Final Cut (5 page)
Authors: Franklin W. Dixon
If the witness stood up, the case against Addison looked pretty solid. Fenton Hardy had a short private conversation with the chief and came out of his office shaking his head.
"I tried to get Collig to release Jim to me," he said. "I argued that Jim wouldn't run because it would amount to an admission of guilt and because he's too well-known to stay hidden for long. Collig wouldn't buy it."
Andrea Stuart's jaw was clenched. "I'm calling J. F. Graham right now to demand that he use his influence to get Jim out of there."
"Even Graham might not be able to do much," Frank said.
"We'll see about that!" she snapped. "Where's a phone?"
"There's a pay phone through that doorway," Joe replied, "but - " He stopped. She was gone.
She returned wearing a satisfied grin. "J. F. is on his way here right now," she said.
"In that case, we'd better go," said Frank.
"Go?" she asked. "Why?"
"He shouldn't see us here," replied Joe. "As far as he knows, we're just a couple of kids with an interest in TV production."
***
The Hardys were back home and Frank and Joe ready for bed when the doorbell rang. Frank opened the door and admitted a tired, pale Jim Addison, along with Andrea Stuart, J. F. Graham, and the tall, thin man who always seemed to stick close to Graham.
"Jim, are you all right?" asked Fenton.
"I guess so," the actor answered. "But being locked up gets to you. J. F., here, told the chief he'd vouch for my sticking around."
Graham stepped forward. "Mr. Hardy, I want to tell you how pleased I am that you're working for Jim. Oh, this is my private secretary, Norris. Norris, this is Fenton Hardy, the detective, and his sons, Frank and Joe, who are helping their father out on the case."
Norris nodded to them. Though they were angry at realizing that their security had been broken, Frank and Joe kept their silence.
"Well, Mr. Graham - " Fenton began when his sister, Gertrude, appeared in the hallway.
"I heard the doorbell and the talking. Is there anything wrong? Oh, Mr. Addison! What's happened? You look just awful!"
Addison replied, "I'm fine, Gertrude, really. Just tired, that's all."
Gertrude blushed and said, "I'm sorry about the other day. I get carried away sometimes. But I know just the thing to fix you up - a nice steaming cup of cocoa. Let me just - "
"No, really, you needn't go to any - "
"Now, it's no trouble at all," insisted Gertrude, heading for the kitchen.
Andrea Stuart said, "Mr. Hardy, have you learned anything important about Fairburn's past? You said you would check on it."
Fenton replied, "I don't think we need to keep Mr. Graham and Norris any longer."
"Oh, come on, Mr. Hardy," Andrea urged. "We can trust Mr. Graham. He is on our side."
But Graham spoke up. "Ms. Stuart, I think it's best for me to leave. Mr. Hardy is quite right to keep things private. If there's anything more I can do, just ask."
The financier and his secretary departed, and the others went to Fenton's office.
"I think you were very rude to Mr. Graham," said Andrea Stuart. "After all he's done for us - "
"How come Graham knows all about us working for you?" asked Joe.
Andrea gave him a cold stare. "I beg your pardon. Are you trying to tell me my business?"
Frank said, "It's our business when our cover is blown. You weren't supposed to talk about us to anybody without clearing it first."
The manager turned to Fenton. "Mr. Hardy, really. Are my dealings subject to approval by your children? This is ridiculous."
"Children!" Joe was furious.
Fenton gave Andrea a cold look. "Frank and Joe are absolutely right to be worried, Mrs. Stuart. The more people who know about our job, the harder it becomes, and the more dangerous as well."
"Dangerous? Oh, please!" Andrea sneered. "Let's skip the cheap melodrama. How could I persuade Mr. Graham to get your boys hired, or to get Jim out of that cell, without telling him what's going on here?"
"Melodrama, huh?" Joe said. "Well, we had a little joy ride today on a mountain road with no brakes. That wasn't melodrama, that was real life." He related the story of the van ride.
Addison was shocked. "But you're okay? You weren't hurt?"
"We were lucky," replied Joe, "and Frank is a really great driver, or you'd have needed two new gofers tomorrow."
Andrea Stuart, however, waved it off. "You don't mean to suggest that J. F. Graham goes around fiddling with brakes, do you? He isn't a hoodlum, he's a respectable businessman. It must have been an accident."
