Chapter 4

Chapter 4 "I can't believe it!" the man said. "That bank was here last night. I know because I put money in it!" "Would anyone have moved it to a different spot in the firehouse?" Officer Fallon asked. The man shook his head. "We kept it here in the TV lounge so everyone would be reminded to drop coins in. Plus, the thing weighs a ton!" Officer Fallon handed Josh his jar of coins and took out a notebook. "Did you put out that meadow fire last night?" he asked.

The man shook his head. "Nope, that would've been Jake and Lenny." Officer Fallon wrote in his notebook. "Where would I find them?" The firefighter smiled. "Still snoozing in the other room," he said. "They should be getting up any time now." "Have them give me a call after they're awake," Officer Fallon said, slipping his notebook into a pocket. "No problem," the man answered. Officer Fallon and the kids walked outside. Pal lay next to the cruiser with his head on his big front paws. "I just thought of something," Dink said. "Maybe whoever lit that fire last night did it to get the men out of the firehouse." "I had the same thought," Officer Fallon said. "The fire could have been a diversion." "Yeah!" Josh said. "So they could sneak in here when no one was around and steal the bank!" "Who would do such a lousy thing?" Ruth Rose said. "Someone who loves money and hates ducks!" Josh said.

"Could it have been the car I saw last night?" Dink said. "I saw those headlights right before the fire." "Very possibly" Officer Fallon said. An elderly man walked past with a dog on a leash. The man was tall and thin. The dog was short and round. They both had white hair. Pal whined and wagged his tail back and forth. The man let his little dog waddle over to Pal. "Hello," the man said. "This is Randolph. Is your basset friendly?" Josh nodded. "Pal likes everyone!" Pal sniffed the little dog, then licked his face. Randolph rolled over and wiggled his whole body. "Any trouble here?" the man asked, looking curiously at Officer Fallon. "Just investigating a possible theft," Officer Fallon said. The man raised his bushy white eyebrows. "Would it have anything to do with that crazy driver I saw last night?" he asked. Officer Fallon took out his notebook again and flipped it open. "Please tell me what you saw," he said.

"A fire engine woke me some time after one o'clock," the man said. "So I took Randolph outside for some fresh air. We were at the corner of Indian Way Road when a jeep came tearing past us up Main Street!" The man held his hands a foot apart. "Missed Randolph by that much!" Officer Fallon began writing in his notebook. "You are Mr….?" "Thaddeus Pocket," the man said. "Number 10 Indian Way Road." "Were you able to read the jeep's license plate, Mr. Pocket?" "Mercy, no!" the man said. "It was speeding much too fast." "Did you happen to notice the driver?" Officer Fallon asked. Mr. Pocket shook his head. "I'm sorry, my eyesight isn't wonderful anymore. There were two men in the jeep, but I don't remember the driver." Officer Fallon closed his notebook and began to put it away. "Thanks anyway, Mr. Pocket. You've been very helpful—" "But I do remember the man sitting beside the driver," Mr. Pocket went on.

"You do?" Officer Fallon opened his notebook again. Mr. Pocket grinned. "Yes, but only because he was so odd-looking. The man in the passenger seat looked just like a giant duck!"