The Masked Monkey Read Online Free PDF Page B

we’ve come to ask you a few questions,” Frank said.
    The woman opened her eyes. “Questions? What kind of questions?”
    â€œWell, we saw a woman at the waterfall last night. She resembled you!”
    â€œIt wasn’t me!” Mrs. Retson shuddered as she spoke and averted her eyes.
    â€œThis woman later climbed up a rope ladder to your room,” Joe went on. “Who else could it have been?”
    Mrs. Retson’s voice rose to a shrill pitch. “I don’t know! I don’t know! You must have made a mistake in the darkness.”
    â€œThere was a full moon last night,” Frank stated. “It lighted up the whole area of the waterfall.”
    â€œThat explains what happened,” she cried. “People often have delusions at the falls, especially under a full moon! You boys imagined you saw a woman.”
    Joe picked up a flimsy scarf from an easy chair. From his pocket he pulled the fragment of material he had found the previous night, and fitted it into a tear in the scarf. It matched perfectly.
    Mrs. Retson seemed terror stricken at the sight. When Joe explained where the piece had come from, she slumped into unconsciousness.
    â€œShe’s fainted!” Frank exclaimed. He began chafing her wrists while Joe massaged the back of her neck. Miss Hopkins came in quickly and held a glass of water to her lips.
    Mrs. Retson began to moan. She opened her eyes and gazed in bewilderment. After sipping alittle water, she sat up. Joe adjusted the shawl, which had slipped down.
    The nurse broke the silence. “That’s enough. Mrs. Retson isn’t strong enough to be badgered like this. Do your investigating somewhere else!”
    â€œWe’ll be leaving here soon,” Joe promised. “We’re going to Brazil to bring Graham home.”
    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Retson raised a hand and cried out, “No! No! Graham is not in Brazil. He’s right here!”
    Startled, Frank begged her to explain herself. But she merely gave a knowing smile and refused to say another word.
    Frank and Joe left the apartment, expecting the nurse to slam the door behind them. Instead, Miss Hopkins joined them in the hall.
    â€œYou must be mystified by Mrs. Retson’s remark,” she said.
    â€œThat’s putting it mildly,” Joe replied.
    Frank nodded in agreement. “What could she possibly have meant about Graham being right here?”
    â€œShe believes in extrasensory perception and psychic phenomena,” Miss Hopkins explained. “She thinks a person can be in two places at once.”
    â€œSo that’s it,” Frank said. “Thanks for telling us.”
    The boys went outside. Walking away from the mansion, they glanced back and looked up at Mrs Retson’s apartment. They saw a face in the window.The woman herself was staring down at them with a pleading expression.
    â€œI really feel sorry for her,” Joe said. “She must be mentally ill. That explains her going down to the waterfall last night and calling Graham!”
    The boys returned to the guesthouse. Chet Morton was there, and half an hour later Phil and Tony arrived. They had come to join Chet in the business of retrieving golf balls from the Granite City golf courses. The five discussed the latest events.
    â€œSo Joe and I will go to Brazil,” Frank concluded. “Meanwhile, it would be a good idea if you guys could keep an eye on the Retson estate.”
    â€œHow?” Chet asked. “You can’t do it with a place this size from outside!”
    â€œMaybe Retson will let you stay here. During part of the time you can scavenge golf balls, and when you’re not busy, you can keep track of what’s going on.”
    â€œSounds good,” Chet said with a grin. “It would save us money, too. Let’s go see the big man.”
    The industrialist appeared gratified to know he could count on Chet, Phil, and Tony. “It’ll be nice to