“There’s nothing new to report,” Mr. Parker said. “He’s still at large. The Star has posted a $10,000 reward for his capture.”
“Ten thousand!” echoed Penny, her eyes sparkling. “I could use that money!”
Mr. Parker carefully laid down his knife and fork, fixing his daughter with a stern gaze.
“You’re to forget Danny Deevers,” he directed. “Just to make certain you do, I’ve arranged with Mr. DeWitt to give you a few days’ work at the office. Kindly report at one-thirty this afternoon for your first assignment.”
“Oh, Dad! Of all times—I had plans!”
“So I figured,” her father replied dryly. “Mr. DeWitt, I trust, will keep you busy until after Danny Deevers has been rounded up by the police.”
Penny knew that protests were quite useless, for when her father really set down his foot, he seldom changed his mind. At another time, she would have welcomed an opportunity to work at the Star office, but this day she regarded it as nothing less than punishment.
As her father had predicted, Penny was kept more than busy at the office. There were telephones to answer, obituaries to write, wire stories to redo, and a multitude of little writing jobs which kept her chained to a desk.
Penny pounded out page after page of routine copy, her face becoming longer and longer. Whenever the shortwave radio blared, she listened attentively. Never was there any news to suggest that police were even taking an interest in Danny Deevers’ escape.
“Oh, they’re working hard on the case,” Jerry assured her when she talked it over with him. “You’ll hear about it in good time.”