Hardy Boys -2: Secret of the Old Mill

Snagging a Clue

"Let's split up and follow them!" exclaimed Joe.

"No," said Jack firmly. "We should stick together. You two have already had a rough time last night. We'll follow the guy your friend handed the envelope to. I'm sure your friend is going back to Elekton. This other guy, we need to nab him first." He started up his car and they drove towards the corner the man disappeared around. But when they turned the corner, he was nowhere in sight.

"What?" exclaimed Joe. "Where did he go? How could he have disappeared so quickly?"

"I don't know," said Frank, his eyes still scanning the area for their quarry, "but it's more than likely he disappeared into another store."

"We're going to have to split up for sure now,' said Joe, looking pointedly at Jack.

"What are you looking for?" asked Jack, his eyes also scanning the street.

Joe blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Are you looking for a guy with a baseball cap, or are you looking for a guy that fits his description?" He shot a quick glance at Joe and Chet in the rearview mirror. "You saw him up close, right?"

Chet gasped. "You're right! Though I am looking for someone with a baseball cap that matches his description."

"You think he could have switched outfits?" asked Joe.

Jack smirked. "You didn't recognize me at first as Pretzel Pete, now did you?"

Frank's lip curled slightly. "No, we didn't." He turned to watching the street again. "But I didn't get a good look at him, so I have nothing else to look for."

"But I do!" said Chet cheerily. "I recognised him the first time with the baseball cap!"

"Then you be on the look-out for him, Chet, while we drive by. See if you can notice him," said Jack as he began to drive through the street slowly.

"Joe, did you not get a good look at him?" asked Frank.

Joe winced. "Not entirely, I wasn't paying that close of attention to him. I was paying more attention to your conversation with a particular fellow detective."

Frank let out a soft growl. "Go figure."

Joe snickered. "What? She was finishing up her own mystery."

"Focus Joe," said Jack, "you're now on your second mystery. Focus on this."

"Yes sir," said Joe and turned his eyes back to the street. But he shot a sly glance at Frank and winked. Frank rolled his eyes and shook his head before turning back to looking at the street. Jack reached the light, made a U-turn, and they looked through the store fronts yet again.

Chet huffed. "I'm not seeing him."

"Neither am I," said Joe, "cap or no cap."

Frank slapped his armrest. "We missed him. He managed to disappear! But how?"

"Looks like Ken is our only lead in that aspect," said Joe. "At least, I hope. He might not even know the name of the guy he just delivered counterfeits to."

Frank gasped. "Jack! Stop the car!"

"Not in the middle of the street, Frank," said Jack.

"Well pull into this parking lot, quick!" Jack pulled into the parking lot Frank indicated. As soon as he came to a stop, Frank was out of the car. He dashed towards an alleyway and picked up something before dashing back to the car. He had a manilla envelope.

"That's the envelope!" exclaimed Joe. "Yes!"

"Is there a name on it?" asked Jack.

"'Victor Peters'," read Frank. "'Meet him at the paper store. If not there, drop it off at the abandoned farmhouse.'"