Chapter Twenty-six
IN THE HALL
From a distance came the soft strains of an orchestra playing in one ofthe more distant studios on the same floor, but there was no movement inthe corridor.
Janet paused at the door. Should she snap out the lights? If no one camealong they would burn all night, yet if she turned them off, she wouldbe in utter darkness.
Then she realized that she was silhouetted in the light. Anyone whomight trouble her would be even more handicapped than she in thedarkness and her fingers pressed the switch.
As the lights went out, Janet stepped quickly away from the door, herfeet treading silently on the heavy carpet which covered the floor ofthe hall.
Janet pressed close against the wall, listening for some sound whichwould indicate that someone was lurking in the corridor. There was onlythe far away music of the orchestra as it played a dreamy waltz. Fromoutside a clock boomed, but Janet couldn't remember whether it was ahalf after midnight or a quarter to one. It didn't matter much, shedecided.
Convinced at last there was no one moving along the corridor, shestarted feeling her own way along. The end of the corridor was marked bya very dim light that failed to penetrate more than a dozen feet in anydirection. It was toward this glow that Janet started.
It was a ghostly and unnerving business, but she couldn't spend thewhole night in Jim's office. It just wasn't possible. She had to getout.
Fighting to keep down a mounting fear, Janet quickened her steps. Thenshe stopped abruptly. Just why she did that, she would never know, buther instinct warned her that someone was near.
She turned toward an office door she had just passed. It was open and aflood of light poured out to blind Janet's tired eyes. The beam from theelectric torch was so bright it fairly seared its way into her fatiguedmind.
Then the stabbing light vanished and Janet heard a swift movement. Ahard hand was clapped over her mouth and she felt an arm slide aroundher neck.
Before she could scream or move, a soft cloth, which reminded her of ahospital, was slapped against her face and the fumes of ether penetratedher nose and throat. Janet attempted to struggle but two capable armsheld her fast.
She felt herself losing consciousness. She felt delightfully tired anddreamy. Once she rallied her senses, but the next time she slipped awayinto unconsciousness and her captor, satisfied that she would cause notrouble for some time, let her fall into a heap on the floor.
While Janet remained unconscious, a lithe figure darted into Jim Hill'soffice and the flash sought the drawer into which she had dropped themanuscript.
A small steel instrument, expertly inserted, forced the drawer open andthe beam of light fell upon the inscription Janet had placed on theenvelope. The intruder's breath was drawn in sharply and it was evidentthat this was the property sought.
Removing the envelope and placing it in his pocket, the unknown closedthe drawer and slipped out into the corridor. Bending down over Janet,the figure vanished. Someone watching closely could have seen it dodgeinto the main reception room, but there was no one there to watch--onlyJanet unconscious on the floor.
Just how long she remained slumped on the floor she would never knowexactly; probably it was not more than half an hour at the most.
Finally lights penetrated her tired mind and the sweetish smell of theether assailed her returning consciousness. Someone was shaking hergently and someone else was rubbing her arms.
"Wake up, Janet, wake up!" a voice kept repeating.
It sounded strangely like Helen's voice, but Helen, she realized, hadgone home hours before.
"Take a drink of this," another voice commanded and Janet obeyed almostautomatically for she was far from being in full command of her senses.
The cool water, flowing down her aching throat, helped and she tried tosit up.
"Take it easy," a voice cautioned and she let her head drop back againstsomeone's knees.
Lights were on now in the corridor and as consciousness returned Janetrecognized Helen leaning over her. Curt Newsom was massaging her armsand grumbling to himself in anger.
"Feeling better?" Helen asked as Janet's eyes opened wide.
"I'll be all right, soon. I'd like another drink of water," said Janet.
A second glass of water followed the first and she felt stronger as herhead cleared.
"What happened?" she asked.
"That's what we'd like to know," said Curt. "We found you unconscious onthe floor a few minutes ago and the place smelled like a hospital."
"Look at Jim Hill's desk and see if the right hand drawer has anythingin it," Janet whispered to Curt and the tall cowboy hurried away to doher bidding.
He returned almost instantly, shaking his head.
"Someone's pried the drawer open with a jimmy," he declared. "Thereisn't a thing in the drawer."
Helen looked stricken.
"Don't tell me that manuscript you worked on all evening was in thatdrawer," she said.
Janet looked beyond Helen and Curt to where half a dozen studioemployees, most of them from the engineering department, were clusteredlooking at her and wondering what it was all about.
"I put the manuscript there just before I started down the hall," noddedJanet. "It looks like it's gone."
There was a flicker of her right eyelid, barely visible to Helen andCurt, and they caught its meaning and played the parts Janet wanted.
"Then that means they won't be able to bolster up the program for AcePictures," wailed Helen. "The World Broadcasting Company will probablylose its contract."
"Yep, and we'll all lose our jobs," groaned Curt. "Well, there's nothingwe can do about it now. We might as well go back to the hotel. We'llreport to Director Adolphi in the morning. Think you can walk if Isteady you?" The question was aimed at Janet.
"I'll make it all right," she said, but the steadying influence ofCurt's arm was welcome,
They walked down the corridor, across the reception lobby, and then speddownward in an elevator.
When they were outside and comfortably ensconced in a taxi, Helen facedher companion.
"Is the manuscript safe?" she asked.
"Unless Radio City burns down," replied Janet.
"Well, for goodness sake, where is it?"
"I slipped it under the rug in Jim's office and spread the sheets out sothere won't be a hump which would attract attention. I'll have to get upearly and phone him at the studio for he's coming down to start therevision of my material."
"You'll do no such thing," cut in the cowboy. "You've earned a morningof sleep. I'll phone Jim Hill myself and explain where the manuscript ishidden."
"Now I want to know just what happened." It was Helen speaking.
Janet shook her head.
"I don't know. I knew someone was prowling in the corridor, but Icouldn't stay there in the office all night and I couldn't get a phoneconnection out. After I'd hidden the manuscript I turned out the lightin the office and started down the hall. Someone turned a flashlightinto my face, then I was grabbed around the neck and finally a clothfilled with ether was smashed against my face. About that time I forgotto remember and the next thing I knew you two were with me."
"How many jumped on you?" asked the cowboy.
"I can't be sure, but I'd say that it was one man who was capable ofmoving very rapidly."
"One man could do it all right," nodded Curt. "I wish I could get myhands on him and I'd teach him a thing or two."
"How did you two happen to get into the corridor? That's a question I'dlike to have answered," said Janet.
"I became worried when you didn't get back to the hotel at midnight andI phoned Curt. He agreed to meet me at Radio City and we came uptogether. It was as simple as that," explained Helen.
"Well, for once I'm glad someone worried about me," confessed Janet."And, oh what a headache that ether gave me. The water tasted good, butI feel queer inside now. Bed is going to seem like heaven."
Janet Hardy in Radio City Page 26