The Dangerous Transmission by Franklin W. Dixon Read Free Book Online Page B

several different bags and kits full of tools. The knife must have been in the one that I brought that night.”
    Joe remembered that Jax had said he never took his father’s tools out of the shop. He waited to see what his friend would say next. But Jax stopped there and just smiled at the guard. It looked as if hewas forcing himself to be friendly to his interrogator.
    â€œâ€˜Must have been?’” the guard repeated. “Are you saying that you aren’t sure yourself how the knife got there?”
    â€œWell, no, not exactly. Of course it had to have come from my bag, I guess. It’s definitely my father’s knife.”
    â€œAnd when did you take it out while you were in the Palace?” the guard asked. “For what purpose were you handling it when you were there?”
    Jax edged toward the front of his chair. “Look, exactly what are you getting at here?” he asked. His voice had taken on an irritated tone. “I’ve already told you I had no use for it there that night,” he continued. “Perhaps it fell out when I got some other tool. Perhaps I took it out in order to reach something else and left it on a table by mistake. If you’re saying that I took the knife so that I could cut a wire and start the fire, you’re wrong. You’re absolutely wrong.”
    â€œYou’re a dentist by trade, I believe.” A different voice filled the room. Joe, Jax, and the guard shifted their attention to the fireman.
    â€œAn orthodontist,” Jax corrected him.
    â€œYes,” the fireman acknowledged. “We found this substance near the source of the fire,” he continued, opening up a package of wax paper. Inside was a wad of something that looked like plastic.
    â€œThat looks like dental compound,” Jax said. “Asyou’ve been told, I formed all the teeth for the wax figures. I used that compound for part of the process.”
    â€œThere’s nothing suspicious at all about finding that in the Palace,” Joe pointed out. “Jax had been there several times, fitting the teeth and working with the figures.”
    â€œYes, I suppose you’re right,” the guard said, turning toward Joe. “Tell me, Mr. Hardy, just what were you doing there that night?”
    â€œMy brother, Frank, and I are old friends of Mr. Brighton,” Joe answered. “We were invited to come with him that night.”
    â€œAnd when did you discover the knife?” the guard asked.
    â€œAfter the fire, while my brother and Mr. Rooney met with the fire chief and Tower guards, Mr. Brighton and I surveyed the fire scene. This gentleman monitored us the entire time.” Joe nodded toward the fireman.
    â€œWhile we were walking around, I spotted the knife. I didn’t pick it up until I was cleared to do so. It obviously belonged to Jax, and the guard allowed him to take it. It was not suspicious because Jax had been in the Palace several times with his tools.”
    â€œYes, well, if you don’t mind, Mr. Brighton, we’d like to hold this knife here for a day or two while our investigation continues. I will be happy to give you a receipt.” The guard wrote a note on a piece of paper and handed it to Jax. Then he stood up,indicating that the interview was over. Everyone else stood up too.
    â€œThank you for coming in,” the guard said. “We will be contacting you.” He walked around behind the desk, and Jax and Joe headed for the door.
    â€œMr. Hardy,” the guard called out as Joe stepped onto the cement stoop outside the door. Joe turned and looked at the guard. “How long have you known Mr. Brighton?” the guard asked. His lips spread out in a thin smile.
    â€œHe is an old friend,” Joe replied. “In fact, he came to America and stayed with my family while he was studying there. You may have heard of my father, Fenton Hardy. He is a colleague of yours, in criminal