Chapter 9

Chapter 9 The kids stepped outside Ellie's and saw Officer Fallon standing on the corner. "Hi, kids," he said. "What're you doing on such a nice day?" "Hi, Officer Fallon," Dink said. "Did Doc Henry call you about the break-in?" Officer Fallon pushed the "walk" button on a traffic light pole. He was carrying a small black case. "I was just heading over there with my

fingerprint kit," he said. "The doc told me about these disappearing falcons. But how are you kids involved?" Josh filled him in on how he'd been watching the falcons' nest. "When we went to look yesterday, the falcons were gone," Ruth Rose said. "And we think we know who did it!" Josh said. Interrupting each other, Josh and Ruth Rose explained how they thought Grace Lockwood was stealing falcons and training them to race. "Well, I don't think it's her," Dink said. Officer Fallon nodded slowly. "I tell you what," he said. "When we get there, let's just watch and listen." He smiled. "Maybe we'll all learn something." Officer Fallon and the kids walked into Doc Henry's outer office. Through the window, they could see him and Grace putting a cast on a dog's leg. "It would be neat to be a vet," Josh said. "You get to play with animals all day." "It's not play, Josh, it's hard work," Officer Fallon said. "Some vets get called out in the

middle of the night! Besides, I thought you wanted to be a bird artist." Josh grinned. "Couldn't I do both?" Doc Henry came out, wiping white plaster dust from his fingers. "Thanks for coming over," he said to Officer Fallon. "Come on, I'll show you what's left of my lock." The kids watched Grace lift the dog off the table. She carried him to a cage and gave him a dog cookie. "You guys are wrong about Grace," Dink whispered. "She really likes animals." "Lots of crooks like animals," Josh reminded Dink. Ruth Rose nudged them. "Come on. Let's go watch Officer Fallon get fingerprints." The problem was, there were none. Officer Fallon spread the dust, but no prints appeared. "Well, I guess he wiped the door or wore gloves," Officer Fallon said. "Or she wore gloves," Josh muttered. Dink remembered something else. "Mrs. Wong said there were tiny letters on the leg band," he said to the vet. "Did you read them?"

"I sure did, Dink. Come on inside and I'll show you." Officer Fallon and the kids crowded into the office. Grace Lockwood was filling out some papers at the desk. Josh stared at her until Dink gave him a little shove. "Hand me that leg band, would you, Grace?" the vet asked. Grace nodded and gave the band to Doc Henry. The vet picked up a magnifying glass from his

desk and handed it and the leg band to Dink. "Tell me what you see, young man." Dink peered at the band through the glass. "Letters and numbers," he said. "Can you read them?" "'GLKS-6-17,'" Dink read. He looked up. "What does it mean?" Doc Henry took the band and the glass. "The letters are a mystery to me, but the numbers may be dates," he said. "If I'm right, the numbers mean Flash was born on 6/17-June 17th." "Could the letters be the initials of the person who took Flash?" Josh asked. "That's good thinking," Doc Henry said. "Those letters could be initials. But whose?" "Without any fingerprints," Officer Fallon said, I'd say our thief has gotten away free as a bird!" Dink stole a look at Grace. Her name tag stood out against her white jacket. Maybe the GL on the leg band stood for Grace Lockwood! Dink gulped. Was Josh right? Was Grace Lockwood kidnapping falcons after all?