CHAPTER XIII
The Tracker
"We can drop your pictures off at the office, then I'll drive you into New York, if that's okay," Jerry remarked, as the car sped up theroad to Whiteside.
"That will be fine," Rick said. "I'll phone Spindrift, too, and letMom know we won't be home for lunch. We can pick up a hamburger at aroadstand on the way in."
Jerry slowed down to a more moderate pace and Rick looked at him,surprised. "Thought we were in a hurry."
"Trying something," Jerry said. His eyes were on the rearview mirror.After a moment he spoke. "The car behind us slowed down, too. I thinkhe's following us."
Cap'n Mike started to look back, but Scotty said warningly, "Don't! Ifthey're really following, we don't want to let them know they've beenspotted."
"There's a curve up ahead, Jerry," Rick said. "Keep your eyes on thatcar as we round the curve and let me know when they're out of sight."
"Okay."
The curve loomed. Jerry took it smoothly, then glanced up at themirror. "Now," he said.
Rick reached up and readjusted the mirror so he could see, thensettled back. In a few seconds the other car was in sight, too farback for him to see the figures on the license plate, but not so farthat he couldn't see clearly that the plate was from New York, or thatthe car was the same make and model as the one they had seen inKelso's garage. Reflection of light on the windshield made theoccupant hazy, but Rick had a good idea who it was.
"Looks like Kelso's car," he told the others. "Listen, Jerry, don't goto the paper. Drop us in front of Dean's Department Store, then goaround the block. Go slowly to give us time to find out who this birdis. No, I've got a better idea. Park the car. He'll have to park hisif he intends to follow us."
Jerry nodded agreement. "There's a parking lot next to the store. I'llswing in there."
Cap'n Mike was grinning from ear to ear. "I'll be dadblamed if thisain't just like something I read once," he said. "I knew if I got youtwo interested we'd have some excitement!"
Jerry chuckled. "What do you think I want to take them into New Yorkfor? I usually go swimming on Saturday afternoon."
They were at the outskirts of Whiteside now. Jerry slowed speed again,and three minutes later he swung into the parking lot next to Dean's,in the busiest part of the town. Through the rearview mirror Rick sawthe other car go by, heading for a vacant space at the curb, probably.He had noticed one a half block down.
The four got out of the car and Jerry took the parking check from theattendant. "Now what?" he asked.
"We walk down the street," Rick directed, "and if we haven't spottedhim by the time we get to Mark's Supermarket, turn into the store. Ithas two entrances."
"If we split up, he'd get confused and we'd lose him easy," Jerrysuggested. "Then we could meet somewhere."
"Amateur," Scotty scoffed. "We don't want to lose him. We want to findout who he is."
Rick and Scotty led the way, Cap'n Mike and Jerry following. As theypassed the parked car, Rick saw the license plate clearly. It was theone he had noticed at Kelso's. Probably Carrots or Red, he thought.Maybe both. Without seeming to look around, he noted every possiblehiding place where the tracker might wait for them, and decided on thedoorway of an office building. There were a half dozen pillars thetracker could use for cover. He waited until they were a half blockdown from the building, then he turned suddenly as though to speak tothe two behind him. Scotty, whose mind worked much the some way,turned at about the same time.
Rick got a quick glimpse of a stocky youth with carrot hair dodginginto a doorway. He stopped and said, "Don't look back. I've got himspotted. Let's go into Mark's and we'll figure out how to get rid ofhim."
"Carrots," Scotty said gleefully. "We'll have to think of somethingreally cute for that little friend."
"Fiend," Rick corrected.
They turned into the supermarket and mingled with the shoppers. Rickled the way behind a counter stacked high with cereals where theycouldn't be seen. "The meeting is open to suggestions," he said. "Wecan shake him with no trouble, but that's too good for him. Anyideas?"
"Lead him on a wild-goose chase," Jerry offered.
Scotty had a grin on his face that boded ill for Carrots Kelso. "I'vegot one. I saw it pulled once. Jerry, do you suppose Mildred is at theoffice?"
Mildred Clark, the older sister of one of Barby Brant's closestfriends, was the newspaper's bookkeeper. She had been a visitor atSpindrift several times, accompanying Jerry to picnics or swimmingparties.
Jerry looked at his watch. "It's Saturday afternoon, and she usuallydoesn't work, but we're getting out our monthly statements, so she'sprobably there."
"Swell. Now how well do you know the cop on this beat?"
"We're good friends. I gave him a plug in the paper once. He deservedit, but he thinks I did it out of the goodness of my heart."
