hurd glanced at Frank and Joe. “Guess I’m stuck with you then.”
“You won’t be disappointed, I promise you, just give them some time.”
“May we have a list of everything that was in the safe?” asked Frank.
“I’m going to need that list too,” said Collig. Hurd sighed and gave them the list. There were jewelry, rare stamps, some cash, legal documents, and a few heirlooms. They asked Hurd a few more questions about how he found the safe, when, and if there was anything else he could remember about the lead suspect. When they were finished, the boys dashed outside and used the waning sunlight to see if they could find any clues on the property near where the visitors would park, but came up empty. Joe was focused on looking for the Queen’s tire marks, just in case, but so many vehicles had come through, any sign of them was lost. Frank was focused on anything the thief might have dropped, some clue to his identity, but all he found was a few pieces of litter. He picked them up and threw them away before joining his father and brother at their car. By that time, they were the only ones left, all the police had gone.
“Did you find anything?” their father asked as he pulled out of the driveway.
The boys shook their heads grimly.
“Now what?” asked Joe.
“You’re going to have to wait,” said Fenton. “If he did pawn off that jewelry, he did so before the pawn shops closed, and you’ll have to wait until Monday before they reopen.” Joe sighed.
“Well then,” said Frank, “we’ll concentrate on the Queen tomorrow and then check out the pawn shops after school on Monday.”
“Yeah, after school,” said Joe with a sigh.
Fenton nodded. “Sounds like a good plan.”
Joe moaned. “Solving mysteries in the summer will be so much easier.” He turned around in his seat and glanced at Frank. “Shouldn’t we tell Nancy?”
Frank blushed at the name but shook his head firmly. “We’re not going to call when finals are just around the corner, you know that Joe. Besides, we already agreed on calling her on the first day of summer break. Be patient.”
Joe rolled his eyes. “Patience isn’t my strongest virtue.”
“I know, why don’t you work on making it one.”
Joe grumbled as he turned back around in his seat, but not another word was said the rest of the way home. The boys mulled over both mysteries in their heads, looking for something, anything, that could give them a break, or a connection between the two cases, if there was one.
Almost as soon as the three walked into the door, they were pelted with questions, everyone itching to know what had happened. It didn’t take long before the whole story was out over dinner. There was a moment of shocked silence before everyone started talking at once.
“Slim’s dad definitely didn’t do it!” blurted Jack.
“How could Mr. Applegate think he did?” said Laura at the same time.
“Of all the nerve!” blurted Trudy.
“If only it was the guy who stole Queen, this would have been a lot easier!” said Chet.
“Good thing Miss Adelia got Mr. Robinson covered,” said Tony. “I would have recommended he talk to my dad about work.”
“And there’s room at my house if they needed a place to stay,” said Phil.
Fenton held up his hands, commanding silence. “Thank you all for rallying behind the Robinsons, I’m sure they will appreciate the support. But I think the best way to help them right now is to help Frank and Joe in any way possible to solve this mystery. How about it?”
The boys chorused their consent.
Fenton smiled. “Thank you. Knowing that you have their backs puts my mind at ease.”
“But what about your back?” said Joe.
Fenton smiled reassuringly. “I’ll have Sam Radley and Jack Wayne with me.”
Joe crossed his arms. “That doesn’t exactly ease my mind, but, I guess it’ll have to do.”
Frank gasped. “Joe! Sam and Jack have had Dad’s back for years! They’re the best guys for the job!”
Fenton chuckled. “I’m glad at least one of my sons has such faith in my two closest friends.” He glanced at Joe. “But I will cut a deal with you, as soon as you have solved one of your mysteries, I might have an assignment for you.”
Joe gasped as his eyes and his smile widened. “Really?”
Fenton held up his hand. “I can’t guarantee anything at this point, but I can try to find you something you can do to help on my case.” His eyes twinkled. “Provided you two can solve your mysteries before I solve mine.”
Frank and Joe grinned. “You’re on.”
Trudy rolled her eyes. “Oh brother.”
Laura chuckled as she rose from the table. “Well, now that that’s settled, who’s supposed to be helping clean up the kitchen? Chet, Phil, Tony, and Jack are exempt.” She glanced at her sons. “And no, you and your father are not exempt for having to rush out and leave us with all the cooking, even for such a noble practice as bringing justice.”
Fenton grinned at her. “Don’t worry, dear, I’ll wrangle these boys into getting your kitchen in tip top shape.”
Laura eyed him. “You’d better.”
Fenton chuckled and saluted her. “I will. Come on Frank, Joe, Biff, Jerry, let’s get this kitchen cleaned up.”
The four boys moaned as they rose from the table. “Yes sir.” The five quickly got in there and cleaned it up. Laura was pleased, and impressed. Once they got her seal of approval, the boys dashed into the room Frank and Joe shared to talk about the plans for the next day.
“So, what should we do if the Queen is there tomorrow?” asked Chet once the boys were finally situated in the room. The majority of them were sitting on the floor.
“Call the police,” said Frank. Joe got up and went into the adjacent room. The previous owners of the house had been planning to make the room into a bathroom, but hadn’t finished it when they left, so the boys turned it into a miniature science lab of sorts. Joe picked up a box and set it by the door.
“What’s that for?” asked Biff.
“Supplies,” said Joe as he opened it to show them a box of plastic gloves, a fingerprint kit, slides for microscope samples, two magnifying glasses, and plastic bags. “You can’t be too careful when dealing with evidence.”
Frank nodded. “That’s right. Do we have any extra magnifying glasses?”
“Hmm, I don’t know,” said Joe as he went back into the lab. Frank got up and followed him in. The two rummaged around and found two more magnifying glasses. They added them to the box and reclosed it before rejoining their friends.
“Even if the Queen isn’t there, we should still look for clues,” said Frank. “Maybe we overlooked something.”
“What about Slim’s case?” asked Jack.
“We’re going to have to wait until Monday to check the pawn shops.” Frank glanced between the group. “Should we split up again?”
They nodded.
Jack raised his hand. “Should we ask if Slim and Pete want to join us?”
Frank nodded. “Provided that they don’t have much homework to handle Monday.” He pulled out his phone. “I’ll text them now and give them a heads up. They can let us know on Monday.” He pocketed his phone once the text was sent. “Now, we should look up the pawn shops in town and go from there.”
The group took out what laptops they had and searched for the pawn shops, taking down notes as they went. When Fenton came in some time later to send them off to bed, they had the beginnings of a plan with a complete list of the pawn shops. They went to bed readily, exhausted. The next two days looked to be equally as busy.