Read Encyclopedia Brown Keeps the Peace Online
Authors: Donald J. Sobol
Encyclopedia Brown Keeps the Peace (5 page)
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Mr. Bevan told them it was upstairs in his wife’s jewelry case. He wanted time to hide the ring. As the men started upstairs, one of them hit him on the head with a gun.
“That’s all Mr. Bevan can tell me,” said Chief Moore. “I spoke with him this morning in the hospital. He can’t remember a thing that happened between the time he was hit and the moment he woke up in the hospital.”
“Did the two thieves steal Mrs. Bevan’s jewels ?” asked Chief Brown.
“Yes, but Mrs. Bevan says the whole lot isn’t worth half of the diamond ring.”
“Is there any clue to prove that Mr. Bevan, after he was hit on the head, hid the diamond ring so the thieves couldn’t find it?” said Chief Brown.
“This typewritten note,” said Chief Moore, taking a sheet of paper from his pocket. He showed it to Chief Brown and Encyclopedia. It read:
“Two men tried to steal the diamond ring. They hunted all over the house, raving about like madmen. They even split open the cat! When all failed, they beat me, but I didn’t tell and so they hunted a little while longer. I may be dying. I hid the ring in the vane.”
“If I understand the case so far,” said Chief Brown, “Mr. Bevan wrote the note to his wife while the thieves searched the house. He feared he was dying from the beating and might not live to tell where he hid the diamond.”
“Correct,” said Chief Moore. “He must have put the note in a drawer of the desk after the thieves had searched it. Now he can’t remember anything. He can’t recall hiding the diamond ring or typing the note.”
“Who found him?” asked Chief Brown.
“His wife—when she returned from the movie,” said Chief Brown. “He was lying on the floor near the desk.”
“Did you look for the ring in the vane?” asked Chief Brown. “The note says he hid it there.”
“The only vane Mr. Bevan knows of is the weather vane on the roof,” said Chief Moore. “I took it down. The ring wasn’t inside it.”
“What about the cat?”
“That part is the biggest mystery,” said Chief Moore. “Why should thieves split open a cat, unless they thought the poor animal had swallowed the ring?”
Mrs. Bevan returned and found him lying on the floor near the desk.
“Did you find its body?” asked Chief Brown.
“No,” answered Chief Moore. “Mr. Bevan never owned a cat. I suppose a cat must have got into the house somehow, and the thieves took no chances. They looked into everything. Why, they tore the house apart. Come with me.”
He led Encyclopedia and Chief Brown down to the basement. It was in ruins. Everything was overturned. A large wooden barrel, or vat, had been split open. Wine from it spilled over the floor.
“This morning the rest of the house looked as bad,” said Chief Moore. Mrs. Bevan worked all day with the help of neighbors straightening up, »
“Perhaps the thieves did find the diamond ring,” said Chief Brown. “They might have typed the note themselves to throw us off their trail.”
“No, they didn‘t, Dad,” whispered Encyclopedia. “The diamond ring is hidden in—”
WHERE?
(Turn to page 93 for the solution to The Case of the Missing Ring.)
The Case of the Money-changer
Hector Conklin pushed a wheelbarrow full of old socks into the Brown Detective Agency. The socks clinked.
He put twenty-five cents on the gasoline can beside Encyclopedia. “I want to hire you in a hurry,” he said.
“What’s the problem?” asked Encyclopedia.
“I need change,” said Hector. He waved toward the socks. “They’re filled with pennies. I was on my way to put them in the bank when Red Slattery saw me. I had to pull in here.”
“Oh,” said Encyclopedia, understanding.
Red Slattery was a tough teenager. He went from neighborhood to neighborhood asking children to change a quarter for him. When he got all their money, he forgot to give them his quarter.
“If Red finds out what’s in the socks, I’m ruined,” wailed Hector. “The pennies are my life’s savings. I’ve got to give Red the slip!”
Encyclopedia considered the case.
He could make change for Hector and let him sneak through the house and out by the back door. But then he would be stuck with Red Slattery and a wheelbarrow full of pennies!
Hector peeked out the garage door. “Red’s down the block. He’s waiting for me to come out. I’m trapped like a dog!”
“Don’t panic,” said Encyclopedia, as much to himself as to Hector.
“You’ve got to get me out of here, quick!” cried Hector. “I don’t dare refuse to make change for Red. No one does. Bugs Meany tried last week and you know what happened.”
“I k-know,” said Encyclopedia unsteadily. “Bugs told Red to put a hat in his mouth. So Red emptied Bugs’s pockets and threw him into Mill Creek.”
