The Penny Parker Megapack: 15 Complete Novels (9 page)

“Yes,” Penny admitted reluctantly, “but—”

The young woman did not allow her to finish.

“I’ll not talk with you or any other reporter. You have no right to come here and annoy me.”

“Please, I’m not really a reporter, Miss Kippenberg. I have something to show you.”

Miss Kippenberg had closed her ears to Penny’s words. She turned abruptly and fled in the direction of the powder room.

Penny hesitated, remembering her promise to create no scene. Still, she could not allow Miss Kippenberg to elude her so easily. Determinedly, she followed.

“Please, Miss Kippenberg, you must listen to me,” she pleaded.

Observing that her words had not the slightest effect upon the girl, she suddenly opened her purse and took out the white gold ring. She thrust it in front of Miss Kippenberg.

“I only wish to show you this.”

The young woman stopped short, gazing down at the ring.

“Where did you get it?” she asked in a low tone.

“Then you do recognize it?”

“Of course. Grant showed it to me the night before we were to have been married. Tell me, how did it come into your hands?”

“We can’t talk here.”

Miss Kippenberg glanced quickly about and observing that many eyes were focused upon them, led the girl into the deserted powder room. They sat down on a sofa in a secluded corner.

“I didn’t mean to be so rude before,” Miss Kippenberg apologized. “It was only because I must protect myself from reporters and photographers. You have no idea how I have been annoyed.”

“I do understand,” said Penny, “and I wish to help you. That was why I was so insistent upon talking with you. I think this ring may be a clue to Mr. Atherwald’s disappearance.”

“Then you believe as I do that he did not go away purposely?”

“My theory is that Mr. Atherwald was a victim of a plot. Did he have any known enemies?”

“Oh, no, everyone liked Grant. Tell me about the ring. Who gave it to you?”

“No one. I found it while I was exploring a path on the estate, the trail which is blocked off.”

“You shouldn’t have gone there, but no matter. Just where did you pick up the ring?”

“I found it near the lily pool.”

Miss Kippenberg stared at Penny with expressionless, half-glazed eyes.

“Oh!” she murmured. Her head dropped low, her body sagged and she slumped down on the sofa in a faint.

CHAPTER 10

A THROWN STONE

Penny’s first thought was to call for assistance, but sober reflection made her realize that to do so would likely result in awkward questions. She felt certain Miss Kippenberg had only fainted and would soon revive.

Stretching the young woman full length upon the sofa, the girl ran to the washroom for a glass of water. She dampened a towel and folded it across Miss Kippenberg’s forehead, at the same time rubbing the limp hands and trying to restore circulation. Noticing the white gold ring which had fallen to the floor, she reached down and picked it up.

“Miss Kippenberg must have fainted because of what I told her about the lily pond,” thought Penny. “I should have used more tact.”

She watched the young woman anxiously, fearing that what she had assumed to be an ordinary faint might really be a heart attack. A wave of relief surged over her as Miss Kippenberg stirred slightly. Her long dark eyelashes fluttered open and she stared blankly about her.

“Where am I?” she asked, moistening her dry lips.

“Here, drink this,” Penny urged, offering the glass of water. “You’ll feel much better in a few minutes.”

“Now I remember,” Miss Kippenberg murmured. “You were saying—”

“Don’t think about that now. Just lie still and relax.”

Miss Kippenberg did not try to speak again for some little time. Then, despite Penny’s protests, she raised herself to a sitting position.

“I feel quite all right now,” she insisted. “How stupid of me to faint.”

“I am afraid I was very tactless.”

“On the contrary, our conversation had nothing to do with it.”

“I thought—”

“It was the heat,” Miss Kippenberg insisted. “I had a sunstroke once and since then I can’t bear even an overheated room.”

“But it really isn’t very warm in here,” protested Penny. “I don’t notice it at all.”

“You might not but I am very sensitive to it.”

“Well, I’m glad your faint wasn’t caused by anything I said,” Penny declared, although she continued to regard the young woman dubiously. “I thought you seemed shocked by what I told you about the ring.”

“You were saying that you picked it up near the lily pond?” Miss Kippenberg questioned in a low tone.

“Yes,” replied Penny, watching her closely.

“I wish I knew the exact place.”

“If we could go to your estate together I could show you,” Penny said eagerly.

Miss Kippenberg hesitated in her reply, obviously still prejudiced against the girl because of her connection with the
Riverview Star
.

“Very well,” she agreed. “Will you please ask that my car be sent to the door?”

“Gladly,” said Penny, trying not to show her jubilance.

Leaving Miss Kippenberg in the powder room she returned to the main hall. Louise separated from the crowd and hurried to meet her.

“Oh, Penny, I saw you go off with Miss Kippenberg,” she began. “Would she talk with you?”

“She did,” answered Penny, “and now I’m going with her to the estate.”

“But Aunt Lucinda expects to start home in a few minutes,” protested Louise. “How long will you be gone?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea. If I’m not back here by the time you are ready to leave don’t wait for me.”

“But how will you get home?”

“Oh, I’ll find a way. The important thing now is to learn everything I can from Miss Kippenberg. She’s in a mood to talk.”

“I’d love to visit the estate,” Louise said wistfully.

“I wish I could take you,” Penny told her sincerely,“but I don’t see how I can this time.”

“Of course not, Penny. It would be very foolish of you to try. You might lose your own chance to gain an exclusive news story.”

“Will you explain to your aunt about my sudden disappearance?”

