S4 E12 The Story Takes a New Turn in Chapter 8 of The Hardy Boys The Tower Treasure

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Well, hello, and welcome to the Comforting Voice Podcast. I'm your host, Shasta Rey, and I'm coming to you live, pre-recorded from my temporary studio setup in my bedroom. I'm joined by Murray and Baxter the cockatiels. They're wandering around on the floor right now, and I did have Emmy the Minnie Macaw up here if she was helping me set up, but she was getting kind of restless and being kind of a pain in the backside, so I took her back downstairs. These two jumped on me and rode back up here with me, and the giant dog is nursing an ear infection right now, so he's he's downstairs sleeping. Alright, so we're gonna take our first break because Baxter is already way too happy for words, and he's sitting underneath a piece of furniture singing. Please get yourself comfortable, put your feet up, and I will be right back. And just like that, through the magic of audio editing, I am back in the temporary studio, and this time I am joined by a diet soda, and I think that's probably better for the recording experience. So where did we leave off? We were just getting started, and you know, I owe you guys an episode. Oh my gosh. I wanted to say though that I jumped online and the break is nice, but wow, you guys have been busy out there. You guys have been telling people to join the fun. Others have been joining the fun. It has been really cool seeing our numbers go up and up and up, and I've even taken a short little kind of quasi break from the action. So welcome to all of the new listeners out there in the listener base, and of course, it's always a pleasure to see all of our friends that have been tuning in all along and hang out with you every week, twice a week. So, since we're on the topic of the join the fun challenge and all of you out there have been joining the fun, keep telling the others. It's obviously working. If you're in a conversation with someone, if you're on social media and you see someone inquiring about easy listening, that sort of thing, give us a mention. The website is super easy to remember, comfortingvoice.com. All of the episodes can be heard there. We are on all major podcast apps, and the podcast apps are even there. There's links for them, and so you can explore that too. And more. I've got other links there, so go check it out. Comfortingvoice.com and tell the others. Now, before we get going any further, we're just gonna whip through your sleep prep really quick. Maybe you've already done this. You guys are getting good at that out there. I hope you're comfortable. I hope you got your feet up. Maybe you're getting your pillow all squished up into that perfect shape. Do you have your teddy bear? Do you have your sleep mask? Do you have everything you need right there so you don't have to fidget with it later? Get your listening device set at that perfect volume. Make sure you've got your bottle of water right there at your fingertips, whatever you need. And when you're ready, engage in a really good productive stretch. This is awesome no matter who you are, where you're listening from, or what time of the day it is. It is a really good thing to do for just a quick little instant reset in the moment and shrug off some stress in the moment. Reach into your arms, legs, hands, feet, fingers, and toes, and then wiggle your fingers and toes really quick, and then let go of that stretch, and you're gonna feel that tension instantly replace with relaxation. It's wonderful. And you're gonna want to follow that up with a deep breath of air, but we're gonna add that extra step in. Take your finger and put it on the bridge of your nose between your eyes, kind of where your nose dips down, and you don't have to press, just touch right there on the bridge of your nose. You can do little tiny light circles, or even just tap very lightly, or just put your finger there. Inhale to about the count of four, hold it to about the count of three, take another quick little inhale, hold it for another count or two, and then exhale to about the count of six or eight, if you can exhale that long, and then take your finger off your nose. Oh my gosh, do you know what that whole sequence does? Is it is gonna set you up to either shruff off stress in the moment, like if you're at work, or if you just got home after a long day and you're not ready to go to bed yet. Just do that. It really helps with an instant little energy adjustment. And if you're getting ready to go to sleep, it is gonna kick off a great night's sleep. You may already be asleep and you'll wake up tomorrow and not know what happened. It's that effective. Okay, uh let's see what Joe and Frank are up to this week. When we left off, the Tower Mansion had been robbed, and we were introduced to the reclusive and eccentric brother and sister that live in the mansion, and they're a little quirky, but they're a little bit standoffish, and due to a family inheritance, they're very wealthy. So they were robbed, and then we find out that a very good friend of Joe and Frank, it was their father that's being accused. But is he guilty? Let's find out. We are reading The Hardy Boys at the Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon. This is chapter eight, and it is titled The Arrest. There was something in Perry Robinson's tone that made Frank and Joe extremely sorry for their friend, for it seemed that the boy realized that the case looked dark against his father. Although the Hardy Boys realized that it was only natural that Perry should stand up for his father, they shared some of his conviction that mister Robinson was not guilty. Of course he's innocent, agreed Frank. He'll be able to clear himself, Perry. But everything looks pretty bad against him, said Perry, who was pale and shaken. Unless your dad can catch the real thief, I'm afraid my dad will be blamed for it. Everyone knows your father is honest, said Joe consolingly. He has a good record. Even Applegate will have to admit that. A good record won't help him much if he's blamed for this and can't clear himself, and Dad admits that he knew the combination of the safe. He knew it? Accidentally, he was cleaning the library fireplace one day when he found a slip of paper with numbers marked on it. The combination was so simple that anyone could remember it if he read it once. Dad