Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Dink heard thumping footsteps on the stairs just before two police officers entered the office. They listened to the story, then "invited" Dink's uncle down to the police station to answer more questions. "Mr. Duncan, will you ask Mr. Pride and Jean- Paul to come with us?" one of the officers asked.

"I will," Dink's uncle said. "But believe me, this is a horrible mistake!" The officer nodded, pointing to the statue. "We'll have to take this, too. We'll check it for prints at the station." "What about us?" Regina Wu asked. "Are Dr. Pitts and I free to go?" "I have your addresses," the officer said. "We know where to find you." "Of course," Dr. Pitts said. He and Regina Wu left. Uncle Warren walked over to Dink. "Don't worry, nephew, this shouldn't take long," he said. "Stay with Yvonne until I get back." When he bent down to hug Dink, he whispered, "Donny, remember your cookie!" James Pride locked the office, and they all walked down the stairs. The two officers carried the re-wrapped jaguar. Jean-Paul hugged Yvonne, then joined Uncle Warren and James Pride in one of the police cruisers. Dink, Josh, Ruth Rose, and Yvonne watched them drive away in the rain.

"Come inside," Yvonne said. "I will make something warm to drink. The men will be back in a jiffy, yes?" She fixed the kids big mugs of hot chocolate. They sat at the window and watched the rain fall. "Try not to worry," Yvonne said. "When the men return, then we solve the mystery, yes?" She left the kids and passed through a blue curtain into the restaurant's kitchen. "This is so weird!" Josh said. "It stinks," Dink said. "I know my uncle wouldn't steal some dumb jewel!" "But what happened to it?" Ruth Rose said. "Someone stole the real one!" The kids sipped their hot chocolate and looked through the rain-streaked glass. Dink stood up. "I wonder where the bathroom is?" "Ask Yvonne," Ruth Rose said. "I think she's in the kitchen." Josh slurped up the last of his drink. "And see if she has any more hot chocolate!" he said. Dink walked toward the back of the restaurant. He passed through the blue curtain into the kitchen.

A pile of chopped broccoli sat on the counter next to a bowl of peeled raw onions. He looked around, but Yvonne wasn't there. He saw another blue curtain, so he peeked through it, looking for the bathroom. Just then, he heard a noise. Dink turned around and saw Yvonne slip through a narrow door. When the door closed behind her, it disappeared! Dink blinked his eyes. The door was gone! There was no frame, no knob, and no hinges. He shook his head. Was he seeing things? Dink found the bathroom, used it, then hurried back to Josh and Ruth Rose. "Guys, listen to this!" Dink told them about Yvonne and the vanishing door. "After she shut the door, it disappeared, honest!" "Disappearing doors?" Josh scoffed. "Maybe it's her private bathroom or something," Ruth Rose said. Suddenly, Dink remembered what his uncle had said to him. "When my uncle hugged me upstairs, he whispered, 'Remember your cookie' in my ear." Josh grinned. "Maybe he was hungry," he said.

"Or maybe he was telling you to remember the fortune in your cookie!" Ruth Rose said. "I saved it!" Dink said. He reached into his jacket pocket. "What…?" Dink pulled out his uncle's brass key ring. "Where'd this come from?" "That looks like the key to your uncle's office," Josh said. "You're right!" Dink said. "He must have dropped it into my pocket when he hugged me!" Dink reached back into his pocket and pulled out the slip of paper from his fortune cookie. '"Your eyes will play tricks on you," he read. "Your fortune is already coming true!" Ruth Rose said. "I wonder if mine will. I'm supposed to find a treasure." "Look!" said Josh suddenly. He pointed out the window. "There's that jewelry lady!" Regina Wu hurried past the restaurant. The kids watched her slip inside the green door that led up to Uncle Warren's office. "Why is she going back up there?" Dink asked. Just then, Yvonne came through the blue curtain. She was carrying a pitcher and a plate of cookies.

"More hot chocolate?" she asked. "And some of my special cranberry cookies!" While Josh and Ruth Rose reached for the cookies, Dink stared out the window at the green door. Suddenly, the door opened, and Regina Wu stepped back outside. She closed the door behind her, then hurried away from the building. Dink watched her dash up the street, raising her umbrella. He stared after Regina Wu. What's going on? he wondered. Why would she go up to the office when