Chapter Twenty-five
JANET OPENS A DOOR
A half stifled scream escaped from her lips. Someone was staring at herintently through the small opening. The light from the desk lamp wasjust strong enough to reveal two eyes. That was all, but Janet saw thedesperate intentness with which they were focused upon her.
Then the eyes vanished and there was no sound from the corridor.Involuntarily Janet leaped to her feet, her trembling hands seeking thecurtain and closing the gap. She wanted to cry out, but the words stuckin her throat and she realized that to scream would be useless for therewas no one along the corridor at this hour of the night who could helpher.
Stepping back from the curtained window, Janet listened intently for thesound of footfalls in the corridor. Then she remembered that it washeavily carpeted and one could move along it without making a noise.
Visibly shaken, she finally rallied her nerves and stooped down to pickup the sheet of copy which had fallen from the desk. Almost mechanicallyshe placed the sheets in order and stacked them neatly. That done shesat down at the desk to decide what to do.
There was no question in her own mind but what someone was after themanuscript she had finished and someone outside the studio. Thedisappearance of the manuscript from her hotel room tied up with thislatest event and Janet knew that some agency was determined that thestory of the last eventful days of the filming of "Kings of the Air"should never be told as a part of the radio play they were to present.Whether the unknown force was the Premier Film Company or a radio rivalof the World Broadcasting Company, she couldn't even guess, but ineither case she knew that she was in a particularly unpleasant position,and wished that Jim was with her.
Janet unlocked the right hand drawer of Jim's desk and pulled it out.For ordinary purposes it was strong enough, but to place a valuablemanuscript in it was something that made her hesitate.
She turned around and stared at the curtains at the windows and the dooralong the corridor. They were drawn tightly now. It would be impossiblefor anyone to see in the office.
What should she do with the manuscript? Would it be safe in her ownhands when she walked down the long corridor she must traverse beforeshe reached the reception lobby and the battery of elevators?
Janet didn't feel she wanted to risk that, yet she knew it would beunsafe in the drawer of Jim's desk.
Suddenly her gaze fell upon the telephone and she smiled a littlefoolishly. She picked up the instrument and waited for the operator inthe main office to answer.
There was no response.
Janet jiggled the hook several times, but still there was no answer. Shedid not know that the particular branch exchange on that floor whichserved the publicity department did not have an operator on duty aftermidnight.
Janet's spirits drooped when she failed to get a response through thetelephone and once more she looked about the room for some place to hidethe manuscript.
Suddenly she hit upon a plan of action. Seizing the manuscript shehastened over near the outside window, reached down and pulled up theheavy carpet which covered the floor. Working swiftly she placed themanuscript under the carpet, spreading the sheets out so there would beno noticeable bulge in the floor covering.
That done Janet returned to the desk, picked up a handful of blank copypaper, folded it quickly, and stuffed it into a large envelope. Takingup a pen she scrawled these words on the envelope: "Jim Hill--Here isthe manuscript you wanted. Hope it is something that will fit into yourprogram. Janet Hardy."
Janet didn't even stop to blot the wet ink, dropping the envelope intothe drawer, and closing and locking the receptacle.
She felt better after that. At least she felt she had done her best tosave the manuscript. Now the problem was to get up enough courage toattempt the walk down the long, darkened corridor.
Janet slipped the key to the drawer of Jim's desk into her left shoe,mechanically patted her hair, and decided that she might just as well beon her way.
It took nerve to open that door, and to step out into the hall fromwhich someone had been staring at her only several minutes before. Butsomehow Janet managed it.