Chapter 5

Chapter 5 The next morning, Dink washed his hands and face, then tapped on Sammi's bedroom door. "Rise and shine!" Dink said. "We're having pancakes and sausages for breakfast!" There was no answer. Dink opened the door and peeked in. Sammi's bed was mussed, but he

wasn't in it. "Sammi?" Dink said, glancing around the empty room. Where could he be? Dink wondered as he headed down the stairs. "Mom, Sammi's not in his room," Dink said. Dink's mother stopped spooning pancake batter into a frying pan. "He's not? Where is he?" "I don't know, Mom." Dink shoved open the back door and looked around the yard. "Not out here either," he said. As Dink pulled the door shut again, his hand struck something sharp. "Mom, look at this!" he yelled. The wood around the door lock was shattered. Jagged slivers of wood stuck out. A few wood splinters lay on the floor under Dink's feet. "Oh, my goodness!" his mother said. "Someone forced the door open!" She turned and hurried up the hall stairs. Dink followed his mom into the guest room.

"Sammi?" his mom called. "Sammi, please answer! If you're hiding, please come out." But Sammi did not answer. "I'm calling Officer Fallon," Dink's mother said. "And Joan Klinker! Why don't you run next door and find out if Ruth Rose's family saw anything?" Dink charged down the stairs and out of the house. He tore into Ruth Rose's yard and banged his fist on her door. Ruth Rose opened it, munching on a piece of toast.

"Have you seen Sammi?" Dink asked, out of breath. She shook her head. "Why, is he missing?" "Yes!" Dink said. "Someone broke in… Sammi's gone!" "WHAT?" Ruth Rose yelled. "You mean he was kidnapped?" Suddenly, Dink heard a siren. He left Ruth Rose with the toast in her hand and raced back to his front yard. A police cruiser roared around the corner and whipped into his driveway. As the siren died, Officers Fallon and Keene burst out of the car. Dink's mom came flying out of the house. Her face was white. "Thank goodness you came," she told the officers. "I think our house guest has been kidnapped!" Just then, a yellow taxi pulled up in front of Dink's house. The rear door flew open, and Joan Klinker climbed out. "What has happened to Sammi?" she called, running across the front yard. "We don't know," Dink's mother said. "He's not in the house, and the lock on our back door has been forced open."

Joan Klinker put her hand to her mouth. She swayed, then started to topple. Officer Keene caught her just before she fell. "Bring her inside," Dink's mother said, running for the front door. "Take a look around," Officer Fallon told Officer Keene. Then he helped Dink's mother take Joan Klinker into the house. Ruth Rose appeared through the hedge that separated their yards. She was dressed in blue bib overalls, a blue shirt, and blue high-top sneakers. "Is Sammi really gone?" she asked Dink. "This isn't a joke, is it?" Dink shook his head. His mouth was so dry he could hardly swallow. "I think it's real," he said, remembering what Sammi had told them about his father's enemies. "But how could anyone just walk in and take him?" Ruth Rose asked. "Our back door lock is busted," Dink said. "They must have gotten in that way." Ruth Rose's mom and dad joined them as Dink explained. "Let's all search the street," Ruth Rose's dad suggested. He went to organize the neighbors.

Just then, Josh arrived with his dog. "What's going on, Dinkus?" he asked. "Why's the cruiser here?" "Sammi is gone," Dink said. "We think he's been kidnapped!" Josh's mouth dropped open. Then he grinned. "This is a joke, right?" Dink shook his head. "Come on, I'll show you where the kidnappers broke the kitchen door." Dink started for the front steps. But before he reached the door, it opened. Joan Klinker and Dink's mother stepped out. "Are you sure you're all right, Joan?" Dink's mother asked. "Won't you stay for a while?" Joan Klinker shook her head. "I have to make some phone calls," she muttered. Then she hurried into the cab and it pulled away. "That poor woman," Dink's mom said, heading back to the kitchen. As Dink climbed the porch steps, something shiny caught his eye. He bent down and picked up a small piece of yellow glass. "What's that?" Ruth Rose asked.