"Andrea." Fenton leaned forward and fixed her with a steely look. "Let's get this clear. You are not to talk to him or to anyone else about this case. Do we understand each other?"
"Oh, all right, if you insist. Now, what have you learned about Fairburn?"
Fairburn's past as a crime reporter suggested nothing to either Jim or Andrea.
"What about this eyewitness?" asked Frank. "Got any ideas about that?"
Addison shook his head.
Fenton said, "Jim, when I saw Chief Collig, he showed me the transcript of the eyewitness's story. I can't reveal his name, but I know the man and he's an honest citizen, with no stake in this business. He says he heard you tell Fairburn that he'd earned a bullet and now he was going to get it. We have a problem here. Can you explain it at all?"
Jim slammed his hand on the arm of his chair. "Explain it! No, it's completely crazy! I was in my hotel room, alone, until just before that opening ceremony, studying my script. I never saw Fairburn that day! Of course, I have no way to prove it. If you don't believe me . . ."
"You know - maybe something could be - arranged," Andrea said.
"Arranged? Meaning what?" Joe asked.
Gertrude bustled in, carrying a tray. "Here's some nice cocoa for everyone, and some home-baked cookies. Now, Mr. Addison - "
"Just Jim, please, Gertrude," said the actor.
"Jim, then. A cup of cocoa will make you feel much better. I'll just leave you all to your business." Gertrude quickly left the office.
"What did you mean, something could be arranged?" Frank said.
Andrea shrugged. "If we found witnesses who would swear that at the time of the murder Jim was, oh, let's say, having breakfast with them miles away, why, they'd have to clear him."
Joe frowned. "But Jim was alone, in his room at the time."
Andrea waved it off. "You know that, sweetie, and I know it, but we can still get witnesses - for a price."
Abruptly Fenton stood up. "That's foolish talk, Andrea. And I have to tell you that if you ever try such a thing, not only would we drop the case, but we would have to go to the police and tell them about this conversation."
Now Andrea got up and glared at Fenton. "If you cared more about helping your clients and less about little legal formalities - "
"Andrea!" Jim Addison's voice rang out. "That's enough! It's late, and we're all tired. Let's go and let the Hardys do their job. Now." Andrea blinked and looked confused for a moment. "Yes, of course. You're right, Jim. I apologize if I - I'm sorry."
The visitors got up to go, and Jim Addison noticed the untouched cocoa.
"Thank Gertrude for her hospitality," he said to Frank with a grin. "Good night."
Fenton Hardy showed them to the door and rejoined his sons in his office.
Frank shook his head. "That Andrea Stuart is something else."
"Can you believe her trying to get us to go along with phony witnesses?" exclaimed Joe. "She could be real trouble."
Frank sat up straight. "Maybe she's mixed up with this murder herself! With her attitude toward the law - maybe she set Jim up - "
"How could she have set up the argument that witness overheard?" Joe asked. "Maybe the lady is bent, I don't know. But right now I'm more worried about who else she told about why we're really at the studio. Even if she's honest, she's dangerous."
"I think we should turn in and worry about it in the morning," replied Frank, yawning. "We're going to be short of sleep as it is, and tomorrow, we've got to - "
Crash!
The sound of smashing glass shattered the nighttime silence.
"That came from the living room!" Frank shouted, charging out the office door.
An engine was gunned, and someone took off at high speed.
Frank reached the living room first, and stopped short just before his father and brother joined him. Daggerlike shards of glass from the living room window lay scattered all over the carpet. In the middle of the room lay a brick, a piece of paper wrapped around it. Joe picked his way carefully through the mess to get at the brick. He carried it back to where all three of them could read the message scrawled in block letters on the paper.
"Mind your own business. Next time we'll use a bomb."
The next morning Frank and Joe were back at work on the sound stage. Sam Freed was there, too, but he hadn't reacted at all when he saw Joe. No one had any comments about the scrapes on Joe's face either.
The Hardys had decided not to let anyone, including the police, know about the brick and the bomb threat. "If we don't keep quiet about it," Frank had said, "we won't be able to do our job because the police will be following us around to protect us."
