“Find a boat and start after those three sailors who got away!” Moyer ordered his men tersely. “I’ll take this fellow to town.”
Penny edged forward, obtaining an excellent view of Peter Fenestra’s downcast face. Quietly she made her accusations, telling of the cave where she had been imprisoned.
“So that was how the gold was melted down,” commented Moyer.
He then explained that for days his operatives had watched the river where they knew Anchor Joe had hidden a motorboat. Surprised in the act of taking off, the sailors had exchanged shots with the government men, but by abandoning Fenestra and the gold, they had escaped.
“This man’s real name is Otto Franey,” Moyer revealed, indicating Fenestra. “He and the three sailors were shipmates aboard the Dorasky.”
“They’re wanted for stealing gold?” questioned Penny.
“Yes, they got away with four gold bars taken from the Dorasky. You see, about a year ago a consignment of gold was shipped by a Swiss bank to the New York Federal Reserve. Because of heavy fog the bars were unloaded at the pier instead of being taken off at Quarantine. They were removed in a sling and dumped on the wharf to await the mail truck.”
“And the four sailors saw a chance to steal some of the bars?” questioned Jerry.
“Yes, how they accomplished it we don’t know. But hours later a mail driver refused to sign for one of the bags because it had been slit open. Four bars valued at approximately fourteen thousand dollars each were missing. Investigation disclosed that a sailor, Otto Franey, had jumped ship. A few days later Joe Landa, John Munn and Jack Guenther also disappeared.”
“Each man was marked with an octopus tattoo, wasn’t he?” Penny inquired eagerly.