"Wasn't it in the studio?" Janet was pressing hard for an answer.
"Perhaps it was."
"Someone in our company?"
Helen looked frankly alarmed and finally a wave of comprehension swept
over her.
"You mean Rachel Nesbit?"
Janet nodded. "That's just who I mean. This sheet is scented with the
same perfume Rachel uses. Of course hundreds of others may use it, too,
but it at least gives us a clue. And this printing, disguised though it
is, is that of a woman."
"Then if we can find Rachel, we may be able to solve this mystery,"
burst out Helen.
"If we can scare her into telling us something," agreed Janet. "I'll
phone the studio and get her home address. We'll go there at once."
"What about Curt? He'll want to know what's going on."
"This is a woman's job," replied Janet. "We'll let him try to find Jim.
You and I are going alone on this particular mission."
Chapter Thirty
OPPORTUNITY AHEAD
They obtained Rachel's home address from the studio, slipped on their
coats, and after making sure that they had an ample supply of money in
their purses, hastened down and hailed a cab.
Rachel lived in the Greenwich Village section and their driver swung
over to Fifth Avenue and raced south, green lights winking a clear path
ahead of them.
There was little conversation in the cab as they sped toward the village
and when they drew up in front of the narrow building which housed
Rachel's apartment Janet paid the bill.
"What are you going to say to her?" asked Helen.
Janet shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted. "I suppose I'll
accuse her of writing this threatening note. That ought to be enough to
get us into her apartment and once we're there you look around for
anything suspicious."
They were entering the apartment when a car drew up to the curb and
Janet seized her companion's arm.
"Get out of sight, quick. That's the sedan which followed Jim's taxi."
They slipped into the shadows to the right of the doorway and watched
the sedan. Rachel Nesbit stepped out and after her came John Adolphi,
director of their radio program. Janet could hear Helen's gasp for under
the director's arm was a familiar portfolio. It was the portfolio in
which Jim Hill had carried the manuscript.
Rachel and the director disappeared into the apartment building and
Janet, without a word to Helen, ran toward the nearest shop, a little
fruit store in a half basement.
"Where can I find a policeman?" she demanded.
The shop keeper helped her phone in an alarm and in less than five
minutes a radio car pulled up in front of the store.
Janet told her story quickly and when the officers looked doubtful, she
pleaded with them.
"You've got to believe me. Every minute counts. If that script is
destroyed the company may lose thousands of dollars worth of business."
Then she put through several calls and finally reached Mr. McGregor,
head of the continuity department. His words electrified the police and
they swept down the streets and stormed up into the apartment building
to the third floor where Rachel lived. In answer to their sharp knock,
Rachel opened the door and they shouldered their way in.
Janet saw Rachel's face blanch as she saw her, but Janet's heart leaped
for on a table was the missing manuscript. Director Adolphi was pulled
out of a closet and from his ashen lips tumbled the sordid story. He was
really Rachel's brother and the two had conspired to steal the
manuscript and ruin the World Broadcasting Company's chances for the
contract with the motion picture company. Another broadcaster had
offered him a large sum, he said, and promised a job if he would steal
the script and ruin the program.
They hastened back to the studio where a tense group awaited their
coming. Mr. McGregor was there and so was Curt. Janet started suddenly
when she saw Jim Hill with a bandage around his head.
"What happened to you?" she asked anxiously.
"Adolphi ran my cab into a curb and then pulled a gun on me and took the
script away. Of course he had a mask on, but I recognized his voice. He
clouted me over the head when I tried to resist and the next thing I
knew Curt had found me at the police station where I was being given
emergency treatment."
Mr. McGregor spoke. "What about Adolphi and that precious sister of
his?"
"They are in police custody awaiting whatever charges may be filed
against them," said Janet.
Mr. McGregor nodded. "That can be done tomorrow. How about you girls?"
"We're all right," replied Janet and Helen.
"A little tired, maybe," added Helen, by way of an afterthought.
The continuity chief looked at Jim Hill.
"Think you can step in tomorrow and whip this company in to shape so
we'll be sure of the contract?" he asked.
Jim's face lighted up. "I know I can."
"Then get home and get some sleep. You're in charge of the program."
He turned back to Janet and Helen.
"Like New York?" the question was so sudden that it caught them
unawares.
"It's exciting," gasped Helen.
"It isn't always like this," smiled the continuity chief. He was looking
intently at Janet.
"How would you like to join my staff as a writer?"
Janet could hardly believe her ears.
"Why, I think I'd like it," she managed to say. "Yes, I know I would."
She plunged in blindly.
"Then if you girls want to stay on, there'll be a place for Helen in the
stock company and for you on my writing staff," he said. "Think it over
and let me know tomorrow."
An hour later when they were alone in their rooms, Janet and Helen had
their first chances to talk uninterruptedly.
Helen smiled contentedly.
"It's such a relief to know that the program to boost Dad's picture is
going through all right," she said. After a pause she went on, "What
shall we do about the jobs in Radio City?"
"I think I'll accept," said Janet.
"But what about school back home; what about going to Corn Belt U.?"
"I've thought of that, but an opportunity to work in Radio City doesn't
come every day. In six months we'll have had enough. Then we can go back
and start our university careers at Corn Belt U."
"What will our folks think?" asked Helen.
"I believe they'll agree with us that six months here in radio work can
be looked upon as a valuable part of our education."
"Then we'll tell Mr. McGregor we'll stay?"
"That's exactly what we'll tell him. Now I'm going to write the folks
and tell them all about it," said Janet, picking up a pen and sitting
down to the task of writing of the thrilling adventures which had
befallen them since their arrival in New York.
THE END
End of Project Gutenberg's Janet Hardy in Radio City, by Ruthe S. Wheeler