Chapter 7

Chapter 7 "But we've already looked at everything," Josh said, flopping down on the rug. Ruth Rose walked over to the fish tank and picked up the container of food. "That's weird," she said. "There are already some flakes floating on the water. Did one of you guys feed the fish?"

"I didn't," Dink said. "Me neither," said Josh. Ruth Rose looked at the food floating on the top. "Well, someone did." "Maybe it was the fish fairy," Josh said. "OH MY GOSH!" Ruth Rose screamed. "What's the matter?" Dink asked. Josh jumped to his feet, and he and Dink hurried over. "Look what's on the bottom!" Ruth Rose said. She pointed down through the water. Josh put his nose up against the glass. "Looks like a bunch of rocks to me," he said. Ruth Rose frowned. "Somebody go turn out the lights," she said. Josh gave Dink a push. "Go ahead, Dinkus!" Dink hurried over to the wall and flipped down the switches. The music, fan, and lights all went off. Ruth Rose pointed at the bottom of the tank. "See that glowy green rock? I think it's the jewel!" Dink elbowed Josh aside and looked at the stone. "No, it's too big," he said. "The emerald was like a golf ball, remember?" "Things always look bigger underwater," Ruth Rose said. "Your eyes are playing tricks on you

again, Dink!" Ruth Rose reached down and plucked the green rock out of the tank. Water dripped onto the floor as she wiped it on her jeans. Out of the water, the rock didn't look anything like the other rocks in the fish tank. In the tank light, the rock shone a lustrous green. "Wow!" Dink said. "It's beautiful!" "How did it get in there?" Josh asked. "I guess the thief dumped it in," Dink answered. "But why would the thief do that?" Josh asked.

Ruth Rose shook her head. "Maybe he needed a quick place to hide it." Dink nodded. "James was here early this morning. Maybe we caught him in the act!" "I'm turning on the lights," Josh said. He headed for the wall switches. "Stop!" Dink said suddenly. "What's that sound?" "What sound?" Josh asked as he turned on the fan, music, and lights. Dink walked over and flipped the switches down again. "Now listen," he whispered in the darkness. "Hear it?" "I think I do," Ruth Rose said. "Like a little buzzing." "Maybe it's the fish tank," Josh said. Ruth Rose clicked off the bubbler. "Nope, I still hear it," she said. "Now I hear it, too," Josh said. "What can it be? Everything's turned off!" "I'm going to turn on just the lights," Dink said. When they could see, the kids began prowling around the office. Dink stopped in front of the bookcase. "Guys, it's louder over here!"

Josh giggled. "The Case of the Buzzing Books!" he said. Dink stood on tiptoe and ran his hands over the shelves. He felt a small button and pushed it. Suddenly, a shelf slid open. "Look!" he cried. "Hey! Those books are fake!" Josh said. "It's a hidden compartment!" The space behind the fake books held a small TV set and VCR. With the compartment open, the buzzing was louder. Then the VCR clicked, and the noise stopped. "It was rewinding," Josh said. "It must have come to the end of the tape. My dad's machine does the same thing." "Yeah, but rewinding what?" Dink asked. Then the VCR clicked again. The kids watched as a red light came on and the numbers on the machine's face started counting up—:01, :02, :03… "Hey!" Josh said. "Now it's recording!" "Maybe your uncle has it for security," Ruth Rose said. "You could be right, Ruth Rose," Dink said. He glanced at the ceiling. "There must be a camera somewhere in the office."

"Do you think we're on a video?" Ruth Rose said. "Let's take a peek!" "Good idea!" said Josh. Dink quickly rewound the tape to the beginning, then turned on the TV and hit "play" on the VCR. An image came on the screen. For a moment, the tape showed them standing in front of the TV and VCR. "Cool!" Josh said. Then the picture jumped and changed. Now the office looked empty and dark. They watched as the office door opened and James Pride walked in. "This must be earlier today," Ruth Rose said. "James got here before us." "Maybe it recorded him stealing the jewel!" Josh said. They watched James walk over and switch on the lights. Then he took off his raincoat and walked into his own office. The kids looked at each other. James hadn't gone anywhere near the crate. "Hit 'fast forward," Josh said. "We can scan ahead."