"Then she did live here at one time?" Penny inquired eagerly.
"Yes, until last night. She didn't give me any notice. She just took her luggage and went."
"Did Miss Coulter leave a forwarding address?"
"No, she didn't. I can't tell you anything more about her."
Impolitely, the woman closed the door in Penny's face.
The girl walked slowly down the steps to the street. She was disappointed at not finding Amy, and a little troubled to learn that the youthful sculptress had departed from the rooming house without leaving an address. Her disappearance looked almost like flight.
The muffled roar of an automobile engine caused Penny to gaze toward the street. A dark blue car had pulled up to the curbing. Three men in civilian garb climbed out, and after briefly surveying the rooming house, walked toward it.
"Plain-clothes men from police headquarters," Penny appraised instantly. "I can spot them a mile away. I wonder if they're on the trail of Amy Coulter too?"