Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Dink raced into the Book Nook. Josh and Ruth Rose were right behind him. They found three seats behind Tommy Tomko and Eddie Carini. Dink plopped his pack on the floor. The clock over the cash register said three minutes after eleven. "Where is he?" Dink whispered to Tommy Tomko.

Tommy turned around. "Beats me. He's not here yet, and Mr. Paskey looks worried." "What's going on?" Ruth Rose said. Dink told her and Josh what Tommy had said. "Paskey does look pretty nervous," Josh whispered. "Mr. Paskey always looks nervous," Dink whispered back, looking around the room. He saw about thirty kids he knew. Mrs. Davis, Dink's neighbor, was looking at gardening books. Dink checked out the other grownups in the store. None of them looked like a famous mystery writer. Mr. Paskey stood up. "Boys and girls, welcome to the Book Nook! Wallis Wallace should be here any second. How many of you have books to be autographed?" Everyone waved a book in the air. "Wonderful! I'm sure Wallis Wallace will be happy to know that Green Lawn is a reading town!" The kids clapped and cheered. Dink glanced at the clock. Five past eleven. He swallowed, trying to stay calm. Wallis Wallace was late, but it was only by five minutes.

Slowly five more minutes passed. Dink felt his palms getting damp. Where is Wallis Wallace? he wondered. Some of the kids started getting restless. Dink heard one kid say "Whenever I'm late, I get grounded!" "So where is he?" Josh asked. Ruth Rose looked at her watch. "It's only ten after," she said. "Famous people are always late." Now Dink stared at the clock. The big hand jerked forward, paused, then wobbled forward again. At 11:15, Mr. Paskey stood up again. "I don't understand why Wallis Wallace is late," he said. Dink noticed that his bald head was shiny with sweat. His bow tie was getting a workout.

Mr. Paskey smiled bravely, but his eyes were blinking like crazy through his thick glasses. "Shall we give him a few more minutes?" The crowd grumbled, but nobody wanted to go anywhere. Ruth Rose started to read her book. Josh opened his sketch pad and began drawing Mr. Paskey. Dink turned and stared at the door. He mentally ordered Wallis Wallace to walk through it. You have to come! thought Dink. Ever since he had received Wallis Wallace's letter, he'd thought about only one thing: meeting him today. Suddenly Dink felt his heart skip a beat. THE LETTER! Short of being kidnapped, the letter said, nothing will stop me from, coming. Kidnapped! Dink shook himself. Of course Wallis Wallace hadn't been kidnapped! Mr. Paskey stood again, but this time he wasn't smiling. "I'm sorry, kids," he said. "But Wallis Wallace doesn't seem to be coming after all." The kids groaned. They got up, scraping chairs and bumping knees. Mr. Paskey apologized to them as they crowded past, heading for the door.

"I've read every single one of his books," Dink heard Amy Flower tell another girl. "Now I'll probably never meet anyone famous!" "I can't believe we gave up a soccer game for this!" Tommy Tomko muttered to Eddie Carini on their way out. Ruth Rose and Josh went next, but Dink remained in his seat. He was too stunned to move. He felt the letter through his jeans. Short of being kidnapped… Finally Dink got up and walked out. Josh and Ruth Rose were waiting for him. "What's the matter?" Ruth Rose said. "You look sick!" "I am sick," Dink mumbled. "I invited him here. It's all my fault." "What's all your fault?" Josh asked. "This!" he said, thrusting the letter into Josh's hands. "Wallis Wallace has been kidnapped!"

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