“I thought so too, at first,” confessed Bob, “but after that warning phone call I changed my mind.”
“Call your hotel again. I’ll hold the line.”
Bob stepped outside and from another phone got in touch with his hotel. There had been no word about his uncle, the clerk assured him, and Bob returned to the private room, where he relayed the news northward.
He heard Waldo Edgar’s breath suck in.
“What have you done?” came the question, and Bob was ready.
He told of his own attempt and added that he had enlisted the aid of the Jacksonville police.
“That’s right as far as you’ve gone,” said his chief. “Unfortunately a big kidnaping has broken in the midwest and all of the extra men are concentrated there. Condon Adams will be back in Jacksonville shortly after midnight and you must get in touch with him.”
There was a brief pause while the federal chief mulled over plans for his next strategy.
“This isn’t going to be easy to do, Bob,” he said, “but I’m counting on you going to your assignment at Atalissa at once. This gang must be about to pull off a really big job and I have a feeling the disappearance of your uncle is a step to keep federal men from concentrating further south along the coast. Get all of the information you can and turn it over to Condon Adams when he arrives. Then you continue south and Adams will take up the search for your uncle. As soon as additional men can be spared, they will be sent to aid you.”