“Yes, she’ll understand,” Louise replied. “We’ll wait here for you at least an hour.”

Penny left a call for Miss Kippenberg’s car and then went back to the powder room. The young woman walked a bit unsteadily even with aid. However, no one paid attention to them as they crossed the main hall and made their way to the waiting automobile.

With Penny and Miss Kippenberg as passengers the big limousine rolled away from the clubhouse and sped toward Corbin. During the ride the young woman scarcely spoke. She sat with her head against the cushion, eyes half closed. As they came within view of the drawbridge she made an effort to arouse herself.

“I see you have visitors at the estate,” Penny commented, noticing a number of cars parked near the river’s edge.

“Reporters, always reporters,” returned Miss Kippenberg impatiently. “They may try to board as we pass.”

Penny wondered how the limousine would be taken across the river. The old watchman had noted their approach. Before the car reached the end of the road he had lowered the creaking drawbridge into position.

“Is the bridge really safe?” Penny inquired of her companion.

“For light traffic only,” Miss Kippenberg answered briefly.

The arrival of the car had created a stir of interest among the group of men gathered near the bridge. Penny caught sight of Jerry Livingston and could not resist rolling down the side window so he would be sure to obtain a clear view of her. It gave her a very pleasant feeling to see him stare as if he could not believe his own eyes.

Several of the reporters attempted to stop the limousine but without success. The car clattered over the drawbridge which was pulled up again before anyone could follow.

Penny and Miss Kippenberg alighted at the front door of the great house.

“Now show me where you found the ring,” requested the young woman.

Penny led her down the winding path into the grove.

“I hope we don’t meet your head gardener,” she said significantly. “He seems to be such an unpleasant individual.”

Miss Kippenberg glanced at her queerly.

“Why, how do you mean?”

“Oh, yesterday he ordered me away from here in no uncertain terms.”

“He only meant to do his duty.”

“Then the man has been ordered to keep persons away from this part of the estate?”

“I really couldn’t tell you,” Miss Kippenberg answered aloofly. “Mother has charge of the servants.”

“Has the man been in your employ long?”

“I can’t tell you that either.” Miss Kippenberg’s voice warned Penny that she did not care to be questioned.

There was no sign of the old gardener as they came presently to the lily pool. Penny searched about in the grass for a few minutes.

“Here is where I found the ring,” she revealed. “And see this!”

“What?” Miss Kippenberg drew in her breath sharply.

“Footprints.”

“That doesn’t seem so remarkable.” The young woman bent to examine them. “They probably were made by Grant’s own shoe.”

“But it looks as if there might have been a struggle here,” Penny insisted. “From those marks wouldn’t you say a body had been dragged across the ground toward the pool?”

“No!” cried Miss Kippenberg. “The grass is trampled, but I can’t believe Grant has met with violence. I refuse to think of such a thing! The pool—” she broke off and a shudder wracked her body.

“It is best to know the truth. Have you notified the police about Mr. Atherwald’s disappearance?”

Miss Kippenberg shook her head. “Until today I thought he would return. Or at least I hoped so.”

“It seems to me an expert should be called into the case,” Penny urged. “Why don’t you telephone the police station now?”

“I couldn’t,” returned Sylvia looking very miserable. “Not without consulting Mother.”

“Then let’s talk with her now.”

“She isn’t at home this afternoon.”

“But something should be done, and at once,”Penny protested. “The first rain will destroy all these footprints and perhaps other important evidence. Do you really love Grant Atherwald?”

“With all my heart,” answered the young woman soberly.

“Then I should think you would have some interest in what became of him. I can’t understand your attitude at all.”

“I—I have others to think of besides myself.”

“Your mother, you mean?”

“Yes.” Sylvia avoided Penny’s penetrating gaze.

“Surely your mother wouldn’t wish an act of violence to go unpunished. So much time has been lost already.”

“We aren’t certain anything has happened to Grant,” Sylvia responded, her eyes downcast. “If we should bring the police into the case, and then it turns out that he has merely gone away to some other city, I’d be held up to ridicule once more.”

“It seems to me you are taking a most foolish attitude.”

“There is another reason why we must be very careful,” Sylvia said unwillingly.

“And what is that?”

For just an instant Penny dared hope that the young woman meant to answer the question. But Sylvia seemed to reconsider for she said quickly:

“I can’t tell you. Please don’t ask me any more questions.”

“Are you afraid you may be blamed for Mr. Atherwald’s disappearance?” Penny persisted.

“No, no, I assure you I am not thinking of myself. Please, let’s return to the house.”

Penny deliberately blocked the path.

“Unless you wish me to notify the police there is a little matter which I must ask you to explain.”

Reaching down she picked up a small stone and hurled it into the lily pond. As the ripples died away they both observed a convulsive movement of the water, a churning which had no relation to the missile thrown.

“I think,” said Penny evenly, “that you understand my meaning.”

CHAPTER 11

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Miss Kippenberg watched the concentric circles race each other to the far edge of the lily pool.

“Then you know the reason why this part of the estate is kept closed off?” she murmured, very low.

“I learned about the alligator yesterday,” said Penny. “Why is such an ugly brute kept here?”

“It was none of my doing, I assure you. I hate the horrid thing. Surely you don’t mean to suggest—”

“I am not suggesting anything yet,” said Penny quietly. “But you must realize that it is rather unusual to keep an alligator on one’s estate.”

“My father brought it here from Florida,” Miss Kippenberg revealed reluctantly. “For some reason the creature seemed to fascinate him. He insisted upon keeping it in the pond.”