Hoofbeats on the Turnpike by Mildred A. Wirt

Author:Mildred A. Wirt
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: sleuth, nancy drew. the three investigators, the hardy boys, girl detective
ISBN: 9781434430205
Publisher: Penny Parker Press
Published: 2011-01-05T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

RAIN

“Somehow I can’t get Old Mrs. Lear out of my mind, Lou. I keep wondering what happened at Red Valley after we left.”

Penny sprawled on the davenport of the Parker home, one blue wedge draped over its rolling upholstered arm. Her chum, Louise, had curled herself kitten fashion in a chair across the room.

A full week now had elapsed since the two girls had returned to Riverview from Red Valley. During that time it had rained nearly every day. Even now, a misty drizzle kept the girls indoors.

“Wonder if it’s raining at Red Valley?” Penny mused.

“Why don’t you tear that place out of your mind?”Louise demanded a bit impatiently. “We tried to solve the mystery and we couldn’t, so let’s forget it.”

“I do try, but I can’t,” Penny sighed. “I keep telling myself Mrs. Lear must be the person who masquerades as the Headless Horseman. Yet I can’t completely accept such a theory.”

“You’ll go batty if you keep on!”

“The worst of it is that everyone laughs at me,”Penny complained. “If I so much as mention the Headless Horseman Dad starts to crack jokes.”

A step sounded on the porch. “Speaking of your father, here he comes now,” Louise observed, and straightened in her chair.

Penny did not bother to undrape herself from the davenport. “‘Lo, Dad,” she greeted her father as he came in. “Aren’t you home early for lunch?”

“I am about half an hour ahead of schedule,” Mr. Parker agreed. He spoke to Louise as he casually dropped an edition of the Riverview Star into his daughter’s hands. “That town of yours has smashed into print, Penny.”

“What town?” Penny’s feet came down from the arm of the davenport and she seized the paper. “Not Red Valley?”

“Red Valley is very much in the news,” Mr. Parker replied. “These rains are weakening the dam and some of the experts are becoming alarmed. They are sending someone up to look it over.”

“Oh, Dad! I tried to tell you!” Penny cried excitedly. With Louise peering over her shoulder, she spread out the front page of the paper and read the story.

“Oh, it hardly tells a thing!” she complained after she had scanned it.

“So far there’s not been much to report,” Mr. Parker replied. “But if the dam should let go—wow! Would that be a story! I’m sending my best staff photographer there to get pictures.”

Penny pricked up her ears. “Salt Sommers?” she demanded.

“Yes, the Star can’t take a chance on being scooped by another paper.”

“Speaking of chances, Lou, this is ours!” Penny cried. “Why don’t we go to Red Valley with Salt?”

“Now just a minute,” interrupted Mr. Parker. “Salt’s going there on business and he’ll have no time for any hocus-pocus. You’ll be a bother to him!”

“A bother to Salt!” Penny protested indignantly. “Why, the very idea!”

“Another thing,” Mr. Parker resumed, “Red Valley isn’t considered the safest place in the world just now. While it’s unlikely the dam will give way, still the possibility exists. If it should, the break will come without warning and there’s apt to be a heavy loss of life.

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