Chapter 7

Chapter 7 "How about if I flip a coin?" Dink asked. He pulled a quarter from his pocket. "Winner gets to choose who rides in front." "I'll take heads," Brian said. "So you can have tails," Dink told Bradley. He flipped the coin in the air and caught it. "It's tails."

"Good, I ride in front!" Bradley said. "I get to steer!" "Riding in back is good, too," Dink said to Brian. "You get to enjoy the ride but don't have to do any work!" "Thanks, Dink," Josh said. He led Polly to an upside-down wooden box. Bradley climbed on the box, then Josh boosted him onto Polly's bare back. Dink helped Brian up behind his twin brother. "Hold on to Bradley," Dink said. "Let's run fast!" Bradley yelled. "We're not running," Josh said. "We'll take a nice walk down to the river and back. Don't fall off, you monkeys!" "We're not monkeys!" yelled Brian. "We're cowboys!" Holding Polly's lead, Josh walked her into the meadow behind the barn. Dink walked next to the pony, making sure the boys didn't lose their seats. Polly clopped along, dipping her head to munch the tops of weeds. Soon they crossed River Road and stopped on a grassy bank of the Indian River.

"Can we go swimming?" Bradley asked as Polly dipped her muzzle into the water. "No, we're going back home as soon as Polly gets her drink," Josh said. He and Dink sat on the grass and watched Polly drink. "I wonder if Officer Fallon found out anything about Dr. Cula," Josh said, keeping his voice low so the twins wouldn't hear. The boys sat and thought about the strange man in black. "I've been thinking about those Band- Aids," Dink said. "What about them?" Josh asked. "They were all the same," Dink replied. "Why would three different people all have the exact same kind of round Band-Aid on their neck?" "That is weird," Josh said after a minute. "You'd think one person might choose a round one but someone else would choose a regular strip, right?" "Right," Dink said.

"We're thirsty!" Bradley yelled from Polly's back. Josh stood up and gently pulled Polly's head away from the water. "Let's go home, girl," he said.

Soon they were back at the barn. Dink helped Brian and Bradley off Polly's back, and the twins raced toward the house. "Let's go call Ruth Rose and see if she heard from Officer Fallon," Josh said as he let Polly into the corral. Dink and Josh walked across the yard to the kitchen door. The twins were standing in front of the open refrigerator fighting over a carton of apple juice. "Freeze!" Josh yelled. The boys turned to look at him. "Okay, now please hand me the juice, wash your hands, and sit," Josh said. The twins did as they were told, and Josh poured four glasses of juice. He got a box of cookies from a shelf and gave each boy one. Josh and Dink took their snacks over to the telephone on the hall table. The light on the answering machine was blinking. "Maybe it's a message from Officer Fallon," Josh said. He hit the PLAY button. But instead of the police chief's voice, they heard Ruth Rose.

She said, "Guys, I figured it out! Meet me at the Shangri-la!" Josh looked at Dink. "Figured out what?" he asked. "Maybe she figured out who your mystery man is," Dink said. "Remember, she thought he looked familiar." "So why did she go to the hotel without us?" Josh asked. "She didn't know we'd be going to the river," Dink said. "Well, let's go meet her," Josh said, heading for the kitchen. "Before the vampire gets her!" Dink shook his head. "We can't leave your brothers alone," he said. The twins had finished their juice and cookies. Josh looked out the window over the sink. "Come on, Mom," he said. "Can we go out and play?" Bradley asked. "After you put your glasses in the sink," Josh told the twins. Just then Josh's mom pulled into the backyard and parked the car. Josh waved to