Chapter 6

Chapter 6 The kids thanked Officer Fallon and left. "Let's go to my house and talk," Dink said as they stepped outside into the falling snow. "Talk, schmalk," Josh sputtered. "I've gotta eat lunch! That half a cookie made me hungry!" Dink laughed. "Okay, we'll eat while we figure out what to do next." By the time they reached Dink's front door, they looked like three kid-sized snowmen. They left their jackets, boots, hats, and mittens in the hall and headed for the kitchen. Pal trotted in and immediately flopped down next to the radiator. Dink found a note from his mom on the table.

Dink, I had to take the car in for snow tires. Heat up the soup in the microwave and make peanut butter sandwiches. I'll be home soon. Love, Mom "I'll make the sandwiches," Josh said, pawing through the cupboard. Dink heated some tomato soup, and the kids carried their lunches into the den. "Anyone want to watch a video?" Dink asked. "Video!" Ruth Rose said suddenly. "That's it!" "What's it?" Josh asked. "There was a video camera at the lottery counter," Ruth Rose said. "If Joe's bowling team is on the back of his shirt, maybe it'll show up on the tape!" "Good idea!" Dink said. "I'd better tell Officer Fallon." He picked up the phone and called the police station. After Dink told Officer Fallon about the video camera, he dialed information and asked for the phone number of the supermarket. Dink dialed

again and asked to be transferred to Dot Calm at the lottery counter. Dink asked Dot if the camera was turned on the day Hector bought the seven tickets. He listened, said thank you, and then hung up. "She's gonna ask her boss to check the tape," Dink said. "If the name of Joe's bowling team shows up, Dot's boss will call Officer Fallon." "I wonder if this Joe guy bowls at the fitness center," Josh said. "Good thinking, Josh," Dink said. "We can check it out after we eat." "What's this?" Ruth Rose suddenly cried. Something had fallen out of her hair and landed in her soup. Josh giggled. "Maybe it's a cootie."

"No, Joshua, it's not a cootie!" Ruth Rose said. She lifted something shiny onto her soup spoon. "It's another tinfoil bow tie!" Josh dug the other bow tie out of his pocket. Except that one was wet from tomato soup, the two tinfoil bow ties were the same. Ruth Rose looked at Dink and Josh. "How did that thing get in my hair?" she asked. The kids stared at each other. "Blue Boy!" they shouted at the same time. "He must've had it in his beak when he landed on your head," Dink said. "He buried it in your hair!" "Yeah, but where did he get it?" Josh asked. "The bow tie had to be in the atrium," Dink said. "Those parakeets never go outside." "Then the crook must have been in the atrium, too!" Ruth Rose said. "Maybe it is Zelda Zoot!" "It could still be Joe," Josh said. "He might've gone to the atrium to ask someone where Hector's grandkids live." Just then Dink's mother burst into the house. "The roads are awful, and it's still snowing!" she said.

She slipped off her coat, scarf, and boots. "This will be a good night to curl up with a big bowl of popcorn." "That's what we do after skiing," Ruth Rose said. "You know how to ski?" Josh asked. "Sure. My family learned to cross-country-ski a couple years ago," Ruth Rose said. "Hey, why don't I teach you guys? We can get around town a lot easier that way." "That's a nice idea," Dink's mother said. "Just keep out of the streets. The snowplows are out in full force." The kids cleaned up their lunch things, got into their jackets, and walked next door to Ruth Rose's house. She took three sets of cross-country skis and poles from the garage. Then she showed Dink and Josh how to strap them onto their boots. "Okay, now just glide," she said. "Slide your skis along the snow and use the poles to keep your balance." "Piece of cake," Josh said, taking a step. He fell into a snowbank.