“Somebody ought to tell a grownup about what Red is doing. But all the kids are scared stiff—like me,” said Hector disgustedly.
“That’s the answer!” exclaimed Encyclopedia. “We’ve got to have a grownup catch Red in the act! How much money is in the socks?”
“Fifteen dollars and eight cents,” answered Hector. “Red will get it all if we don’t move fast.”
“We will,” said Encyclopedia. “Follow me.”
He led Hector through the house, out the back door, across Mr. Colby’s yard, and to Mr. Link’s back door.
Mr. Link was an artist and worked at home. He was also a coin collector.
Encyclopedia told him about Red Slattery. Mr. Link agreed to watch Red’s money-changing trick.
Encyclopedia asked for a loan of seven dollars and nineteen cents. Hector would have to have money when Red asked for change, he explained.
“We’ll need one five-dollar bill, a one-dollar bill, one half-dollar, one quarter, four dimes, and four pennies,” said the boy sleuth.
After Mr. Link had left the living room to fetch the money, Hector said, “We could mark the bills. Then Red couldn’t deny he took the money.”
“No, Red might notice the marks and be scared off,” said Encyclopedia. “We’ll copy the numbers of the bills and dates of the coins on a sheet of paper.”
Mr. Link returned with the money. Encyclopedia copied the numbers and the dates. Then he had Hector empty his pockets. Mr. Link saw that Hector had no money of his own to help make change for Red.
“Now return to the garage the way we came,” Encyclopedia told Hector, “and then come back here by the sidewalk. Be sure you stop right in front of the house. Mr. Link must be able to see and hear everything Red says and does.”
“Glad to help,” said Hector. “What do you want change for?”
Hector grabbed the seven dollars and nineteen cents and raced out Mr. Link’s back door. A minute later Encyclopedia saw him approaching on the sidewalk.
Red’s voice called, “Hey, kid! Wait a second.”
Hector stopped in front of Mr. Link’s house.
“I need some change,” said Red, coming up.
“Glad to help,” said Hector. He took out Mr. Link’s money. “What do you want change for?”
At that moment Encyclopedia and Mr. Link took their gaze from the window. Mrs. Link had entered the room. “It’s time for lunch,” she said to Mr. Link.
“In a moment, dear,” replied Mr. Link. “In a moment!”
He and Encyclopedia turned from Mrs. Link and looked outside again. Red was walking away, grinning.
“We missed it!” thought Encyclopedia.
Mr. Link ran from the house. “Hold it, son,” he shouted.
Red stopped and turned around uneasily.
“Did you just take money from this boy?” demanded Mr. Link.
“I didn’t take anything,” retorted Red. “I got change.”
“Let’s see the money he gave you,” said Mr. Link.
Red glared. “I don’t have to show you anything, or tell you anything,” he said. “You’re no cop. I know my rights!”
“If I made change for you, where’s the money you gave me?” said Hector. He pulled his pockets inside out. “I don’t have a cent.”
Red pointed to a drain in the gutter near Hector.
“You dropped all the money I gave you down the drain, remember?” he said. “Clumsy of you, kid.”
Mr. Link turned to Encyclopedia worriedly.
“That could have happened while we both looked at my wife,” he said to Encyclopedia. “It will be Red’s word against Hector’s. Without using force to search Red, we can’t prove he stole the seven dollars and nineteen cents.”
“Oh, yes we can! ” said Encyclopedia.
HOW?
(Turn to page 94 for the solution to The Case of the Money-Changer.)
The Case of the Falling Woman
Encyclopedia was sitting in the Kimball living room after dinner when Sally suddenly clutched his arm.
“Listen,” she whispered. “Someone is outside the house.”
Encyclopedia also had heard the noise. He looked at the window. Since it was dark outside and light inside, the glass of the window acted as a mirror. He saw only the reflection of the living room.
“It could be one of those peeping Toms! ” said Sally. “I’ll fix him.” She reached for a heavy floor lamp.
“Don’t try it,” warned Encyclopedia. “He may be dangerous. Make believe you’re going to the bookcase. Switch off the lights as you pass the door.”
Sally did not understand. Nevertheless, she got up and switched off the lights.
Now the room was darker than the moonlit outdoors. Encyclopedia could see through the window.
A boy was standing under a sycamore tree. He held a camera.
“It’s Scott Curtis,” said Encyclopedia, opening the window.
Sally was horrified. “I nearly crowned him with a floor lamp!”
“You can catch a terrible headache snooping under the sycamores, Scott,” called Encyclopedia. “Come inside.”
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