Amos and the Chameleon Caper (3 page)

Dunc glanced back over his shoulder. “Did you say something, Amos?”

“Don’t pay any attention to me. You two supersleuths go right ahead and work on your case. I’ve got some investigating of my own to do—in the kitchen.”

Amos was dreaming.

A monster cab with hairy eyebrows and huge, pointed teeth was chasing him down the sidewalk, chewing up everything in its path. It was coming closer and closer, when suddenly Amos tripped over someone’s grandmother. She stared at him with big, black binoculars, and when she had him in focus she started beating him with her walking stick.

“Amos, wake up.” Dunc shook him again.

Amos grabbed his arm. “Save me, Dunc! She’s killing me!”

“What are you talking about, Amos? Tiffany’s been knocking on your door for the last ten minutes. She finally asked me to come in here and get you. Why didn’t you answer her?”

Amos let go and looked around the room. “There was this grandma with binocular eyes who was …”

Dunc pulled the curtains open. “I warned you not to eat that whole gallon of ice cream on top of that footlong bologna and Swiss.” He moved to the telescope Tiffany had set up the night before and scanned the windows of the apartment across the courtyard.

Amos rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Did you guys ever see anything last night?”

“Both women were in the apartment. So we know the older lady is definitely staying there. What we don’t know is why they’re trying to keep it a secret.”

Amos leaned back. “So, what do you and my cousin have planned today—another fun-filled morning of invading other people’s privacy?”

“No, that’s why Tiffany was trying to wake you up. She has a surprise for you.”

“Really?” Amos swung his legs over the side of the bed. “What is it?”

“I’m not sure you’re gonna like it.”

“Of course he is.” Tiffany pushed the door open and stuck her head through. “But if you don’t hurry, we’re going to be late.”

“For what?”

“I have karate class today, so I called and asked permission for you to come down and show us some moves. The instructor thought it was a great idea.”

Amos lay back on the bed. “I don’t think I feel so good.” He looked to Dunc for help.

Dunc shrugged. “How hard can it be?”

“Try to hurry, Amos. The class will be waiting.” Tiffany pulled the door shut.

“You were a big help.” Amos scowled. “Now what am I going to do?”

Dunc focused the telescope. “The redhead is going out again. I wish you hadn’t got us mixed up in this martial arts junk. Now we can’t follow her.”

“Would you quit worrying about other people? We have a problem here.”

Dunc put the cap on the telescope. “I don’t know what you’re so worried about. You’ve seen hundreds of ninja movies. Just fake it and give them a good show. They won’t know the difference.”

“You think?”

Dunc nodded. “If you live through it, you’ll have them in the palm of your hand.”

“I think I’ve changed my mind.”

Dunc peeked out through the dressing room door. “You can’t change your mind, Amos. There are people out there waiting for you.”

“Let them wait. I look like I’m wearing my dad’s pajamas.”

The instructor had loaned Amos his own extra
gi
—along with his black belt.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” Amos held up the cloth belt. “It must be six feet long.”

“You wrap it around your waist and tie it off somehow.”

Amos wrapped … and wrapped … and wrapped. “Now what?” He had a couple of feet left over.

“I don’t know, but you better do something quick. The instructor is coming this way.”

Amos stuffed the end of the belt down the back of his pants and headed out the door.

The instructor gave him a strange look. “Is there a problem?”

“Well, actually—” Amos started.

“No problem,” Dunc interrupted. “Amos here just needed some time to meditate. It’s the most important part of the program.”

“Of course.” The instructor led the way to the front of the hall.

When Amos stepped on the mat, the room exploded. Everyone jumped to their feet and bowed. Amos hesitated and then bowed back.

A smile crawled across his face. He stepped off the mat and everyone sat down. Quickly he jumped back on the
mat. Everyone scrambled to their feet again and bowed.

He would have tried it a third time, but Dunc grabbed his arm and pulled him to the floor.

“Students, we are honored today by the presence of someone who has knowledge of the ancient art of …” The instructor looked at Amos.

“Jim Gots Yu.”

“Yes, well, I’d like you to give him your full attention.”

Amos jumped on the mat before Dunc could stop him. When the class was finished bowing, Amos bent from the waist and bowed back grandly with one hand in the air, then strode to the center of the mat.

The room was silent. Amos threw his shoulders back, hooked his thumbs in his belt and began, “My honorable teacher, the great … Meow Say Tongue, made me promise that I would never show these sacred moves to anyone except the truly dedicated.” His eyes narrowed and he
looked into each face around the room. “If there are those among you who are not true believers, I have no choice but to ask you to leave.”

