Penny Nichols Finds a Clue Part 9

When Penny answered the telephone she heard her chum's agitated voice.

"I know I shouldn't bother you so late in the evening," Susan began excitedly, "but I've had the worst luck with my new car!"

"You haven't been in a collision?"

"No, it isn't quite that bad. But I'm stranded on Eighth Avenue and I can't reach my folks by telephone."

"I'll drive over and get you," Penny offered. "What's the matter anyway? Has the engine balked already?"

"The car has been stripped by thieves! I'm so furious I can't even talk about it."

"I'll come right over and see for myself," Penny declared.

Pausing only long enough to tell Mrs. Gallup where she was going, Penny backed her roadster from the garage. She located Susan not far from Eighth Avenue and Clark, sitting gloomily behind the wheel of her new coupe.

As Penny drove up she saw that the spare wheel was missing. A spotlight was gone and likewise a reflecting mirror.

"The thieves very obligingly left me the steering wheel," Susan greeted her friend. "When a person can't park fifteen minutes without having everything stolen, I think it's time for the police to get busy!"

"How did you happen to be parked downtown?" Penny inquired. "Your mother said you had gone to visit an aunt."

"I did, but on the way home I stopped at the "Y" for a swim. I should have left the car on a lot but I thought I'd save the quarter. Now witness the result!"

"You still have four tires," Penny pointed out. "That's more than they left me."

"Yes, but they've done something to the engine. It won't start.

That's why I called you."

Penny lifted the hood to look at the motor. Susan peered anxiously over her shoulder.

"Can you tell what's wrong?"

"It looks to me as if some of the vital parts are missing. Offhand I'd say it was the generator."

"What's a generator?" Susan asked blankly. "Are they very expensive?"

"I don't know but I imagine they are. Isn't your car covered by insurance, Susan?"

"No, it isn't. We intended to take it out but we didn't think a few days' delay would make any difference."

"Thieves seem to favor new cars."

"I realize that now," Susan said ruefully. "You know, I noticed a rather queer thing as I came out of the "Y." A garage service car was standing beside my coupe. It drove away as I came toward it."'

"A service car?" Penny demanded alertly. "Did you see what garage it was from?"

"No, I didn't. In fact, I scarcely paid any attention at the time for it wasn't until I had reached my car that I realized it had been stripped."

"You must have surprised the thieves in the act!" Penny said excitedly.

"Undoubtedly, they are using the service truck as a front to escape detection."

"How do you mean?"

"Why, they drive up in the truck and pretend to be changing a tire or repairing the engine. Pa.s.sersby notice nothing amiss."

"But what if the owner appears?"

"They drive away or if actually caught claim that they have made a mistake in identifying the car of a customer."

"The driver of the garage truck did act suspiciously," Susan admitted.

"I was stupid not to jot down the license number."

The girls were talking so earnestly that they failed to note the approach of a policeman. He paused to see what was wrong.

"Wheel stolen?" he asked, surveying the car critically.

"The wheel, the generator, and almost everything detachable," Susan informed. "I was only gone a few minutes too."

"Have you reported to headquarters?"

Susan shook her head.

"What's the use?"

"You might recover your stolen property," the policeman said optimistically, taking a notebook from his pocket. "Your name and address?"

Susan gave it and furnished such information as she could regarding the theft.

"Your car wasn't the only one that was stripped in this neighborhood tonight," the officer told her. "Not fifteen minutes ago I ran into a similar case."

"I think it's time the police did something about it," Susan said somewhat crossly.

"We're up against a tough gang, Miss. Our force is small and we can't place a man on every street corner."

As the officer continued to make out his report, a girl came running toward the little group. She was about Penny's age, though much thinner. Her black hair blew in the wind, unrestrained by hat or beret.

"Oh, Father!" she cried in agitation.

The policeman turned quickly around.

"Why, Betty, what brings you here?" he questioned in surprise.

"I've been following you for two blocks," the girl said breathlessly.

"I wanted to----"

Her voice trailed off. She had noticed Susan and Penny.

Slowly her eyes swept over the dismantled car, then they roved to her father with an expression which was akin to panic.