Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Josh called Pal and clipped the leash to his collar. "Mom, I'm going into town with Dink and Ruth Rose!" he called toward the vegetable garden. His mom's face popped up. "Okay, but please don't stay long," she said. "I need you

to watch the twins while I dash to the market later." "Are you wearing your garlic to see Officer Fallon?" Ruth Rose asked. Josh grinned. "Oops, I forgot." He laid the garlic crown on the picnic table. He broke off one garlic bulb and stuck it in his shirt pocket. "No vampire dude is getting me!" Josh said. The kids cut through the elementary school grounds to reach Main Street. Then they took a right on Oak Street and passed People's Pond on their way to the police station. Pal tugged Josh toward the pond. He took a few laps of pond water, scaring a frog. The frog plopped into the water and disappeared. They found Officer Fallon washing his cruiser behind the police station. He had removed his shoes and socks and rolled up his pant legs. "Hey, kids. Hey, Pal," the police chief said. He dropped a sponge into a bucket, walked over to a bench, and sat down. "Have you come to help me wash my car?"

The kids sat on the lawn near the bench. Pal crawled under the bench and sighed. "Your cruiser doesn't look very dirty," Ruth Rose observed.

Officer Fallon grinned. "It doesn't really need washing," he admitted. "I just wanted to come out here and get my feet wet." He wiggled his toes in the grass. "Say, what's that smell?" Officer Fallon looked under the bench. "Has Pal been rolling in something?" "It's garlic," Josh said. He pulled the bulb out of his pocket. Officer Fallon raised his eyebrows. "What're you trying to do, keep vam-pires away?" he joked. Dink nudged Josh's leg with his foot. "Tell him, Josh." Josh put the garlic bulb back in his pocket. "We saw this creepy-looking guy in town," he said, then began telling Officer Fallon the story. As he listened to the three kids, Officer Fallon leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "Let me get this straight," he said. "This man in black went into Ellie's, but didn't come out again. And then you saw a Band-Aid on Ellie's neck?"

"The same thing happened when he went into the Book Nook," Dink said. "The guy had vanished, and Mr. Paskey had a Band-Aid on his neck!" "We found out he's staying at the Shangrila," Josh went on. "And guess what? Mr. Linkletter had on a Band-Aid, too!" "The guy we saw signed into the hotel as Dr. A. Cula," Ruth Rose added. "And that spells Dracula!" Officer Fallon's eyebrows shot up. "Well, I'll be darned!" he said. "That's why we think he's a vam-pire!" Josh continued. Officer Fallon let one of his hands fall on Pal's head. He rubbed the dog's ears while he thought. "I think I saw the same fellow in town," Officer Fallon said after a min-ute. "He looked familiar, somehow." "I thought so, too!" Ruth Rose cried. "I could swear I've seen his face before today." Officer Fallon stood up. He emptied his bucket and began hosing off his car. "Tell you what," he said. "I'll try to find this Dr.

Cula and have a talk with him. Will you kids be around?" "I'll be at home," Ruth Rose said. "I promised to help my mom clean up the basement." "I have to baby-sit the twins," Josh said. He poked Dink. "And Dink is going to help me." "I am?" said Dink. Officer Fallon shut off the hose. "Okay, I'll let you know what I find out about your vampire," he said, winking at the kids. Dink and Josh walked Ruth Rose to her house on Woody Street. Ruth Rose's cat, Tiger, was lying on her front porch. Pal tugged on his leash and whined. "If you hear anything from Officer Fallon, let me know," Ruth Rose said, picking up her cat. "You too," Josh said. He patted the garlic bulb in his pocket. "Sure you don't want to borrow this?" "No thanks," Ruth Rose said. "Tiger here will protect me." She kissed her cat on the nose and opened her front door.