Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 Dink set the flashlight on the floor and tied one end of the rope to the folding steps. Josh formed a loop in the other end, big enough for Ruth Rose to step in. He stood on the table and handed her the loop. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Dink asked. "It'll be easy" Ruth Rose said. "I climb down the rope ladder from my cousin's tree house all the

time." "We'll hold the rope till you're ready to go down," Josh said. He added, "Be careful of those teeth!" "Okay, give me a minute." Ruth Rose's face disappeared. Some of the slack rope went with her. "All right!" she yelled. "Just lower me real slow." The boys felt the rope tighten with Ruth Rose's weight. They let the rope slip slowly through their fingers. Dink felt the friction making his palms burn. Then the rope went totally slack. "Is she down?" Josh asked. They both heard someone banging on the door in Tyrone's side. "I'll be right back!" Ruth Rose yelled. Dink and Josh sat and leaned against a curved wall. Ruth Rose's flashlight was growing dim, so Dink shut it off.

"Wish this place had an air conditioner," Josh said after a minute. He wiped sweat off his face with his T-shirt. "Why not wish for a full refrigerator while you're at it," Dink said. Josh grinned. "Or a microwave and a pizza. But I'd settle for a big fan." The boys sat in the dark. Dink felt sweat trickling into his eyes. "I'm cooking," Josh moaned. "Don't be such a baby" Dink said. "Imagine what it would be like inside a real Tyrannosaurus!" Josh giggled in the dark. "Did dinosaurs eat kids?" he asked. "No, Josh, because humans didn't live then," Dink said. "Besides, if a T. rex got one taste of you, he'd spit you out." Josh poked Dink in the ribs. Dink poked him back. Just as Josh put a wrestling hold around Dink's neck, they heard something thump outside. Josh gulped. "Do you suppose it's Dean, coming to get the money?"

Dink crawled to the door and put his ear against it. The door opened, and Dink nearly fell on top of Jud. Behind Jud stood Officer Fallon and Ruth Rose. "You sure get yourself in some pickles," Officer Fallon said, shining his flashlight in Dink's eyes. "Good thing I found Jud at the fireworks." Jud lowered the steps so Dink and Josh could climb down to the ground. "Thanks," Josh said. "We were melting in there!" "I don't suppose you found the money," Jud said. "Ruth Rose told us what you were up to." Dink shook his head. "Sorry," he said. "I'm afraid that whoever took that duffel bag disappeared with it," Officer Fallon said. Jud nodded. "It must have happened last night after we went to bed," he said. "I just don't see how."

Officer Fallon shined his light at the ground. "It rained last night, so even if the crook left footprints, they'd have washed away." Footprints, Dink thought. "I saw wet footprints in that garden shed," he said. Dink pointed through the darkness toward the rose garden. "I went in to get the wheelbarrow for Mr. Pocket." "That means someone went in there after it rained," Ruth Rose said. "And that was in the middle of the night!" "Maybe the footprints were left by our thief," Officer Fallon said. He put a hand on Dink's shoulder. "Show me." Dink led the way across the dark lawn. "There it is," he said when they reached the small garden shed. "You folks please stay out here," Officer Fallon told Josh, Ruth Rose, and Jud. His flashlight beam found the screwdriver. He removed it and opened the door. He played the light over the floor. Dried muddy footprints led from the door to the back of the shed.

"Hold this for me," Officer Fallon said, handing his flashlight to Dink. "Stand by the door so I have light." Officer Fallon stepped inside and kneeled to examine the footprints. Then he walked through the shed, checking inside, under, and behind anything large enough to hide a person. At the back of the shed, he moved the wheelbarrow. He poked at the stack of burlap sacks with a toe. Then he peeled off several of the bags and set them on the floor. Dink saw him bend over and pull something from under the remaining bags. "Jud, would you come in here?" Officer Fallon yelled. Jud stuck his head in the door. "Is this what you've been looking for?" Officer Fallon was holding a dark brown duffel bag. It was fat, as if stuffed with something. A long zipper ran along one side.