The Three Investigators - 23 - by The Mystery Of The Invisible Dog-us

Author:The Mystery Of The Invisible Dog-us [Dog-us, The Mystery Of The Invisible]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

A Case of Poison

“The store that owned this system had a fire,” Jupe reported. “The cameras and the monitors were damaged and Uncle Titus was able to buy them for almost nothing. I fixed up this set. It wasn’t hard.”

“So that’s how we’re going to watch Sonny Elmquist!” said Bob.

“Right. Since Prentice has no windows opening on to the balcony, we can’t watch the courtyard unobserved without a device like this. Of course, we could just sit out on the balcony or by the pool, but I don’t want Elmquist — or anyone — to know we’re watching. There’s a big potted plant outside Mr Prentice’s door that can conceal the camera. We’ll sit inside and watch the monitor screen.”

“Great!” said Pete. “It’ll be our own TV show!”

An hour later the boys entered the front gate of Prentice’s apartment building, to be met by the ever present Mrs Bortz.

“Back again?” she said. She eyed the carton, which Pete was now carrying.

“What’s that?” she demanded.

“It’s a TV set,” said Jupe simply. “A late Christmas present for Mr Prentice.”

Jupe glanced past the manager. Murphy, the stockbroker, sat beside the pool smoking a cigarette and enjoying the last of the afternoon sun. Every few seconds he knocked ashes into his special ashtray. When he saw the boys he smiled. “You going to be staying with Mr Prentice tonight?” he asked.

“I think so,” said Jupe.

“Good.” Murphy put out his cigarette. “The old man must get lonesome.

It’s nice to have company once in a while. My nephew left today to visit friends and I miss him already.” Murphy stood up and went into his apartment.

Mr Prentice was waiting for the boys in his doorway. He was delighted with the closed-circuit television camera.

“We’ll set it up at dusk,” said Jupe, “before the courtyard lights go on. I

believe that’s around five-thirty?”

Mr Prentice nodded. “The lights go on automatically, shortly after sunset.”

At 5.20 Jupe peeked out the balcony door and said, “Quick, fellows, while no one is watching.” He directed Bob and Pete to stand at the edge of the balcony, blocking the view from downstairs of the potted rubber tree outside

Mr Prentice’s apartment. Then he quickly put the small television camera in position. It stood on a low metal tripod, which Jupe inserted in the earth in the pot. He adjusted the lens so that it pointed down into the courtyard.

“The camera is transistorized,” said Jupe as the boys re-entered the apartment. “It runs on batteries. It will only send its signals — the image of what it sees — a few feet, but that’s all we need.”

He closed the apartment door and set the TV monitor on a bookcase. Then he plugged it in and turned a dial. After a second, the screen flickered faintly.

“Hey, Jupe, I can’t make out a thing!” complained Pete.

“Wait until the courtyard lights come on,” said Jupe.

A few minutes later the Investigators and Mr Prentice were looking at a clear picture of the courtyard below. As they watched, Sonny Elmquist came out of his apartment and disappeared into the rear passageway.

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