“It’s all circumstantial,” Mr. Langwell added. “Did she usually come to the flying field in a taxi?”
“No, she came in her own car. I didn’t think anything about the taxi today, but she might have used that because she was uncertain where we would land. We’ve come down in a different place every time I have taken her,” Roberta explained.
“Still, I can’t think that she herself would try to appropriate your plane. She has, as I understand it, limitless money,” Dad said.
“That’s what I heard at the office,” Roberta admitted.
“How did the woman impress you?” Mrs. Langwell asked.
“Not very favorably,” the girl admitted. “But when I tried to reason it out, I had nothing really to dislike her for.”
“That sounds to me like Howard’s car,” said Dad as a machine came up the drive. He raised himself in his chair and looked out of the window. “It’s the sheriff. We’ll have a talk with him.” Presently the officer was admitted but his expression was one of disappointment.
“We haven’t accomplished a thing in discovering those thieves, Mr. Langwell,” he began. “The machine belongs to a Mrs. Pollzoff, all right, and it was found in Delaware on a side road late this afternoon. Probably been abandoned.”
“Oh.”
“The owner isn’t a bit of help, for she reported her car missing late yesterday afternoon. She said she had been doing some flying, then drove into town to keep an appointment in a beauty parlor. When she was fixed up and came out to go home, the limousine was gone. She reported it right away, and as I said before, it was discovered today.”