"It sounds like a bluff anyway," Joe said. "If someone goes after us with a bomb, it's like saying that the case against Jim isn't open-and-shut after all."
While a shot was being prepared, Frank and Joe were learning about wireless microphones from Headcase.
"See, you can hide the mike on a costume, like behind a button," Headcase explained, holding up the tiny gadget, "and then the actor puts this transmitter in his pocket. I pick the sound up on this receiver. It's great, say, when the actors are in a car, and you can't use a boom mike or run wires."
"Frank, Joe!" Trish came over. "Mr. Addison needs you in his dressing room."
Jim Addison's dressing room, unlike the boxy little trailers that the minor actors had, was large and comfortably furnished. It was set some distance from the stage, isolated from the noise and bustle, with only a few equipment trucks around it.
The Hardys found J. F. Graham and Norris in the trailer there along with Addison and Andrea Stuart. Drawn curtains over the windows and the air conditioning made the room dim and cool. A stereo played softly in the background.
"Come in, boys," said Graham, smiling. "I have some information for you. I had Norris check to see if anyone working on 'Thieves Bargain' might have a criminal record. He's made an interesting discovery. Tell them, Norris."
The secretary, who wore either the same or an identical black suit, opened a folder. Then he read aloud in a thin, reedy voice: "Freed, Sam. Arrested five times on assault charges, convicted twice. Served eight months in prison after the second conviction. Released three times for lack of proof."
"Why, the man is a gangster! Why not just have him fired?" Andrea Stuart blurted out.
"Not without definite evidence that he's committed a crime," Graham said. "The union wouldn't stand for it, and a man is innocent until proven guilty. We don't have any evidence against him, do we?"
Frank and Joe exchanged glances but said nothing.
"Then," Graham went on, "let's simply keep an eye on this fellow. He might be - "
There was a knock on the door, and Mel Clifford burst in. "Hello, J. F., I wasn't told you were going to be here today. What's this meeting all about? Or shouldn't I know?"
"Take it easy, Mel," said Addison.
"If I'm not wanted ..." Mel said sulkily.
"Oh, that's all right, honey." Andrea Stuart hooked her arm through his. "We just want to see that Jim isn't tangled up with this horrible murder more than necessary, that's all."
Mel nodded, and then looked suspiciously at Frank and Joe. "And what about these kids?"
"They've been helping - " Andrea started to explain, but Addison cut in sharply.
"Andrea! Stop!"
Mel's eyes jumped from person to person in the room. "Oh, so there are some secrets, are there? What's happening? You hatching a plan to give the cops some suspect besides Jim? I mean, he's still the prime suspect, right? And with reason, right?"
"If the cops wanted another suspect," said the actor, glaring at Clifford, "they wouldn't have to look very far. Would they, Mel? You figure that Fairburn ruined your Hollywood movie career, right? Can you account for your whereabouts on the morning of the murder?"
"Me! Why, you big, overrated ham! We all saw you practically strangle Fairburn when - "
The two men stood up, Addison towering over Clifford. He said, "Remember, Mel, you have the criminal record, not me! You're the forger!"
Mel Clifford's face went from tan to bright red. "That's it! One more word, and I'll - "
J. F. Graham stepped between the two. "Cut it out, both of you! We have enough problems on our hands without this kind of nonsense. Mel, come with me, and cool down. Excuse us, please."
Graham and Norris left, taking the furious Mel Clifford with them.
Once they had left, Joe spun around to face Andrea Stuart. "You just won't learn, will you? You were going to tell Clifford about us a minute ago! Why don't you buy an ad in the local papers? Then you wouldn't have to spend all your time telling everyone in person."
"I've known Mel for years!" she exclaimed. "He's a pussycat! He couldn't be involved - "
"That's not the point," Frank said. "My dad told you not to tell anyone why we're here. You might tip off the murderer that - "
A knock on the door stopped Frank. Trish poked her head in.
"Mr. Addison, you're needed on the set."
Addison took a deep breath. "Thanks. Andrea, come with me."
"Jim, is it all right if we use the phone in here?" asked Joe.
"Feel free," the actor answered. He and his manager left, along with Trish.
"Who are you going to call?" Frank asked.
"I want to tell Dad about Andrea Stuart and her big mouth before she really messes us up."
"Good idea," Frank replied.