CHAPTER 21 _MRS. BOTTS' REVELATION_
"Very well, tell your story," Mr. Deming bade the housekeeper. "What doyou know about Mr. Parker's disappearance?"
"It was just like I said," Mrs. Botts began in an aggrieved voice. "I wasdriving not far from the railroad station when I saw the auto accident."
"You say you were driving?" Mr. Deming interposed. "In whose car, may Iask?"
"I used yours, Mr. Deming. I didn't think you would care."
"We'll skip that. Go on with your story."
"Well, I saw the accident. A coupe driven by a young man, crowded Mr.Parker's car off the road."
"Purposely?" asked Penny.
"I don't know. Two men were in the car and they were speeding. I readpart of the license number too. It was F-215 something."
"Why didn't you give this information to the police immediately?"demanded Mr. Deming.
"I'm trying to explain. I stopped my car--your car, I mean. Mr. Parkerseemed stunned so I offered to take him to the hospital. Of course atthat time I didn't know who he was."
"Dad didn't seem much hurt?" Penny inquired quickly.
"He had a few scratches, but nothing serious. We started for thehospital. Before we got there Mr. Parker changed his mind and decided hedidn't want to go. He asked me to take him to a hotel or a roominghouse."
"How strange!" exclaimed Penny. "Why didn't he ask to go home?"
"Because he didn't remember he had a home," Mrs. Botts replied. "I guessthe accident must have stunned him. Anyway, he said his name was LesterJones. Since he wanted a room and was willing to pay, I figured I couldbring him here."
"So you turned my home into a hotel," Mr. Deming remarked rather grimly.
"I--I didn't think you would be back this winter. I wouldn't have doneit, Mr. Deming, only I needed extra money. My sister in Kansas has beensick and I've had to send her funds."
"Mrs. Botts, I've always paid you well," her employer responded. "Had youtold me you needed more money, I would have assisted you. But go on."
"Well, I brought Mr. Parker here and gave him a room. Right off I noticedhow queer he acted. He didn't seem to be sure who he was, and he keptgoing through some papers he carried in a portfolio, trying to puzzlethings out."
"All this while you made no attempt to contact police?" Mr. Demingquestioned severely.
"I was wondering what to do when I saw a picture of Mr. Parker in thepaper."
"And then you dropped an unsigned letter in my mailbox?" Penny probed.
Mrs. Botts knew that the net was closing tightly about her. Although shetried to slant her story in such a way that she would not appear too muchat fault, the facts remained bald and ugly.
"Yes, I left a note at your house," she acknowledged reluctantly. "LaterI telephoned and made an appointment to meet you at the cemetery."
"Why didn't you go through with it?" asked Penny. "Were you afraid?"
"I began to realize I might be held for something I never intended to do.Folks started to watch this house. I tried to keep my roomer out ofsight, but he'd do such queer things."
"Such as stroll in the garden at night," supplied Penny.
"Yes, I felt sorry for the poor man. He had such dreadful headaches andwas so bewildered."
"Evidently you weren't sorry enough to tell him who he was," reprimandedMr. Deming. "Really Mrs. Botts, I can't understand why you acted as youdid."
"I just kept getting in deeper and deeper," the housekeeper whined. "Mr.Parker paid me three dollars a day for his room and board. It didn't seemwrong to take the money as long as he was satisfied."
"Where is my father now?" Penny broke in. "That's the important thing."
Mrs. Botts regarded the girl with a trace of her former arrogance. "Idon't know what became of Mr. Parker after he left here," she saidcoldly.
"You sent him away when you knew Mr. Deming was coming home!" Pennyaccused. "You thought you could keep the truth from your employer!"
"And I would have too, if it hadn't been for you!" Mrs. Botts flared."I've not done any harm, but you've made a lot out of it, and now I'll bedischarged."
"You are quite right about that," agreed Mr. Deming in a quiet voice."However, there's far more at stake than a job, Mrs. Botts. Even now youdon't seem to realize the seriousness of your offense."
"You won't turn me over to the police, will you, Mr. Deming?"
"It will not be in my hands to decide your fate. I strongly advise you totell everything you know. Where did Mr. Parker go when he left here?"
"I've no idea." Mrs. Botts covered her face. "Oh, leave me alone--don'task me any more questions. My head buzzes."
"A taxicab with two men in it was seen at the door earlier this evening,"Penny went on relentlessly. "What have you to say about that?"
"They were friends who came for Mr. Parker."
"Your friends?"
"Well, no, I found the names and addresses in Mr. Parker's brief case.They were men in the tire business."
This latest scrap of information fairly stunned Penny. As she well knew,her father's portfolio contained only evidence pertaining to thetire-theft case.
"Who were the men?" she demanded.
"One was named Kurt Mollinberg--Ropes Mollinberg his friend called him. Iforget the other."
"Ropes Mollinberg!" exclaimed Salt Sommers who had listened quietly tothe story. "Why, he's one of the lowest rats in this town! Connected withthe numbers racket and I don't know what else!"
"Why did you summon those men, of all persons?" Mr. Deming questioned.
"Well, I found their addresses in the portfolio. I had to get rid of Mr.Parker before you came and I was afraid to call his house."
"You're a cruel, heartless woman!" accused Penny. "You sent my fatheraway with two of the most notorious rascals in Riverview. Why, those menhave been waiting for a chance to waylay him! They wanted to getpossession of vital evidence Dad had in his portfolio."
"I didn't know," murmured Mrs. Botts. "When they came in the taxi, theyoffered me money."
"And you took it?"
"I tried not to, but they forced it on me."
Penny sprang to her feet. Only by the greatest effort of will could shekeep from telling the housekeeper what she thought of her contemptibleactions.
"You sent Dad away with those men," she repeated mechanically. "Didn't herealize who they were?"
"I told him they were his friends. I really thought so. He went willinglyenough."
Penny was sick with despair. From the first, the situation had beengrave, but now there seemed little hope. From Mrs. Botts' story she couldonly conclude that her father suffered from a brain injury. Even if shewere fortunate enough to find him, he would not be likely to recognizeher as his daughter.
"Oh, Salt," she pleaded, turning to the photographer. "What are we to do?What can we do?"
His reply though prompt, was not completely reassuring.
"We've already put every policeman in Riverview on the trail of thosemen!" he answered soberly. "And we'll scour every nook and cranny of thistown ourselves! Chin up, Penny! Why, we've only started to fight!"