Chapter 5

Chapter 5 "You know who he is?" Dink asked. "Just his first name," Dot Calm said. "He was wearing a bowling shirt with 'Joe' stitched over the pocket." "Now we're getting somewhere!" Josh said. "I think the name of his team was printed on the back of his shirt," Dot added. "I noticed it when he left, but he was too far away to read it." Josh pulled out his pencil and flipped over the piece of drawing paper Hector had given him. "I can sketch him if you tell me what he looked like," he said. "You can?" Dot asked. "Okay, let me see. His hair was dark and kind of floppy. He had a little

mustache, too, a skinny one. And he had a space between his two front teeth." "About how old was he?" Ruth Rose asked as Josh sketched. Dot closed her eyes and snapped her bubble gum. "I'd say about twenty-five or so," she said finally. "Did he have any scars or tattoos or anything?" Dink asked, watching the thief's face take shape on Josh's paper. Dot shook her head. "Not that I can remember." Josh held up his drawing so Dot Calm could see it. "Does that look like the guy?" he asked. "Yeah, pretty much," she said. "But you drew his chin too square. He had kind of a pointy chin." Josh erased the man's chin, made a few more pencil marks, and then showed her the drawing again. "That's him!" she said. "Boy, you could make a living as an artist!"

Josh blushed. "Thanks, that's what I want to do when I grow up." Ruth Rose looked at Dink and Josh. "We should take this to the police station and show it to Officer Fallon," she said. "Good idea," Dink said. The kids thanked Dot Calm and started to leave. "Hey, I just thought of something," she called after them. "Joe said he was thinking of moving to California if he ever got enough money."

"Thanks," Dink said. "We'll tell Officer Fallon." They hurried out of the supermarket. Snow was still falling. The wind blew it into their faces, and flakes caught on their eyelashes. Josh slipped his drawing inside his jacket to keep it dry. A few minutes later they tapped on Officer Fallon's door inside the police station. "Come on in," he said. "How about a Christmas goody?" He held out a paper plate of cookies. "We want to report a crime," Dink said, taking a cookie and sitting on one of the chairs in the office. Josh and Ruth Rose each took one, then sat next to Dink. Josh broke his cookie in half and gave a chunk to Pal. Officer Fallon leaned on his elbows. "I'm listening," he said. Dink told him about the lottery tickets stolen from Lucky's house. Officer Fallon let out a low whistle when Dink said "seven million dollars." Ruth Rose continued, telling Officer Fallon about visiting Lucky's grand-father. And Josh finished by telling about their talk with Dot Calm.

He slid his drawing out from under his jacket and showed it to Officer Fallon. "She told us his name is Joe," he said. "Pretty good artwork, Josh," Officer Fallon said, studying the drawing. "You know, this face looks familiar." "Do you think we can find him before tomorrow?" Dink asked. Officer Fallon raised one eyebrow. "I can't trace him without knowing his last name," he said. "Why the rush?" "Because tomorrow he can cash in Lucky's lottery ticket," Ruth Rose said. "And the lottery lady said the guy is heading for California!" Josh added. Officer Fallon stood up. "I'll do my best. Josh, can I keep this sketch?" "Well, I was planning to finish drawing Ruth Rose," he said. "I started a picture on the back." Officer Fallon flipped the paper over. He grinned at Ruth Rose. "Is that a bird on your head?" "It's a parakeet," Ruth Rose said, then explained about Blue Boy.

Dink told Officer Fallon about Zelda Zoot. "Hector said she steals cookies," he added. "We'll check her out," Officer Fallon said, heading for the copying machine. He placed Josh's drawing on the machine, made a copy, and handed the original back to Josh. "I'll circulate the sketch and see what turns up," he said. "What happens if you don't find the crook in time?" Dink asked. "Well, that's a problem," Officer Fallon said. "As far as I know, whoever presents a winning lottery ticket gets the money, no questions asked." "Even if they stole it?" Josh said. "That's not fair!" "I know it isn't fair," Officer Fallon said. "But the lottery people have to award the money to the ticket holder." Officer Fallon thought for a minute. "I suppose if they had proof that the ticket was stolen, they would hold back the money." He looked at the kids. "But you have no real proof. Your friend can't prove his grandfather bought the tickets or sent them." Dink stood up. "Then we'll get proof!" he said.