Shayne nodded absently, and spoke into the mouthpiece. He asked for Sergeant Piper and gave Groat’s name and address. He listened gravely for a moment, then said, “Thanks, Sergeant. Do that.” He hung up and said, “There’s nothing reported yet. I assume he did have identification on him, Mrs. Groat?”

“Oh, yes. All kinds of cards in his wallet.”

“I guess I’ll be going.” Cunningham got up diffidently. “If you do hear from Jasper, Mrs. Groat, you tell him I couldn’t wait any longer to eat. And I’ll call tomorrow.” He walked across the rug toward the door, pausing to pick up a new brown fedora which he turned around and around in his hands absently. “I can’t help thinking maybe it’s got something to do with Jasper’s diary he kept all the time we were on the raft. One of those reporters got him all hepped up this morning about maybe printing the diary in a paper and paying him a lot of money. You think that might be it, Mrs. Groat?”

“I think he would’ve told me, if it was. He talked to me about the diary and how much the reporter might pay him for it… but he was kind of funny about that, too. Like as though maybe it wouldn’t be right to take money for something like that. Though I told him, for goodness’ sake, why not?”

“You think it’s worth much, Mrs. Groat?”

“How should I know? I didn’t read it. Seems to me he said he gave it to the reporter this morning. I read some of his other diaries years ago and I didn’t think they were so much.”

Cunningham said vaguely, “Unh-huh. I’ll be saying goodnight. Mr. Shayne and… Miss Hamilton.” He opened the door and slid out unobtrusively.

“What’s this about a reporter and his diary, Mrs. Groat?” Shayne asked the dumpy woman after the door closed behind the airlines steward.

“Land sakes, I don’t know much. Jasper was some excited when he first came home. Said they might print it in the paper and pay him for it. I think he was expecting the reporter to call him this afternoon, but he didn’t. Then it seemed like he lost interest in the diary when he got to brooding more and more about those Hawleys not even wanting to know about their boy.”