Chapter 5

Chapter 5 "We have to show this note to your father!" Ruth Rose said. "Yes," Sammi said. He took the note and slipped it into his pocket. "Pop's going to be really upset. Mr. Baz is one of his closest friends." The kids crawled out of the tunnel. They brushed dirt from their hands and knees, then stood looking at the backhoe. "When do you think they stole the gold?" Dink asked the others. "Probably over the weekend, when the bank was closed," Sammi said.

"But if they planned the theft together, why would Riko need to dig a tunnel?" Dink asked. "Mr. Baz could just open the vault and take the gold." "Digging a tunnel into the vault would make it look like Mr. Baz wasn't involved," Ruth Rose said. "But why would he use paper that had his own e-mail address at the bottom?" Dink went on. "Maybe he meant to rip that part off and forgot," Sammi suggested. "Maybe," Dink said. "But if I was robbing a bank, I'd destroy the note." "How would they carry all that gold to the wall?" Ruth Rose asked. "I'd use the backhoe," Josh said, heading toward the huge piece of equipment. The scoop bucket was in the down position, resting on the ground. Josh stepped into the bucket and examined the metal edges.

"Take a look at this," he said. He had his finger on a shiny mark on the metal. The others studied the mark. "It looks like gold scrapings," Sammi said. "You were right," Dink said. "They did use the backhoe to move the gold!" Sammi pulled the note from his pocket and read it again. "This says Riko should bring the gold to the west wall, near the tree. Let's go check it out," he said. The kids climbed out of the pit and headed for the west wall. They had to pass the castle in order to get to the gate.

"Shouldn't we tell your father about the note right away?" asked Dink. "He's probably still in the bank," Sammi said. "Besides, this will only take a few minutes." There was a tall tree near the west wall. The kids walked the ground beneath the tree, searching for clues. Ruth Rose had stepped a few yards away from the tree. She called the other three kids over. "Look, fat tire marks," she said. The marks were only a few feet from the wall. Dink could easily picture what must have happened. The crook—was it Riko?—had driven the backhoe to this point, the bucket loaded with gold. Then he had raised the backhoe's scoop and dumped the gold bars over the wall. Someone in a car or truck must have been waiting on the other side. "Give me a boost, someone," Ruth Rose said. She had one arm wrapped around the tree as the other reached for the lowest branch. "Where are you going?" Josh asked. "If the crooks dumped a bunch of gold bars over this wall, there should be marks on the

ground on the other side," Ruth Rose said. "Boost me up so I can see!" The boys made footholds with their hands, and Ruth Rose scampered into the branches. Two minutes later, she was perched on the top of the wall. "See anything?" Dink called up. Ruth Rose looked down at the boys. "The bushes and weeds are all crushed," she said. "Like something very heavy dropped on them." "Okay, I'm telling my father," Sammi said. "Come on down, Ruth Rose."

Ten minutes later, the four kids were sitting in the king's study. Sammi's father sat at his wooden desk, reading the note. The king looked up. His normally cheerful eyes looked sad. "And you found this in the tunnel?" he