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“Do you think you’re going to do that?” Pete asked.
Konrad gri
“We’ll be careful,” Jupiter promised. “Where’s Mr. Smathers now?”
“He walked down to the village,” said Hans. “Cousin A
“Cousin A
“I’m ready,” said Pete.
After the boys had wolfed down lunch, Jupiter washed the dishes. Cousin A
Pete, who was drying the glasses, only nodded absently. His attention had been caught by something on the living room floor, just beyond the kitchen doorway. He put the dish towel on the drain board and went to the living room.
“Somebody’s wallet,” he said, and stooped to pick it up.
It was an old wallet, worn soft and with one seam ripped. When Pete picked it up a cascade of cards and papers slipped out onto the floor.
“Oh, blast!” Pete crouched to gather up the things.
“Whose is it?” Bob called.
Pete found a driver’s license among the business cards and restaurant receipts which littered the floor. “It’s Mr. Jensen’s,” he said. “Boy, he’s out with his car now. I hope he doesn’t get stopped by the police for ru
“Just a minute.” Jupiter had come to the doorway, and he was staring down at a snapshot which lay on the floor. “That’s Cousin A
“Huh?” said Bob. “What?”
“A picture of Cousin A
It was a picture of A
“What’s Jensen doing with a picture of A
Pete finished gathering up Mr. Jensen’s belonging’s, then took the snapshot from Bob and studied it. “It sure wasn’t taken here in Sky Village,” he said. He turned the picture over and looked at the back. “There’s a date on it — it was taken last week, in Lake Tahoe.”
The Three Investigators looked blankly at one another.
“Is Jensen an old friend of A
“No!” said Jupe firmly. “The first night we were here they had a party for A
Pete slipped the snapshot into the wallet “Mr. Jensen may be only a paying guest, but he does have a picture of the Havemeyers taken in Tahoe. That’s quite a coincidence!”
Jupiter took the wallet from Pete. “I believe we should simply put this on Mr. Jensen’s bureau and not say anything about it,” he said virtuously. “And while we’re in his room, we might keep our eyes open for anything of interest. Since we have been asked by Hans and Konrad to help protect Cousin A
“I get your meaning,” said Pete. “Let’s move on it, huh, before somebody gets back!”
Jensen’s room was on the north side of the house, next to the big double room occupied by Hans and Konrad.
“Hope it’s not locked,” said Bob.
“Nothing in this place ever gets locked,” said Pete. He turned the knob and Mr. Jensen’s door swung open.
The room was neat and clean, like everything else in the i
Jupe opened the closet door and found a good supply of sport shirts, some creased from wear and others fresh and clean. A pair of black oxfords were on the floor, and next to them was Jensen’s suitcase.
Jupe hefted the suitcase. “Not all unpacked,” he said. He carried the case to the bed, where he put it down and opened it.
There were socks in the suitcase, and clean underwear, several rolls of film, and a few packages of flash bulbs. There was also a book. Pete whistled with delight when Jupe picked it up.
“Photography for Begi
Bob began to lift socks and underwear out of the suitcase. “Let’s see what else there is” he said.
He discovered nothing else except a little notebook which was greatly worn and dog-eared, and which was crammed with names, addresses, and telephone numbers. Bob went through the book quickly. Most of the ad- dresses were for businesses or individuals in Lake Tahoe. There was no entry for Cousin A
“You found something?” asked Jupe.
“There’s a page here all about Cousin A
“PWU 615?” said Pete. “Sounds like the license number of a car.”
“Anything else?” asked Jupe.
Bob handed the notebook to Jupe without another word.
“Fascinating,” said Jupe. “A notation that A
“Pigeon?” said Pete. “That’s con-man talk, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” answered Jupe. He closed the notebook and put it back into the suitcase. “It’s a term used by swindlers. A pigeon is a sucker, a victim, an easy mark.”
“So Jensen is a confidence man, and A
“At least Jensen is not a photographer,” said Jupe. “But if he’s a swindler, what is he up to? He hasn’t done a thing here except… ”
“Except get rabbit punched by a bear, or a monster, or whatever,” Pete finished. “He hasn’t even been especially friendly with A
They heard a car on the road outside. Jupe hurried across the hall to the room occupied by Mr. Smathers. He looked out the window.
“It’s Cousin A
Bob hastily closed the suitcase and stowed it back in the closet. Pete smoothed the bed where it had rested.
“Do we warn her she’s got a con man registered here?” asked Pete as the boys left the room.
Jupe shook his head. “I don’t think we should do that without real proof. We only know that Jensen has a snapshot of A