Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Just then Officer Fallon walked out of the trailer. "Thank you," he said, handing the key back to Buddy "I'm happy to say that you were right and I was wrong." "Can I get my stuff now?" Buddy asked. "Sure, then I'll drop you all off at Dink's house." Buddy climbed the aluminum steps and disappeared inside the trailer.

"Well, what do you think?" Officer Fallon asked the kids. "I think he's telling the truth," Ruth Rose said. "Me too," Dink and Josh said at the same time. Officer Fallon raised his eyebrows. "Any particular reasons?" "Well, if I were going to steal the baseballs, I wouldn't do it with all those people watching me walk into the clubhouse," Ruth Rose said. "And if I did take the balls, I'd hide them and return to the game so I didn't draw attention to myself." "Could it have been Buddy?" Officer Fallon said, glancing at the trailer. "He could have stolen the balls and hid them till later." "No," Dink said. "If Buddy were planning to take the balls, he wouldn't have teased his brother about stealing them. He'd want to keep his plan to himself." "Besides," Josh said, "if Buddy did steal the baseballs, he wouldn't let his brother take the rap and sit in jail. Buddy really loves Pete." "That's fine reasoning from all of you," Officer Fallon said. "And I'm inclined to agree with you. But then who did take the balls, and where are they now?"

"Could the thief sell the balls?" Dink asked. "Oh, easily," Officer Fallon said. "There's a huge market for baseballs signed by famous players." Just then Buddy opened the trailer door, locked it, and walked over to the picnic table. He was carrying a lumpy backpack. "Get everything you need?" asked Officer Fallon. Buddy nodded. "Will you tell Pete where I'll be staying?" "I sure will, Buddy," Officer Fallon said. They all climbed back into the cruiser. Five minutes later, Officer Fallon pulled up in front of Dink's house. "Have a good pizza party," he said as the kids and Pal got out. "Why don't you come, too?" Dink asked. "There will be plenty of food." "Wish I could," Officer Fallon said. "But I need to begin talking to people who were at the game. Someone might have noticed whoever walked into the clubhouse just before Pete did." "So you believe me?" Buddy asked.

Officer Fallon smiled. "I believe you," he said, then drove away. "What time should we come over for pizza?" Josh asked Dink. "How about five o'clock?" Dink said. "Great! I have to muck out Polly's stall anyway," Josh said. "See you later!" He and Pal headed up Woody Street toward Farm Lane. "And I promised Nate I'd play with him, so I have to go, too," Ruth Rose said. "See you guys later." Ruth Rose walked to her house next door. "Your friends are nice," Buddy said as he followed Dink to his front steps. Dink's mother opened the door. "Hello, Buddy," she said. "Come on in." "Hello, Mrs. …" Buddy hesitated and looked at Dink. "I don't know your last name." "I'm Mrs. Duncan," Dink's mom said. "And I've left a plate of cookies on the table." Dink took Buddy upstairs and showed him the guest bedroom. "You can leave your pack here," Dink said. Buddy knelt down and looked into Loretta's cage. The guinea pig squeaked and stood on her

hind legs. "I wish I could have a pet," Buddy said. "But Pete says we'll have to wait till we're not living in that tiny trailer." "Are you guys really going to Florida?" Dink asked as they walked back downstairs and into the kitchen. Buddy shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "I kind of like it here in Green Lawn." Dink poured two glasses of milk and handed one to Buddy. "We've got a real good high school," he said, taking a cookie. "Do they have a soccer team?" Buddy asked. "Big-time!" Dink said. Buddy smiled and helped himself to a cookie.