Author: Johnston McCulley
Category: Mystery
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CHAPTER XX--THE VOICE ON THE WIRE
At seven o'clock Verbeck ordered Muggs to bed, promising to call himwith Riley at ten o'clock. He had kept the morning papers from Muggs,for he had decided to announce the failure of their contemplated trapwhen both men were facing him.
When snores from the adjoining room told him that Muggs was in a heavysleep, Verbeck decided to make a tour of the house by himself in aneffort to solve the mysteries that had been puzzling him. Automaticheld ready, he crept softly up the stairs and examined every room onthe second floor, looking at every window and door, but failing tofind as much as a track in the dust.
He mounted to the garret once more and peered into the twohalf-finished rooms there. Then he returned to the first floor and satdown before the table in the living room, trying to think it out. Heasked himself again whether Muggs had really put those black stars onthe bread and had wounded himself in an effort to make Verbeck believehe had been attacked. What would be the motive? Verbeck shook his headbecause he could think of none. And had Riley betrayed theircontemplated trap? Again he asked himself the motive, and told himselfthere was none, unless Detective Riley was a member of the BlackStar's band and acting under the orders of the master criminal.
He paced the floor, and occasionally went on the veranda, fightingdown the belief that either of the men had turned against him, callingupon himself to have faith in them.
Ten o'clock came, and he awoke Riley and Muggs and prepared coffeewhile they dressed. He put the coffee on the table, with butter androlls, and scattered the newspapers around. Then, as the two men beganeating, he walked to the nearest window and stood looking out over thesnow-covered lawn.
Presently there was an exclamation behind him, and he whirled around,to find both Muggs and Riley staring at newspapers as if they couldnot believe their eyes. Verbeck decided that either they weregenuinely surprised, or were good actors.
"Yes," he said before either of the others could speak, "the BlackStar knows. It will not be necessary for me to go into town and makearrangements with the jewelers and the chief."
"But----" Riley began, and stopped and looked at the paper again.
"Yesterday afternoon I discussed the matter with Riley," Verbeck wenton. "We sat here at the table and talked in ordinary tones. Lastevening the three of us discussed it, sitting at the table andspeaking softly. I doubt whether a man, had he even been in thebedroom adjoining, could have understood us clearly. Yet the BlackStar knows all about it--he knew in time to have that letter reach thenewspaper by two o'clock in the morning. I, for one, am certain I didnot communicate with the Black Star or any of his crooks."
He turned his back upon them again, and looked through the window.
"But--but----" Riley stammered. "Why, nobody except the three of us knewanything about it!"
"Exactly!" said Verbeck.
"Then how---- You don't think I tipped it off in any way?"
"Boss," cried Muggs, "you don't suppose I----"
"I am not thinking, or supposing, anything about it," said Verbeck."We are confronted by facts."
"Well, let's consider the matter squarely," Riley offered. "Even if wetake it for granted that either Muggs or myself is a member of theBlack Star's band, when would either of us have had a chance to betraythe plan?"
"You went outdoors and prowled around considerable about midnight,"Muggs said. "You had a chance then."
"If it comes to that, my impetuous friend, you were alone in thekitchen yesterday afternoon while Roger and I were discussing thematter. You were there when mysterious black stars got stuck on a loafof bread and when there was an alleged mysterious assault on your ownperson committed by somebody who could not have been in the house atthe time." Riley showed some anger in his voice.
"You accusin' me?" Muggs demanded.
"You accused me, didn't you?"
Verbeck turned away from the window and walked to the table.
"Suppose we cease all accusations," he said. "I cannot think either ofyou would do such a thing. Muggs has demonstrated his loyalty to mescores of times. You, Riley, owed your start in life to my father, andhave known me since I was a toddling baby. I can't believe either ofyou guilty of this. And yet--there are the facts. Only we threeknew--and the Black Star knew soon afterward. We'll just call thisanother little mystery added to those that have gone before. Eat yourrolls and drink your coffee. We'll not discuss the matter furthernow."
Riley and Muggs made pretense of eating as Verbeck walked to the doorand went out on the veranda again, but for the most part they glaredat each other across the table, each suspicious of the otherapparently.
The telephone rang, and Verbeck hurried in from the veranda to answerit. It was the chief speaking.
"Everything all right out there?" he asked. "Good! Say, is that right,what the papers say about you planning that trap about the necklace?"
"Yes," Verbeck answered.
"But, how the deuce----"
"I don't know," Verbeck interrupted. "There evidently was a leaksomewhere, yet it seems impossible. It's just one of those things thatcannot be explained."
"Anything can be explained," the chief declared. "But we'll have totalk of that affair later. I've just had a telephone message from theeditor of one of the evening papers. He received a letter from theBlack Star through the morning mail. The Black Star says he is goingto pull off that big crime of his within twenty-four hours. So get onyour toes, you people! I suppose he means to-night."
"What plans have you made?" Verbeck asked.
"Of course, we have no idea what he is going to do. We're havingspecial guards around the largest banks and trust companies. All wecan do is to wait for an alarm. When we get it we can rush to the spotand take up the trail. We'll keep in touch with you."
Again there came that peculiar, rattling noise they had heard oncebefore while holding a telephone conversation. Both Verbeck and thechief waited for the voice they knew they would hear.
