The Great Airport Mystery by Franklin W. Dixon Read Free Book Online Page B

two suspects would have had to pass. The boys’ timing was perfect. They neared the exit just as the cars driven by Zimm and Lieber pulled out onto the main road.
    After driving a short distance, the two men took different routes. Frank followed Zimm, dropping behind as far as possible so as not to be conspicuous. Joe and Chet went in pursuit of Lieber.
    As Frank and Biff rode along, Frank briefly outlined the situation to his friend, who nodded enthusiastically. “You can count on me if there’s any trouble.” He set his jaw and skillfully executed several left jabs in the air.
    â€œSave your energy,” Frank told him with a grin. “You might need it.”
    The young sleuth kept his eyes fixed on the car ahead. As they entered town a short while later, he saw it slow down and stop. Zimm got out and went into a photographic shop. “Freeman’s Camera House,” Frank observed. He wondered if this was just a coincidence, or was Zimm planning to have the stolen films developed?
    â€œWhen Zimm comes out,” he told Biff, “you take the car and follow him. I want to question the shop owner.”
    â€œBut when will we join up?” his friend asked.
    Frank reached into his pocket and took out an emergency detective kit. From it he extracted a packet containing small pieces of vivid red paper, and handed it to Biff.
    â€œAs you drive,” he told him, “drop some of this paper every few seconds. That will leave a trail I can follow later.”
    â€œBut what if I run out of paper?” Biff asked.
    â€œIf you have to follow Zimm that far,” said Frank, “stay with him and find out where he goes. Then retrace your route. I’ll be following the trail on foot for as far as it takes me.
    â€œIn the meantime,” Frank went on, “I want to call Jerry Madden at the Stanwide hangar and ask him if he’s had an opportunity to check the men’s lockers.”
    Frank got out of the car. He found a public telephone across the street, where he was able to call and still keep an eye on the camera shop.
    Summoned to the phone, Jerry Madden told Frank that he had found no sign of the aerial camera in either of the lockers. Frank requested Jerry to keep his eyes open and to call Mr. Hardy should anything turn up.
    Frank had just completed the call when he saw Zimm come out of the shop and get into his car. He drove off, with Biff trailing behind.
    Frank hurried into the camera shop. A man of medium height, with dark hair, was jotting notes in his order book. He proved to be the owner, Mr, Freeman.
    The young detective identified himself, and asked if Mr. Zimm, who had just been there, had left film to be developed. Mr. Freeman said the man had left four rolls to be developed, but had given him the name R. C. Williams.
    Frank realized that it was possible the films really did belong to a man named Williams, and that Zimm was merely having them developed for him. There would be no way of knowing until the pictures were developed.
    â€œMr. Freeman,” said Frank, “we Hardys are suspicious these are films that were stolen from us.”
    The proprietor was eager to help the boys find out. He promised that when the negatives and prints were returned from the laboratory he would notify Frank immediately.
    â€œThanks a lot,” Frank said, then left the shop. Daylight was beginning to fade, prompting him to hurry in search of the trail he had instructed Biff to mark. Almost immediately, he spotted the first bit of red paper. Then another piece, and another.
    Frank estimated that he had walked nearly a mile when the trail led him onto a quiet residential street. He quickened his pace as darkness increased and a breeze sprang up, threatening to erase the paper trail. Dead ahead, he was suddenly elated to see his car parked on the street. As Frank neared it, he could see Biff at the wheel.
    â€œHow did things work out?” Frank asked in a low voice, as