Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Josh glanced around at the old folks. "Could one of them be the thief?" he whispered. Hector nodded, then put his finger to his lips. "See that woman knitting?" He dipped his chin toward a white-haired woman sitting on a sofa. "That's Zelda Zoot," he whispered. "She's a real snoop! Has to know everyone's business around here. I know for a fact that she snitches cookies off the snack cart!" The kids followed Hector's gaze. Zelda Zoot was a grandmotherly woman with a lap full of pink yarn and flashing knitting needles.

"Zelda hates me," he went on, "'cause I told the chef about the cookies. If anyone in this place wants to get even with me, it's Zelda." Dink tried to picture this elderly woman tromping through the snow to burglarize Lucky's house. He couldn't do it. "I'll keep an eye on her," Hector whispered. "If she starts acting rich, I'll let you know!" Blue Boy suddenly flew to the top of Ruth Rose's head. He began pecking gently at her red

headband. "He likes bright colors," Hector explained. Josh pulled a pencil out of his pocket. "Do you have some paper I could borrow?" he asked. "I have to draw a picture of Ruth Rose with a bird on her head!" Hector chuckled and got up to get some paper. "Don't move, Ruth Rose," Josh whispered. "What's it doing up there?" Ruth Rose asked. "I think he's making a nest," Dink said, grinning. Hector came back with a sheet of paper. Josh began drawing while Ruth Rose sat like a statue. While Josh was busy sketching, Dink thought about what Hector had told them. Any one of the Atrium's residents could be the thief, but Dink didn't think so. "Mr. O'Leary, can you tell us where you bought the lottery tickets?" Dink asked. "Sure," Hector said, dragging his chair closer to Dink. "I got 'em at the supermarket Friday morning." "Were there any other customers around?" Hector closed his eyes, then snapped them open again. "Yep, I remember now. A bunch of people

were standing around gabbing about the snow. Buying candy and gum. Some were behind me in line to buy lottery tickets." "Could one of them have seen the numbers you picked?" "I suppose it's possible," Hector said. "I wrote all my grandkids' birthdays down and handed the slip to the clerk. Then she typed the numbers into the lottery machine, and out popped the seven tickets. Anyone could have seen the numbers as I wrote them down." Dink thought for a minute. "And did you mention that you were going to send them to your grandkids?" Suddenly, Hector's face turned white. "I guess maybe I did," he said, "while I was addressing the envelope and putting the tickets inside. Never thought it would do any harm 'cause I never expected them to win." Hector sighed and shook his head. "Me and my big mouth! I just can't help bragging about 'em. How I eat supper at their house, how Lucky's doin' in college, stuff like that." Blue Boy left Ruth Rose's head and zipped across the room. He landed on one of the hanging

pots. "Rats," Josh muttered. "I hardly got started." "Let me see," Ruth Rose said, reaching for the paper. Josh grinned and folded the drawing in half, then slipped it into his pocket. "Nope. Not till it's done." Dink stood up. "Thanks a lot, Mr. O'Leary," he said. "I think we'll go talk to the lottery clerk. Do you know her name?" "Sure do," Hector said. "It's Dorothy. She's new, but she'll remember me. And if you catch the snake who stole those tickets, there'll be something extra in your Christmas stockings this year!" "Great," Josh said. "I usually just get boring underwear!" The kids said good-bye and left the atrium. Pal was sleeping under a potted palm tree with his leash on his paws. Josh woke him up, and the kids got back into their hats and coats. Outside on Main Street, the wind blew snow into the kids' faces. "Do you guys think Zelda Zoot is the thief?" Josh asked. "She looks like my grandmother!"

"If the old folks at the Atrium know that Hector sends lottery tickets to his grandkids every Christmas," Ruth Rose said, "they're all suspects!" "Guys," Dink said, "you heard what Hector said. He likes to talk about his grandkids. Anyone in Green Lawn could be the thief!" The kids trudged up Main Street. Two minutes later, they bustled into the supermarket and headed toward the lottery counter. "Heel," Josh told Pal, who waddled along next to him. "I wonder if that's Dorothy," Ruth Rose said. She pointed at a young blond woman behind the counter. On the wall above her head hung a small security camera. Dink approached the counter. "Excuse me," he said. "Are you Dorothy?" The woman looked up, chomping on a wad of gum. "That's me," she said, pointing to her name tag. It said DOROTHY CALM.