“Meaning what?” asked Arden.
“That we’ve drawn a blank,” said Sim.
She was right. For the first impression, gathered on arrival at the home of the Claytons, that no one was there, was borne out as the chief emerged a second time from an inspection of the premises.
“Can’t find anybody,” he announced with a flourish of his big red hands.
“You mean there’s nobody home?” asked Terry.
“That’s about it,” said Mr. Reilly. “Nobody home. You can’t get anything out of an empty bag except dust, you know.”
“And I suppose there was plenty of dust?” suggested Sim.
“Well, not so much as you’d think for,” said the officer and garage owner. “Melissa must have humped herself, for the old shack was pretty clean. Case of pot calling the kettle black, you know.”
“Poor kid! I guess she had her own troubles,” remarked Arden. “I wonder where her father took her and why?”
“Maybe we’ll know that when we find Dimitri,” suggested Terry.