Scotty's grin widened. He lowered his voice and rapidly sketched thepart each was to play. As he talked, Rick, too, began to grin.
When Scotty had finished, Rick and Cap'n Mike sauntered to the frontof the store. Rick glanced through the big plate-glass windows, but hesaw no sign of Carrots. That meant nothing, because Carrots would be acomplete cabbagehead to let himself be seen. Rick was sure he waswatching. He and Cap'n Mike stood talking for a moment, then Scottyappeared beside them, and said, "Well, here goes--Jerry's on the phonenow," and faded into the crowd again.
Rick let five minutes elapse while he and the Captain stood in plainsight, then he glanced at his watch and motioned to the old seaman.The two of them went out the front of the store. Long before this,Scotty and Jerry had gone through the side entrance that opened onanother street.
Rick waited in front of the store, glancing in now and then, andtrying to act impatient. Then he and the Captain started up MainStreet at a slow walk. If everything was working out, Carrots wouldhave chosen to follow them rather than to wait at the store for Scottyand Jerry. That was what Rick would have done in his place. He had ahunch Carrots had picked them up in Seaford and had followed themlargely because of Cap'n Mike's presence. It was entirely possiblethat the Kelsos were equally anxious to know of Captain Killian'swhereabouts. Or perhaps they were just interested in seeing if Cap'nMike knew where he was.
As they passed Dean's Department Store, Rick glanced into the doorwayand saw Mildred Clark. He breathed a little easier. The others hadmade it on time. And coming down the street toward him was thepoliceman who always patrolled this beat. Although he knew Rick well,he made no sign.
They neared the entrance of the parking lot and Jerry motioned frombehind a car. He was peering down the street behind them. "Watchthis!" he said gleefully, and stepped into plain view.
Rick whirled just as Carrots Kelso came abreast of Dean's doorway.Mildred stepped out ahead of him. She was a slender, attractive girl,and a good actress, as it proved. She was pulling on gloves, and as isusually the case while so doing, she had her purse tucked under herarm.
She and Carrots were only a yard apart when Scotty appeared from thedoorway. He took a long step past Carrots, snatched Mildred's pursefrom under her arm, whirled, and handed it to the astonished redhead.Carrots' reaction was perfect. He took the purse stupidly and stoodthere with his mouth open.
Scotty vanished back into the doorway. Mildred screamed.
Carrots saw immediately that he was being framed. He turned to run,but forgot to let go of the purse. Mildred screamed again and Carrotssprinted headlong into Duke Barrows. Duke held him for the moment ittook for the policeman to arrive.
It was too good to miss. Rick, Jerry, and the Captain walked back downthe street toward the confusion, trying hard to conceal their mirth.
Mildred pointed at the purse Carrots still clutched. "That," sheproclaimed dramatically, "is my purse!"
"I didn't take it," Carrots yelled. "Someone handed it to me!"
The officer scowled. "A likely story! Unless you had a confederate.Where is he?"
Quite a crowd was gathering now. Mildred
turned convincingly faint andDuke had to prop her up. Rick's face was scarlet from choking backlaughter, because he was sure Carrots would burst from sheer anger atany moment.
Then Carrots saw him. "You!" he screamed and jerked the policeman'sarm. "There he is! That's one of them. His friend took my--I mean itwas his friend who--"
The officer interrupted. "Do you know this boy?" he asked Rick.
Rick shook his head, his face solemn. "Never saw him before in mylife," he said calmly.
Jerry spoke in a stage whisper that could have been heard a block. "Aperfect criminal type if I ever saw one."
Cap'n Mike choked and had to turn away.
Rick nudged Jerry and they turned and walked rapidly back to theparking lot. It was time to get going.
Scotty was standing by the car, grinning broadly. Cap'n Mike was weakfrom laughing. "Y'know," he chortled, "I've heard the word 'ham' usedfor actors, but I never got the full meaning until now. Never saw suchbad acting in my life, except for the girl. She was almostconvincing."
"On our way," Rick said, and laughter bubbled up as they got into thecar. As they pulled out into the traffic, they saw Carrots beingmarched up the street toward the police station, Duke and Mildredwalking behind him and the policeman.
"Duke phoned the chief from the paper," Jerry said. "They'll gothrough all the motions of booking Carrots and taking his picture,then they'll throw him in a cell for a while. When he quiets down, thechief will go in and talk to him like a father and point out thatcrime doesn't pay, then he'll let him go with a warning."
Scotty sobered. "It worked like a charm," he said. "But Rick, old egg,from now on you and I had better stay away from the front end ofCarrots' little air gun!"