CHAPTER VII
“Ghost” Music
As Penny and Rosanna entered the living room, the stranger turned to face them. For a long moment Penny was convinced that he was the shoplifter who had stolen the diamond ring from the Belton City department store. His build was the same and the general lines of his face were similar. Then the man spoke and she was not certain at all. The tone of his voice was entirely different as was his abrupt manner of speaking.
A trifle nervously, or so it seemed to Penny, Caleb Eckert introduced the stranger.
“Max Laponi,” he said. “He represents himself as a nephew of Jacob Winters.”
“Not only do I represent myself as such, but I have proof that I am Uncle Jacob’s nephew,” the stranger retorted. “You’ll find my credentials in order. I’ve come to take over the estate.”
The girls were not greatly surprised when he took from his pocket a letter similar to the one which Mrs. Leeds had produced. They were more impressed with the other papers which he offered for Caleb’s inspection—a birth certificate, a letter of identification from a well known Chicago banker and various legal documents.
“It looks to me as if someone has played a joke on all you folks,” Caleb said slowly. “We don’t know that Mr. Winters is even dead.”
“Oh, yes, we do,” Max Laponi insisted, producing another letter. “This came from my attorney this morning. It definitely states that Mr. Winters—Uncle Jacob—was buried at sea.”
Caleb sank down in a chair. He scarcely read the letter although his face had turned an ashen hue.
“I can’t believe it even now,” he murmured. “There must be some mistake.”