Evening star., 1951-06-22
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Jim called her, and she joined
him at the rear door. He showed
her it was closed. but unlocked. !
your man went out the back
way" he said. What do you sup
pose he wanted?"
Come in here" she said and
took him to the spot where the
microphone had been hidden. 1t
was gone.
There was another mike hidden
here" she said. He took it. III
disconnected it. and left it, think
ing I might want to show it to
the police after my father gets
home. 1 couldn't do it before"
She explained.
You say some one has been in
here before?"
Eyes, twice. I can't explain
now, except that they were after
a key. They learned I had it,
from the recording made in your
Office"
What was the key for?"
"Truthfully. I haven't the slight
est idea. 1t was given to me to
keep for my father by a woman
] never saw before"
Jim laughed.
This is screwy, the whole busi-
ness. But you're a sweet kid, and
I like you. For heavens sake, get
new locks on the doors. Let's look
around and see what else he took"
They found that Sherry's mail
had been looked over. but nothing
was missing.
Better change the locks at the
office, too" Jim said. "If they are
interested in your mail here, they
might be prying around there,
too"
Il know they have a key to the
Office" Sherry admitted. They
got in to plant the dictaphone.
I should have changed the locks
before"
Il still think you should call
the police"
Fathers coming home. When
he comes, we will"
Il can't leave you here alone"
Jim said.
I'm staying with Dru," Sherry
told him. I'll be all right"
When does she get home?"
About or a little later on
Sunday mornings. One of the
walters lives near here. He brings,
her"
III wait until she comes" Jim
said.
Before they left to go back to
Dru's apartment, Jim said:
He might come back. I have
an idea how to discourage him"
He got a large pan from the
kitchen, and two spatulas. He in
serted the spatulas in the crack
over the front door and put the
pan on them.
We'll go out the back way, and
set the spring lock-" he explained.
IF your friend comes back again,
1S wager he'll leave quickly,
when that pan bangs down on the
floor"
Nervous as she was. Sherry had
TO laugh.
That's an old schoolboy trick"
Jim explained.
Sherry got her robe, gown and
slippers, and they went out the
back way together. locking the
rear door behind them. Then up
the front way and into Dru's
apartment.
Sherry turned on the lights. /.
She was not afraid now.
You were very kind to come
over" she said to Jim. Thanks
a lot. I didn't know who else to
call"
It'd have been pretty mad if
you had called any one else" he
said.
They sat down on the living
room divan, and when Jim took
her hand in his, Sherry let it stay
there.
II hope I can explain this whole
mess, once dad gets back and we
get out of the woods" Sherry
told him. I'm wholly in the dark
about it, myself.
Il know that dad was afraid
OF something, or he wouldn't have
gone away. I told him about our
masked visitors and now he's
coming back"
You remember when we went
to dinner at Jim's Place?" he
asked.
"Yes, remember" Sherry said.
"Well, you were very frank with
me that night. And honest, too.
You told me right off the bat you
were in love with some one else"
That's right. was. And still
am"
Il know that. But I want to be
just as frank and honest with
you"
He looked directly at her and
continued:
Il have become very fond of
you, Sherry. You're a girl who is
easy to like. So I'm warning you.
I'm not kidding any more"
Thanks for the frankness,"