Dunc rolled his eyes.

No one left.

“Please watch carefully.” Amos kicked forward with his right leg. Then he kicked backward. Then he jumped around in a circle. “All right, class. Now it’s your turn.”

Amos walked around, rubbing his hands together and watching. “Put your right foot in, put your right foot out, put your right foot in and shake it all about.…”

“Oh brother,” Dunc muttered under his breath. “He’s got them doing the Hokey Pokey.”

Dunc was waiting outside the dressing room when Amos finally came through the door. “What took you so long?”

“Autographs. I could hardly get away, they’re all so crazy about me.”

Dunc shook his head. “You’re amazing, Amos.”

“I know. Sometimes I even amaze myself. Who would have thought that I had this incredible ability? I’m thinking of starting my own studio when we get home.”

Dunc looked at him. “Amos, you made the whole thing up.”

“What did he make up?” Tiffany walked up behind them.

Amos coughed. “It’s not important. Do you want me to call a cab?”

Tiffany followed him out to the sidewalk. “It’s a nice day. Why don’t we walk?”

Dunc saw a powder-blue Cadillac whip into a parking spot up the street. His eyes widened. “Everybody act casual.”

Amos looked around. “What’s the matter?”

“It’s them. The man and woman from apartment thirty-five-B.”

They watched the redhead go into a department store with a sign above the door that said
BERTINELLY’S FINE CLOTHES AND JEWELRY
.

Amos made a face. “It’s a free country, you know. Going shopping wasn’t a crime last time I checked.”

“Amos is right.” Tiffany moved down the sidewalk. “It’s a free country. Let’s follow her and see what she’s up to.”

Amos groaned. “It isn’t fair. One Sherlock
Holmes is enough for anybody. Why do I have to get stuck with two of them?”

Dunc pulled him down the street. “Come on, Amos. We might be missing something.”

“You’re breaking my heart.”

When they got to the door, Tiffany stopped. “We need a plan. I know—if anyone asks, we’re looking for a gift for my mother’s birthday.”

Dunc and Amos nodded and followed her inside. The store obviously catered to the more affluent people in town. The floors were carpeted, and glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

A saleswoman met them just inside the door. “May I help you—children?” She put her nose in the air.

Amos spoke first. “We’re buying a gift.”

“Ahhh.” The woman seemed bored.

“It’s for our great-aunt Gertrude—rest her soul.”

The woman looked at him. “You’re buying a present for a dead person?”

“Have you got a problem with that?”

“Well, I … no, of course not.”

“Good.” Amos moved to the jewelry counter. “Because she likes diamonds—big diamonds.”

The woman led Amos to a glass showcase. Tiffany and Dunc pretended to look at the cashmere sweaters a few feet away. The redhead wasn’t anywhere in sight.

From the back dressing room an elderly woman with bright green eyes tottered by, carrying a large alligator bag.

They watched her go out the door, get into the blue cadillac, and drive off.

A frantic saleswoman ran up to the counter. “Call the police! Someone just stole several expensive outfits and a diamond necklace!”

The clerk behind the counter dialed the number. “Do you have a description of the thief?”

The saleswoman seemed confused. “A nice-looking woman with long red hair went in to try on some clothes. She was in there such a long time I went to check on her. But when I opened the door, she had completely disappeared.”

Dunc grabbed Amos. “We better go now.”

“But what about Great-aunt Gertrude?”

“Amos.”

“I’m coming.”

“It has to be. How else could they have done it?” Dunc studied the window across the courtyard. “Don’t you think it’s strange that we never see the two women together?”

“I think you’re out of your mind,” Amos muttered. “We’ve been watching that window for days. If there was anything going on, we’d know it.”

“I’m telling you, Amos. The older lady and the redhead are the same person. They have to be.”

“I’ve got it.” Tiffany burst in the door. “The librarian was very helpful. I only
had to go back a few copies to one of last year’s papers. Listen: ‘Police have arrived at a dead end in their search for a cunning thief who is seemingly able to change identities at will. This ability has earned her the nickname Chameleon. She is wanted in five states for grand theft and fraud. This woman is a master of disguise and could even be your next-door neighbor. If you have any information as to her whereabouts, notify the authorities immediately.’ ”

“Well, I guess that takes care of that,” Amos said. “If you think the redhead is the Chameleon, call the police and let them take care of it.”

Dunc adjusted the telescope. “We’re going to do that, Amos. Just as soon as we have some solid proof to give them.” He looked at Tiffany. “Did you get it?”