"Hello!" it said. "This is the Black Star! I'm too busy to talk long,so please listen--and do not swear over the wire, chief. I have beenlistening to your interesting conversation. Make all the preparationsyou like, chief, but they'll avail you nothing. You'll be sufficientlystartled before daybreak to-morrow morning. I will mention, too, thatI am going to commit this crime myself, without any aid whatever. Asfor you, Mr. Roger Verbeck, you will be the laughingstock of the cityto-morrow, so prepare to be ridiculed."
"Indeed?" Roger said.
"Another thing, Mr. Verbeck. I know every word you have said toDetective Riley and Muggs this morning. You wrong them, Mr. Verbeck,with your suspicions. I was but waiting for some one to call you up soI could break in and tell you so. You see, if I called myself youmight be able to trace the call. Neither of the men, Mr. Verbeck, sentme information regarding the clever trap you proposed. I just simplyknew. I know everything! Good-by!"
Again the rattling sound, and then Roger Verbeck heard nothing overthe wire except the explosive profanity of the chief of police, whofinally gave the information that he would call again later, and rangoff.
Verbeck turned from the instrument with a beaming face, and hurriedforward to clasp Riley and Muggs by their hands.
"I was a fool to doubt either of you a second," he said. "The BlackStar has just proved to me that it wasn't necessary for either of youto turn traitor."
"Was that crook on the wire again?" Muggs demanded.
"He certainly was--broke in while I was speaking to the chief. He toldme he knew what I had been saying to you here a very few minutes ago,and that I was unjust in my suspicions."
"If either of us were guilty he might say that just to help us out--tomake you think we were all right so we could go on doing his dirtywork," Riley warned.
"But the fact that he knew our conversation of a few minutes ago showshe might have heard us speaking yesterday about the trap. I am quitesure neither of you have had a chance to communicate with him in thepast half hour."
Riley rose pon
derously from the table and crashed a fist down on it.
"Then tell me," he said, "how this crook knows what we say here inthis room!"
"I wish I knew!"
"We've searched this house from bottom to top, and he isn't in it. Tohear what we said he'd either have to be in the basement under us orin an adjoining room, and then he couldn't hear half of it. This thinggets my goat!"
"Then here is something that'll please you, Riley. The Black Star hassent another letter to a paper, so the chief told me, saying he'sgoing to commit this big crime of his within the next twenty-fourhours. I suppose he means during the night some time."
"Then we'll get on his trail!" Riley shouted. "We won't have to workin the dark any more. At least we'll know where to start. He's got tocome out of hiding to commit a crime, and we can trail him from wherehe pulls it off!"
"Yes, and where will that be?" Muggs asked.
"Wherever it is, we'll have something to start on. I just want astart--that's all! That crook's going too far with his mysterious blackstars and his telephone stunts and mind-reading performances! He'llmake a slip! Never a crook lived that didn't make a slip some time!"
"I'd like to know how those stars got on that loaf and how I gottapped on the head!" Muggs announced. "That Black Star must be able tomake himself invisible!"
Riley snorted.
"He's a human man, and that's all there is to it--a clever, human man!"the detective declared. "And we're clever, human men! We'll get him!And he'll be visible enough when we do! There never was a mystery thatdidn't have a common, everyday solution, if a man's wise enough toknow how to look at things. Twenty-four hours, eh? Some time to-night?We'll be crazy before he pulls off his trick--crazy from waiting!You're sure that roadster is loaded with gas, Verbeck?"
"I'm sure, Riley. Every officer in town knows that roadster, and thechief has issued orders that we are to be allowed to smash all speedlimits if we see fit."
"Then all we can do is wait--wait for the alarm. It may come in tenminutes, and it may come at two o'clock to-morrow morning. And waitin'is the worst thing I do!"
The day passed, every hour seeming an age. Muggs cooked the eveningmeal with head cocked for the sound of the telephone bell. Riley pacedthe floor, looking at his automatic and handcuffs every half hour.Verbeck smoked innumerable cigars and betrayed nervousness ininnumerable ways.
Nine o'clock came and passed--ten--eleven. Midnight struck!
The telephone rang!
Verbeck reached the instrument in two bounds, and Muggs and Riley wereclose behind him, ready for a dash, Muggs with his hand on thedoorknob.
"Hello!" Verbeck cried.
"Hello! Hello! Mr. Verbeck?"
It was a woman's voice, one that Verbeck never had heard before, anexcited woman's voice.
"This is Mr. Verbeck."
"Listen! I may not have a chance to repeat! Do you want to locate theBlack Star before he commits his crime? Do you want to learn why hehas heard everything you've said there?"
"Who is this?" Verbeck tried to control his voice and speak in amatter-of-fact way.
"Never mind my name. I have a reason for what I am now doing. You mustact quickly. Take all the help you can get. You have police there--takethem all!"
"Yes; but what----"
"Listen, please! I will not have a chance to telephone again. Lookaround your living room. Look at the center leg of your table. Andthen--follow the wire! All the help you can get--act quickly--and followthe wire!"
And the unknown woman rang off.
Verbeck whirled to the others, speaking rapidly, starting back acrossthe room toward the table. With Muggs and Riley beside him, he wentdown on his knees to investigate the center leg. Riley was thefortunate one. An exclamation of disgust escaped him.
"Boobs! Boobs! That's what we are! A common, everyday dictograph disk!And we never thought of it! Look!"
He pointed to the bit of metal.