Signal in the Dark Part 37

CHAPTER 25 _PICTURE PROOF_

"Yes, Jason Cordell is the man responsible," Ben agreed soberly. "I can't prove it, but in my own mind I'm sure."

"You used to work for him, didn't you?" the police captain inquired, the inflection of his voice implying that he thought the former reporter might be prejudiced.

"I was fired," Ben admitted readily. "Cordell let me go and blacklisted me everywhere to prevent me from exposing him. He wanted to discredit me, so that anything I might say would carry no weight."

"Why were you really discharged, Ben?" Penny asked. "What did you learn about Mr. Cordell?"

"That he had pulled off no end of crooked deals and that he was mixed up with this outlaw labor group. Over a period of three or four years, Cordell has made a mint of money, and not from his paper either!"

"We'll question Cordell tonight," Captain Bricker promised. "The trick now is to get you to the station for first aid treatment. Then we'll want you to look through the police morgue and identify the pictures of as many of the _Snark's_ crew as you can."

The officer turned to Penny. "As for those undeveloped plates, can you get them right away?"

"I think so," Penny returned. While Captain Bricker helped Ben up the companionway, she ran ahead to find her father and Salt and tell them of the latest developments.

The two were waiting in the press car. But when Mr. Parker learned how significant the pictures of the Conway Plant explosion might prove to be, he surprised Penny by declining to turn them over immediately to the police.

"We may want those plates for the _Star_," he declared. "If the police once get their hands on them, it might be a job to get them back again in time to be of any use to us."

"But Jason Cordell's arrest may depend upon them," Penny protested.

"We'll have the plates developed, and let police see them," Mr. Parker decided. "But the plates must remain in our hands. Come on, let's go!"

At a nod from the publisher, Salt started the press car, and without being instructed, headed for the _Star_ building.

"How long will it take you to develop those plates?" Mr. Parker asked the photographer.

"Ten minutes."

"Good!" approved the publisher. "If they reveal anything, we'll telephone the police station at once."

As the car coasted to a standstill alongside the _Star_ building, Penny's gaze roved to the darkened offices next door. All of the floors save one were without light. But in the suite occupied by the _Mirror_, a man plainly could be seen moving to and fro.

"There is Jason Cordell now!" she drew attention to him. "Why do you suppose he's at his office so late tonight?"

"There's no crime in that," replied Mr. Parker. "He may be guilty as Ben says, but I'll not believe it until I have the proof."

Letting themselves into the newspaper building, the three went up the back stairs to the photography studio. Salt immediately set about developing the plates.

"Something is coming up all right!" he declared jubilantly, as he rocked the developer tray back and forth.

In a few minutes, Salt had washed the plates and was able to examine them beneath the red light. One was blurred and revealed little. But the other plainly showed a man fleeing toward a waiting car.

"Why, the man is Webb Nelson!" Penny exclaimed, recognizing him.

"But notice the driver of the car," Salt said. "It's Jason Cordell! Ben was right."

"Then the man is guilty!" Penny cried. "Oh, Dad, I was certain of it!"

Mr. Parker scanned the plate carefully to ascertain there was no possible mistake.

"Yes, it's Jason Cordell," he agreed. "The truth is hard to believe. Why, I lunched with him only yesterday--"

"Dad, he's a criminal no matter how respectable he has acted."

"You're right," acknowledged Mr. Parker. "I'll notify the police at once and have him picked up for questioning."

Transmitting the important information to police headquarters, Mr. Parker talked with Captain Bricker who promised to take personal charge of the matter. As the publisher hung up the receiver, he was startled to have Penny grasp his arm. Excitedly, she pointed out the window.

"Now what?" he asked, failing to understand.

"The light just went off in Mr. Cordell's office! He's leaving!"

"Then we'll stop him," her father decided. "Salt, you stay here and rush that plate through! I'll detain Cordell by one means or another until the police arrive!"

With Penny close beside him, he ran down the back stairs to the street.

Breathlessly they arrived at the next building. The elevator was not running, but they could hear someone coming down the stairway. Then Jason Cordell, a brief case tucked under his arm, came into view. He stopped short upon seeing Mr. Parker and his daughter.

"Working late?" Mr. Parker inquired pleasantly.

"That's right," agreed the other. He would have walked on, but the publisher barred the exit.

"By the way, I met a friend of yours tonight," Mr. Parker said, stalling for time.

"That so? Who was he?"

"Webb Nelson."

Mr. Cordell's face did not change expression, but his eyes narrowed guardedly.

"Not a friend of mine," he corrected carelessly.

"But I've seen him in your office," Penny said.

Mr. Cordell looked her straight in the eyes and smiled as if in amus.e.m.e.nt. "That may be," he admitted, "but all who come to my office are not my friends."

He tried to pa.s.s again, but Mr. Parker stood his ground. "Say, what is this?" Mr. Cordell demanded, suddenly suspicious.

"I'm afraid I'll have to ask you a few questions about your friend Webb Nelson. Suppose we go back to your office."

"Suppose we don't," Cordell retorted. "I'm tired and I'm going home. If you want to see me, come around tomorrow during business hours."