The Dead Season

Read The Dead Season for Free Online Page B

Book: Read The Dead Season for Free Online
Authors: Franklin W. Dixon
snooping around the boathouse."
    "What was he up to?"
    "He said he had lost his sunglasses."
    "Did you believe him?" asked Frank.
    "Hard to say," said Joe as they reached Logan's room. "There was a pair of sunglasses there."
    They had to knock several times, but finally Logan did open his door, but only a crack.
    As usual, a swirl of cigarette smoke preceded him. He acknowledged their presence with a half-mumbled "Yeah?"
    "Can we come in?" asked Frank.
    Logan said, "No," and started to close the door, but Joe jammed his shoe against the doorframe to prevent it.
    "It's okay," said Joe. "We don't need to come in. We can chat from out here."
    "What do you want?"
    Frank said, "There was an explosion on a boat this evening, and we were wondering if you saw or heard anything suspicious around the boathouse today."
    "I didn't see nothing. I've been asleep for hours."
    The Hardys waited a few seconds for Logan to volunteer something, anything, but he was clearly going to keep his mouth shut.
    "Thanks for the help," said Joe sarcastically.
    Allistair Gaines was not much more help, but at least he was friendly. "I'm glad you weren't hurt," he told Joe, "but I'm afraid I didn't see anything or anybody who looked suspicious. No, not me."
    "Were you painting on the beach today?" asked Frank.
    "Oh, of course. Of course."
    "And nobody was around?"
    "Just the usual people. You two and Miss Shaw and Millicent. Oh, and the construction workers."
    "You saw construction workers near the beach today?" asked Joe.
    "Oh, of course. I see them every day."
    "When?" asked Frank.
    "Time is not one of my interests," said Gaines.
    The Hardys said good night to the elderly artist and decided to turn in and get an early start in the morning.
    "You know, Callie's going sightseeing with Gary and Janet tomorrow," Frank said. "I'm going to spend the day at the library. There are some things in those documents we found that I want to check out. I know we decided they weren't of any interest, but now I think I have to check them out."
    "What do you want me to do?"
    "I'd tell you to relax and recuperate, but I know you wouldn't listen to me," said Frank.
    "It runs in the family." Joe smiled. "Listen," he continued, "I'll compromise and do both. I'll take Heather and spend a nice day at the beach. We can nose around the boathouse and check it out."
    True to his word, Joe slept late the next morning, and after a long and leisurely breakfast with Heather, the two of them spent the day relaxing on the beach.
    Joe wished the day would not end, wished he never had to return to the States, wished there were no more mysteries to solve.
    "What are you thinking?" asked Heather as they lay side by side on beach blankets.
    "How good this feels," Joe answered without opening his eyes.
    Around three o'clock a cool breeze picked up from out of the west, and a ridge of dark storm clouds gathered on the horizon, but Joe and Heather paid no attention to the weather.
    Again it was Heather who broke the silence to say, "You remind me of my great-grandfather."
    "Wiley Reed?" said Joe, turning and leaning on an elbow to look at her. "But you could never have met him."
    "I didn't, but you're like what I always imagined him to be."
    "I'll take that as a compliment," said Joe.
    "You should."
    "Have you remembered anything that might tell us who could have put the bomb on your boat?"
    "Not really," she said. "I was returning it to the boathouse for the day when I saw you."
    "Do you keep it at that same pier near the boathouse all the time?"
    "Yes - but why?"
    "I don't know. Let's take another look around to see if we can find out anything."
    As they strolled in the direction of the boathouse, the gathering storm they had ignored began to grow in intensity. The wind picked up and was fierce now. As they neared the building, rain started to come down in heavy sheets.
    "Hurry!" cried Joe above the sound of the storm. He put an arm around Heather to speed her along toward the boathouse.
    A

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