Deadfall by Franklin W Dixon Read Free Book Online

can call Callie from there."
    The Sportsman's Pool Hall was like an old-fashioned hunting lodge, Joe realized as he and Frank entered the large, square room. Stuffed deer, bear, and moose heads studded the rustic wooden walls, and a smoky haze hung over the three pool tables and collection of tables. While Joe sat down at one of the tables and ordered stew and biscuits for two, Frank went off in search of a phone booth to make a call to Callie.
    Joe watched along with a few local people as two men shot some pool. They were talking about the day's tragedy, and didn't seem to notice that Joe was taking in every word they said.
    "What I want to know is, who's going to take over Horizon Lumber," said the short, bow-legged man with a curly brown beard.
    His tall, hefty companion frowned as he aimed at the cue ball. "Buster's daughter, Millie, most likely. She always wanted to run the place, but her dad wouldn't let her. They used to fight about it all the time."

    Deadfall
    "You think she'll pay us while they rebuild the mill?" asked the first man.
    '1 doubt it. Why should she?" his friend replied. '*I don't know what we're going to do. I heard Johnson's not hiring."
    **What'd you hear?" Frank took a seat next to Joe and spoke in a low voice. '*Do they know anything we don't?"
    Joe waited until the waitress had served their food. Then, as they ate, he told his brother, 'They think Buster's daughter is going to run the mill. They say she and her dad used to fight a lot." His expression darkened as an idea came to him. **Do you think she could have had anything to do with his death?"
    Frank frowned. 'Tt seems unlikely. I doubt that the average female could have knocked a three-hundred-pound man over the head and dragged him into a car by herself. And remember, those footprints by the truck were all really big. Besides, she's his daughter—she'd stand to inherit the mill eventually anyway. Why wouldn't she just wait?"
    He chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "Still, it wouldn't hurt to check her out," he added.
    "I still think there's something about that bag of Owens's belongings," Joe said, annoyed with himself. 'T can't put my finger on it, though."
    "Don't worry about it," said Frank. "It'll come to you sooner or later. By the way, Cailie begged us to go rescue her from that Save the

    ' THE HARDY BOYS CA5EFILE5
    Redwoods guy. It seems he's a real jerk—he's asking her so many questions about how Stan got into this mess that she wants to commit murder herself. I say we finish our stew and head up to Stan's right away."
    It was fully dark by the time Frank and Joe stepped outside the Sportsman's Pool Hall. The street was deserted. A full moon had just topped the mountain in back of town, casting the road in a silvery light. Joe's gaze ran down the row of cars parked along Main Street until he spotted their rented jeep. Parked next to it was a flatbed truck loaded with several huge logs. It had a Horizon Lumber logo on its side.
    'There it is," Joe announced, leading the way. When he reached the jeep, he poked his head inside and added, 'The key's in the ignition."
    "What an amazing place," Frank commented as he walked around to the passenger door. "Someone commits murder in broad daylight, but people still leave the keys in their cars."
    "Good thing the rental agent insisted we get four-wheel drive," Joe commented to his brother. "That mountain road up to Stan's is going to be slippery."
    "They probably don't rent anything else to people headed this way," Frank said. He opened the door of the jeep, but then hesitated.
    "Did you hear that?" he asked Joe.
    "What?"
    Joe listened. In the silence he heard a loud,

    Deadfall
    metallic pop. Then, to his surprise, an ear-splitting screech followed, and after that an ominous rumble.
    "Frank!" Joe cried, his eyes wide as he stared at the logging truck behind his brother. ''Watch out! Those logs—they're falling!"

    Chapter
    Frank and Joe dove for cover—Frank beneath the flatbed truck