Chapter 8

Chapter 8 "Well, you were right about one thing," Ruth Rose whispered to Josh. "Mr. Pinkowski does have big feet!" "Yeah, but they still don't look as big as those footprints we saw," Dink whispered back. The kids were hiding behind the bushes near Ron's Bait Shop. Ron was standing in his yard, rubbing a cloth over a small green rowboat. "Look at that boat!" Josh said. "It could be the one we saw out at the island!" "But I don't see any calamine lotion on him," Dink said. "And he's not scratching!"

Just then, a black car pulled into the driveway. Ron waved as a man in a dark suit stepped out of the car. The man waved back, then leaned into the car and pulled out a box. On its side were written four words: HAPPY HEART DOG FOOD! Josh gasped. "Do you see…" "Shhh!" whispered Ruth Rose. The kids watched as the man handed Ron the box. Ron turned and carried it into his shed. When Ron came out, he handed the box back to the stranger. The man put it on the seat of his car, then took out a checkbook. Quickly, he scribbled out a check and handed it to Ron. Finally, he climbed back in his car and drove away. "Check out the license plate!" Ruth Rose said. Dink read the plate, "B, E, N, T. BENT? What's that mean?" he asked.

"Who cares?" Josh said. "Mr. P just sold that guy a boxful of counterfeit money! Let's go tell Officer Fallon!" "Josh, that box could have been full of dog food," Dink said. "Dinkus, think!" Josh said. "Someone hid fake money in those same dog food boxes on Squaw Island. I say one of those two guys is the counterfeiter!" "Josh could be right," Ruth Rose pointed out. "But before we go see Officer Fallon, maybe we can find out who that other man is." "How?" Dink asked. "Let's ask at the gas station," Ruth Rose said. "Mr. Holly might know who drives a black car with BENT on the license plate." When the kids reached the gas station, Mr. Holly was nowhere in sight. Then Dink heard someone whistling. The tune was coming from under a banged-up red pickup truck. "Mr. Holly?" Dink said. "Is that you?" A round, grease-smudged face popped out from under the truck.

"Howdy," Mr. Holly said, grinning at the kids. "You got car trouble?" "Sort of," Ruth Rose said. "Do you know who owns a car with BENT on the license plate?" Mr. Holly stood up and wiped his hands on a rag. "Why, is the car bent?" he said, winking at Dink. Dink laughed. "No, but we need to find the driver," he said. "I found some money," Ruth Rose said. "We think it might be his." "Sounds like those new folks," Mr. Holly said, "Mr. and Mrs. Warden Bent. Few weeks ago, they rented a small house on Fox Lane. I put a set of spark plugs in that snazzy Lincoln of theirs." "Fox Lane!" Dink said, giving Josh a look. "That's over by the river!"

"Right-o," Mr. Holly said. "Nice view of the water. Now if you'll excuse me, this old truck needs my help!" The kids thanked Mr. Holly and left the gas station. "We know who the guy is now," Dink said, "but we still can't prove he or Mr. P is a counterfeiter." "But the box—" Josh started to say. "We don't know what was in it," Dink reminded him. "Right," Ruth Rose said. "Why don't we go to Mr. Bent's house and wait for him to come home? Maybe we can get a peek at the box when he goes in his house." "Okay, but let's be careful," Dink said. "I don't want to end up locked in that vault on Squaw Island!"