“You couldn’t have been here when the house was looted Thursday night,” Judy pointed out reasonably. “From what the paper said, the thieves must have had to bring a van to remove all those art treasures, and you would have seen it.”
“Now look here, miss,” the caretaker exclaimed furiously. “Are you trying to say I was mixed up in the robbery?”
“Robbery!” Mrs. Riker gasped. “Uncle Paul’s beautiful treasures were stolen? Oh, how dreadful!” Suddenly her eyes filled with tears. “I suppose his jade collection was stolen too. Yes,” she added in a whisper, “I have come too late.”
Judy’s hand closed around the tiny object in her pocket.
“I wouldn’t be too sure of that, Mrs. Riker,” she said mysteriously.
CHAPTER XII
The Game of Secrets
Horace made good time coming home. He was really driving too fast, Judy thought, but she didn’t say anything. She was too busy thinking about the caretaker, who had stood watching them sullenly as they drove away.
“Horace,” she said suddenly, “either that man was involved in the robbery, or else he was away at the time and is trying to keep it secret.”
“It’s no good trying to keep secrets like that,” Honey said. “I tried it once, and it didn’t work. I only got myself tangled in a web of lies. It was when I told the truth that everything came clear.”