which show she was going to or if she was going with anybody.”
“Who’d she usually go with?”
He shook his head hopelessly. “I can give you the names and addresses of all her closest friends, but I’m afraid that won’t help. When she hadn’t come home late last night I telephoned all of them—everybody I could think of—and none of them had seen her.”
“Any idea who could have done this?” I asked.
Again he shook his head hopelessly.
“Any enemies? Anybody with a grudge against you, or against her? Think, even if it’s an old grudge or seems pretty slight. There’s something like that behind most kidnappings.”
“I know of none,” he said wearily. “I’ve tried to think of anybody I know or ever knew who might have done it, but I can’t.”
“What business are you in?”
He looked puzzled, but replied: “I’ve an advertising agency.”
“How about discharged employees?”
“No, the only one I’ve ever discharged was John Hacker and he has a better job now with one of my competitors and we’re on perfectly good terms.”
I looked at the Old Man. He was listening attentively, but in his usual aloof manner, as if he had no personal interest in the job. I cleared my throat and said to Chappell: “Look here. I want to ask some questions that you’ll probably think—well—brutal, but they’re necessary. Right?”
He winced as if he knew what was coming, but nodded and said: “Right.”