Chapter 8

Chapter 8 At noon the next day, Dink and Josh peeked out of Mrs. Mackleroy's office. Ruth Rose was sitting at a table, reading a book. The library was nearly empty. An old woman sat reading a newspaper. A man was snoozing near the door with his cap pulled over his eyes. Mrs. Mackleroy was on her lunch break. "Ruth Rose looks so calm, "Dink whispered. "I feel like I'm gonna be sick!" "If you throw up, I'll kill you," Josh said. He grinned. "And Mrs. Mackleroy will rip up your library card!"

A minute later, Doris Duncan walked into the library. The man in the green suit followed her. He had long, strong-looking arms and a thick neck. Dink shuddered. It was the man who had chased them! He nudged Josh as the two walked across the room. "Are you Ruth Rose?" Dink heard Doris Duncan ask. Ruth Rose nodded. She held up the five blue envelopes. "The stamp is in here," she said, showing Doris Duncan the empty one. "I hope Ruth Rose gets the money first," Josh whispered. Ruth Rose looked at the man and raised her eyebrows. "Who's he?" she asked in her bad-guy voice. "This is my associate," Doris Duncan said. "Mr. Otto Bird." "Aha!" said Dink in the office. "Did you bring the cash?" asked Ruth Rose. The woman snapped her fingers. Otto Bird yanked some bills from hispocket and handed them to Doris Duncan.

"Lemme see da stamp foist," he croaked. Josh started to giggle. Dink clapped a hand over his mouth. Ruth Rose slid the stamp out of the envelope. "See, there's the upside-down airplane," Dink heard her say. Otto Bird snatched the stamp out of Ruth Rose's fingers. With his other hand, he whipped out a magnifying glass. The man examined the stamp through bulging eyes. Then he smirked. "Dis is da one," he said.

Ruth Rose smiled sweetly. "The money, please," she said. Doris Duncan dropped five one-hundred-dollar bills into Ruth Rose's hand. In the office, Dink and Josh high-fived. Ruth Rose counted the money. Out loud. When she finished, she looked at Doris Duncan and Otto Bird. Then she hollered, "OKAY, OFFICER FALLON!" The man snoozing by the door stood up. "Don't move, you two!" Officer Fallon said. "You're under arrest for theft and mail fraud!"