didn't realize what it was until he looked at it for a few seconds. Then he put it back on Mr. Applegate's desk. The window was open and the breeze had blown the paper to the floor. Does Applegate know that? Not yet, but Dad's gonna tell him now. He says he knows it'll look bad for him, but he's gonna tell the truth about it. He knew the combination, although of course he would never think of using it. From the library came the dull hum of voices. The harsh tones of Heard Applegate occasionally rose above the murmur of conversation, and once the boys even heard Mr Robinson's voice rise sharply. I didn't do it. I tell you I didn't take that money. Then where did you get the nine hundred you paid on that note? demanded Mr Applegate. There was silence for a while. Where did you get it? I'm not at liberty to tell you. You won't tell? I can't. Why not? I got the money honestly, and that's all I can say about it. Oh ho, exclaimed Applegate. You got the money honestly, yet you can't tell me where it came from. That's very likely, isn't it? If you got it honestly, you shouldn't be ashamed to talk about it. I'm not ashamed, but I'm not at liberty to tell. Mighty funny thing that you should get nine hundred dollars so quickly. You were pretty hard up last week, weren't you? Had to ask for an advance on your month's wages. I admit it. And then the day of the robbery you suddenly have nine hundred dollars that you can't explain. Mr Hardy's calm voice broke in. Of course I don't like to pry into your private affairs, mister Robinson, he said, but it would be best if you could clear this matter up of the money. You must admit to yourself that it doesn't look very good. I know it looks bad, replied the caretaker doggedly, but I can't tell you where that money came from. And you admit knowing the combination of the safe too, broke in Applegate. I didn't know that before. Why didn't you tell me? I didn't consider it important enough. I had found the combination by accident, and I had no intention of using it. As a matter of fact, I don't think I could remember it accurately now. I just put the paper back and decided to say nothing about it to save trouble. And yet you come and tell me about it now. I have nothing to conceal. If I had taken the money, I wouldn't very likely be telling you now that I knew the combination. Yes, agreed Mr. Hardy. That's a point in your favor. Is it? asked Applegate. You're just clever enough to think up a trick like that, Robinson. You think that if you come to me now and admit you knew the combination, I'll believe that you were so honest that you couldn't have committed this robbery. Very clever, but not clever enough. There's enough evidence right here and now to convict you, and I'm not going to delay another minute. There was the sound of a telephone receiver being lifted, and then Applegate's voice continued. Police station? After a short wait, he went on. Hello, police station. This is Applegate speaking. Applegate. Heard Applegate. Well, I think we've found your man. In the robbery. Yes, Robinson. You thought so too, huh? So did I, but I wasn't sure. He has practically convicted himself by his own story. I want him arrested. You'll be up right away? Fine. Goodbye. The phone tinkled. You're going to have me arrested, Mr. Applegate? Why not? You took the money. But I'm innocent. I swear it. Haven't I always been honest ever since I came to work for you? Have you ever had any fault to find with me? Not until now, returned Applegate grimly. It might have been better to wait a while, suggested Mr Hardy mildly. Of course it is entirely in your hands, Mr. Applegate, and I admit the case looks rather bad against Mr Robinson, but perhaps some more evidence may turn up. What more evidence do we want? The man's guilty. It's as plain as the nose on your face. If he wants to return the rest of the jewels and securities, I'll see what can be done about having the charge reduced, but that's all. I can't return them. I didn't take them. I suppose you have them hidden safely away by now, hoping to get them when you get out of the penitentiary, eh? It'll be a long time, Robinson. A long time. In the hallway, the boys listened in growing excitement. The case had taken an abrupt and tragic turn. Both the hardy boys were sorry for their friend Slim, who looked as though he might collapse under the strain. He's innocent, muttered the boy over and over again. I know he's innocent. They can't arrest him. My dad never stole a dollar in his life. Frank patted him on the shoulder. Brace up, old chap, he advised. It looks pretty bad just now, but your father will be able to clear himself. Never fear. I'm gonna have to tell my mother, stammered Slim. This will break her heart, and my sister's. Frank and Joe led him down through the hallway and along a corridor that led to a wing of the mansion where the Robinson family had rooms. There, in a neat but sparsely furnished apartment, they found Mrs. Robinson, a gentle, kindly faced woman, somewhat lame, who was sitting anxiously in a chair by the window. Her twin daughters, Paula and Tessie, were by her side, and all looked up in expectation as the lads came in. What's the news? asked Mrs. Robinson bravely after she had greeted the hardy boys. It's bad, Mom. They're they're not arresting him, are they? cried Paula, springing forward. Perry nodded numbly. But they can't, cried Tessie protestingly. He's innocent. He couldn't do a thing like that. It's so wrong. Mrs. Robinson began to cry silently. Perry went over to his mother and awkwardly patted her shoulder, his face white and stern. The twins gazed at one another with desperate eyes. Frank and Joe, their hearts too full for words, withdrew softly from the room. Oh, things are looking bleak for the Robinson family. They've already had a lot of trouble from all this, and now it's compounding. But this is a kid's book, so don't let this weigh too heavy on your head. This is all in good fun, and I hope you're enjoying the story. That's all I got for you tonight. I want to encourage you, if you haven't already, subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app. That way you're gonna get a notification every time I publish a new episode. You don't want to miss anything. And since I owe you an episode, I might have some surprises up my sleeve. You never know. I will see you again very soon. And until then, sleep tight, good night, and bye bye.