“Living off other creatures, just like any predator,” said Mr. Smathers.
“I don’t hurt them,” protested Jensen. “I only take their pictures.” Smathers sniffed.
Joe Havemeyer finished carving and handed a platter of sliced meat down the table. “Mr. Smathers came up to hike in the high country,” he explained to Hans and Konrad and the boys. “He’s given me a real inspiration. Up above the ski run there’s a meadow, and above that there are miles of real wilderness country. We’re going to try to get hikers to come here in the summer. We’ll advertise good food and good beds within a mile of nature’s unspoiled domain.”
Mr. Smather’s looked up from his alfalfa sprouts. “It won’t stay unspoiled for long if you do that”
“A few hikers won’t disturb the birds and the bears that much,” said Havemeyer. “In fact, the bears aren’t a bit shy.”
“Just because one got into the trash last night… ” began Mr. Smathers.
“Spilled it all over the back yard,” said Havemeyer.
“It isn’t their fault,” countered Smathers. “It’s been too dry this year. There isn’t enough forage for them in the high country, so they come into the village. Who’s got a better right? The bears were on this mountain before the villagers were.”
“Not this particular bear,” said Havemeyer. “And he’d better not come back.”
“Barbarian” exclaimed Smathers.
Cousin Anna struck the table with her fist. “Enough!” she cried. “Tonight we have a party for my wedding and it will not be spoiled by a quarrel.”
An uncomfortable silence settled over the group. Jupe, casting about in his mind for some neutral subject of conversation, thought of the excavation he had noticed that afternoon behind the inn.
“Are you planning to build an addition to the inn?” he asked Anna. “Someone’s been digging out in back. Is it for a foundation for another building?”
“It will be a swimming pool,” said Havemeyer.
“Swimming pool?” Hans was startled. “You want a swimming pool here? It is cool for swimming.”
“It can get hot in the middle of the day,” said Havemeyer. “Of course, it’ll be a heated pool. When we advertise for the hikers, we can throw in not only nature’s unspoiled domain, but also a refreshing dip in the pool at the end of the day. We might even roof the pool over and use it during the winter. Imagine skiing and swimming on the same day!”
“You think big, don’t you?” said Mr. Jensen. There was a bite to his words that caught Jupe’s attention.
“Something bothering you?” asked Havemeyer.
Before Jensen could answer, there was a metallic clattering from the back of the inn, then the crash of a garbage can being overturned.
Havemeyer pushed back his chair and strode to the little closet under the stairs.
“Don’t!” shouted Smathers.
Havemeyer turned away from the closet. He had a sophisticated-looking gun in his hands.
“No, you won’t!” Mr. Smathers jumped up and raced for the kitchen.
“Stop that, Smathers!” Havemeyer hurried after the little man. Hans, Konrad, and the boys followed. They were in time to see Smathers snatch open the back door.
“Go away!” cried Smathers. “Hide! Keep away!”
Havemeyer seized Smathers by the arm and yanked the little man out of the way. The boys had a fleeting glimpse of a large, dark shape fleeing toward the trees that edged the ski slope. Then Havemeyer was in the doorway. He threw up his gun and aimed. The gun made a little pinging noise.
“Blast!” said Havemeyer.
“Missed him, didn’t you?” exulted Mr. Smathers.
Havemeyer stepped back into the kitchen. “I ought to belt you!” he told Smathers.
Pete touched Jupe’s arm and headed for the living room.
“Did you see that gun?” whispered Pete before they returned to the dinner table.
Jupiter nodded. “A tranquilizer gun,” he said softly. “Odd. Why go after a bear with a tranquilizer gun when there’s a shotgun in the house?”
3
The Night Prowler
Jupiter Jones wiggled his toes against the lining of his sleeping bag and stared into the darkness. “The Three Investigators have a case!” he said aloud.
Bob lay next to Jupe in the tent. He turned over and hoisted himself on one elbow. “Do we get to hunt for Cousin Anna’s key after all?” he asked.
“No. Hans and Konrad talked to me after dinner. They want us to investigate Cousin Anna’s new husband. They are very uneasy about him.”
Next to Bob, Pete yawned loudly. “I’m a little uneasy about him myself,” he said. “The guy’s gun-happy. I mean, all we were doing this afternoon was looking at the office and he practically threatened to shoot us.”
“And he used a tranquilizer gun to scare off a bear,” said Jupiter. “That makes no sense at all. Why would he even own a tranquilizer gun? But it isn’t the guns that are worrying Hans and Konrad, it’s the swimming-pool. They are afraid that their hardworking, practical cousin has married a man who’ll fritter away her money on silly projects. I think we must agree that a swimming pool will not be an asset to an inn with only three guest rooms. It couldn’t pay for itself.
“Hans and Konrad are also disturbed by the fact that Havemeyer has no job. They feel that a man his age should be working. While he was helping them move their things into the inn, he told them that he had inherited money from his family, and that he lived in Reno until he met Anna and decided to marry her. The red sports car in the parking lot is his, and it has Nevada plates, so that part of his story checks out.”
“What do we do?” asked Pete. “Go on to Reno and talk to his former neighbors?”
“I hardly think that will be necessary,” said Jupe. “Bob, does your father know anyone in Reno?”
Bob’s father was a newspaperman in Los Angeles, and he knew other newsmen in many of the cities in the West.
“Reno?” said Bob. “No, I don’t think I’ve ever heard him mention anyone in Reno. But I could ask Dad to have the credit bureau in Reno report on Havemeyer. If Havemeyer ever opened any kind of a charge account, the credit bureau will have a file on him. Dad says credit files give you loads of information about people — where their bank accounts are and how much money they have and whether they pay their bills on time — lots of stuff.”
“Good,” said Jupiter. “We can call your father tomorrow.” He sat up and lifted the tent flap. Across the yard, all the windows of the Slalom Inn were dark except one. “Joe Havemeyer is in Anna’s office,” reported Jupe.
“I guess he doesn’t have to pay attention to that No Admittance sign,” said Pete. He sat up, too, and peered out of the tent.
Through the uncurtained window of the office, the boys could see Cousin Anna’s husband. He sat at the desk with his back to the window, sorting papers and putting them into file folders.
“Tidying up,” said Pete. “I’m surprised Cousin Anna isn’t doing that. She’s supposed to be so neat.”
“I think I am a little disappointed with Cousin Anna,” said Jupe. “I’m afraid Hans and Konrad are, too. She didn’t seem pleased when Havemeyer asked them to stay at the inn. She won’t speak German with them. In fact, she doesn’t talk to them much. She lets her husband do all the talking.”
“Family reunions don’t always turn out as advertised,” Pete remarked. He had gotten into his sleeping bag wearing jeans and a warm sweatshirt. Now he fumbled in the dark for his shoes. “At least Cousin Anna’s pastries lived up to their reputation,” he said. “Since Havemeyer’s up, I’m for going over to the inn. I could use a glass of milk and something to nibble on.”
“You would mention food,” Jupe moaned, but he too began to put on his shoes.
Bob unzipped his sleeping bag. “Count me in.”
“Wait!” said Jupe suddenly. “Listen!”