Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Dink's jeans were nearly dry by the time they reached the hotel. Mavis was waiting out front. "How was your lunch?" she asked timidly. "Fine, thanks," Dink said. "We talked it over, and we think there's something fishy going on on the third floor of this hotel." Suddenly Mavis began coughing. She held up her scarf in front of her mouth.

Dink noticed that the letters on the scarf were tiny M's. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Should I run in and get you some water?" asked Josh. Mavis took off her glasses and shook her head. "No, I'm fine, thank you. Dear me, I don't know what happened! Now, what were you saying about the third floor?" "We think Wallis Wallace may be up there," Ruth Rose said. She reminded Mavis about the smudged signature for Room 302 and the Do Not Disturb sign on the door. Mavis replaced her eyeglasses. "Mercy! What do you think we should do?" "Follow me!" Dink said. For the second time, they all trooped into the hotel lobby. Mr. Linkletter watched them from behind the counter. "Hi," Dink said. "Remember us?" "Vividly," Mr. Linkletter said. "Wallis Wallace checked into Room 303, right?" "That is correct," said Mr. Linkletter. "Well, we talked to the maid who cleaned that room," Dink went on. "She told us no one slept in

it." "You spoke to Olivia Nugent? When? How?" "We have our ways," Josh said. "So," Dink went on, "we think Wallis Wallace disappeared right here in this hotel." "And Wallis Wallace is a very famous writer," Ruth Rose reminded Mr. Linkletter. "Millions of kids are waiting to read his next book," she added sweetly. Mr. Linkletter's sad eyes grew large. He swallowed and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. He rubbed his forehead as though he had a headache. Then Dink told Mr. Linkletter about Room 302. "Miss Nugent said there was a Do Not Disturb sign on the door." Ruth Rose pointed to the register. "See? The signature is all smudged!" "We think the kidnappers are hiding Wallis Wallace in that room!" Josh said. At the word "kidnappers," Mr. Linkletter closed his eyes. He opened a drawer, took out a bottle of headache pills, and put one on his tongue. "Just to be on the safe side, perhaps we should check both rooms, Mr. Linkletter," Mavis said

quietly. "It'll just take a minute," Dink said. Mr. Linkletter let out a big sigh. "Very well, but this is most unusual. Things run very smoothly at the Shangrila." They all got into the elevator. No one spoke. Dink watched Mr. Linkletter jiggling his bunch of keys. Mr. Linkletter kept his eyes on the little arrow telling them which floor they were on. The elevator door opened on the third floor. Mr. Linkletter unlocked Room 303. "Most unusual," he muttered. The room was empty and spotlessly clean. "Strange, very strange," Mr. Linkletter said. They moved to Room 302, where a Do Not Disturb sign still hung on the doorknob.

Mr. Linkletter knocked. They all leaned toward the door. "Listen, I hear a voice!" Josh said. "What's it saying?" Ruth Rose asked. Then they all heard it. The voice was muffled, but it was definitely yelling, "HELP!"