"Carey, M.V. - The Three Investigators 31 - The Mystery of the Scar-Faced Beggar" - читать интересную книгу автора (Carey M.V)

"No." Mr. Sebastian leaned back in his chair. "I know I had the wallet yesterday morning. I remember putting it in my pocket when I left the house to go to Denicola's. I never thought of it again until just now. Obviously I must have dropped it at Denicola's, since that's the only place I went yesterday, but it must have been an accident. I certainly didn't get into any crowds where someone could have jostled me and picked my pocket--and I would have noticed a blind man."

"Isn't Denicola's the place up the coast where they have a charter boat for sports fishermen?" said Pete.

Mr. Sebastian nodded. "I keep my speedboat there," he said. "It's closer than any of the marinas. When I want to use the boat, the boy who works for Mrs. Denicola rows me out to the buoy where it's tied up. I had the boat out for a run yesterday. I must have dropped the wallet near the dock, or maybe in the parking lot there."

"And the blind man picked it up," said Pete.

"Then the blind man went to Santa Monica without saying anything to the people at Denicola's about the wallet," said Bob. "And he happened to be across the street from the bank at the exact moment the holdup men got in disguised as cleaning people. Maybe he even created a diversion by dropping his cup of coins so that the people at the bus stop wouldn't guess what was going on."

"The cup of coins may have been slippery in the rain," said Mr. Sebastian. "Or the man may have been tired. It could mean nothing at all that he dropped the cup."

"He ran away after he dropped the wallet and Bob went after him to give it back," Jupe pointed out. "He ran again after he was hit by a car."

"Not unusual," said Mr. Sebastian. "He could have been in shock. He could have had a guilty conscience about carrying a wallet that wasn't his. He could have been afraid of the police. The police are often hard on beggars. It doesn't seem likely that he has any connection with a bank robbery, but why don't you go to the police and tell them what you've just told me? Give them my name if you want to. I'll be glad to co-operate in any way I can."

"Of course," said Jupiter, disappointed. "That's the thing to do. And probably you're right and the blind man happened to come along only by coincidence. I guess this case is over before it really began."

"Looks that way," said Mr. Sebastian. "Listen, I really appreciate your coming here with the wallet." He was fumbling in the wallet now, frowning at the bills there.

"It was no trouble," said Pete quickly.

"We were glad to do it," Bob put in. "Please don't even think about giving us anything."

"Well then, can I reward you some other way?" asked Mr. Sebastian. "How about a ride in my speedboat? Want to go with me the next time I take it out?"

"Hey, could we?" cried Pete.

"You sure could. Just give me your telephone numbers so I can give you a call."

"We can be here in half an hour," said Pete happily.

He gave Mr. Sebastian his telephone number, and so did the other boys. When the Three Investigators left, the famous detective-turned-writer trailed them to the door and stood watching as they wheeled their bikes out on to the road.

"Nice guy," said Pete when they were out of earshot.

"Yes, he is," Jupe agreed. "He seemed sorry to see us go. I wonder if he isn't kind of lonely out here in California. He's lived almost all of his life in New York."

"Anytime he wants company on his speedboat," said Bob, "I'll be ready. Wow! That's really--"

Bob stopped. A small, tan sedan had appeared on the road. It passed the three boys at a sedate pace, then slowed at the entrance to Mr. Sebastian's yard and turned in. An elderly man got out. He approached the steps of Charlie's Place and said something to Mr. Sebastian, who still stood in the doorway.

The boys were too far away to hear the conversation, but they stayed on the road and watched. After a moment Mr. Sebastian stepped back. The newcomer went up the steps and disappeared into Charlie's Place.

"Well, how about that!" exclaimed Bob. "This investigation isn't over yet!"

"Why do you say that?" asked Pete.

"The security man," said Bob. "That guy was the security man who let the robbers into the bank in Santa Monica. Now why would he come calling on Mr. Sebastian?"