Bad News Bob and The Mean Machine

Chapter 35

             It appeared that things were pretty much under control.  We had captured the crooks, but prepared ourselves for a counter attack just in case they were able to free themselves from the tall heap of garbage that held them prisoner.  We were also waiting patiently for Buster to bring back the police.  And my mom was starting to come out of it.  She stood up and looked at us with a sort of half smile on her face. 

            "Is everything all right, kids?" she asked. 

            Kelli put her arm around Mom and told her that everything was terrific.  She also explained what we had done and that "Pussy Cat" (meaning Bob) was a hero.  Mom started to wake up and looked below at the garbage on the street.  It was pretty difficult for her to understand how we had managed to get the two crooks under that pile below her, but she soon understood what had happened over the past few minutes.  She looked very relieved that we were finally free and safe from those two.

             A few minutes later Buster came running back into the building and told us that he had found a pay phone and called the police.  They were on their way.  All five of us, including Mom, cheered and started to hug each other.  Bob, Buster, and I realized that we were guys and guys weren't suppose to hug each other, but what the heck, because of all we had been through, we didn't care. 

            I think that Buster had formed a new sense of respect for Bob.  He shook his hand thanking him for his quick thinking and heroic performance.  I really think those two would finally get along after this.

            It seemed like this was the perfect ending to a great story as a police car slowly pulled up behind the smelly, heap of trash.  Two officers quickly got out of their squad car.  Buster, Bob, and I ran down the stairs to greet them and tell our story.  Kelli remained with my mom and Pierre.

             Once we reached the police, we were so excited that all three of us started talking at the same time.  It was difficult for anyone to understand what had happened, so one of the policemen told us to calm down.

             He said, "Easy, kids.  One at a time." 

            Then he pointed to me to explain what had happened.  As I began to tell my story there was a movement in the trash heap behind us.  A hand rose from under all the trash and tried to make a clearing by pushing smelly garbage out of its way.  It looked a little like "Thing" from the "Addams Family."  The two police saw what was happening and ran to help the two people we had trapped under the pile.

            It took them a few minutes to dig out Gus and Percival.  Those two were covered from head to toe with everything from rotten banana peels, to sticky shredded paper.  Thank goodness they were down wind from us because the smell was gross.

             Still shocked because they had been buried alive by garbage, Percival and Gus remained silent.  The officers led them away from the pile to sit on a nearby bench.  I couldn't understand why the police were so nice to these two.  We were shocked as Percival spoke in his elegant English accent about how we almost killed them.  He sighed as Gus stated that they were passing through town when they took a wrong turn and got lost.  Percival added that before he knew it, these young hoodlums (he pointed at us), attacked.

             "They ruined our car!" he cried and put his head down between his knees and pretended to sob. 

            I looked at Buster and Bob and put my finger down my throat making like I was ready to throw-up after hearing such a ridiculous story.

            "Those are the guys who robbed the jewelry store in town!" I shouted.  "They were the ones who thought we had their diamonds and had been chasing us." 

            "They even kidnapped Buster," Bob explained. 

            "OK, kid, then where are the diamonds?" asked the officer. 

            We all looked at each other and didn't know what to say.  We were right back where we were when we reported the fire two days ago.  The police didn't believe our story, and without any evidence, they couldn't arrest Gus and Percival.  Were they actually going to let these two go free?  What a horrible thought! 

           Suddenly, another squad car pulled up behind us.  And climbing out of the front seat was the police captain who had originally accused us of setting fire to the room in the cave.  I figured we were going to be in big trouble this time.  But to my surprise, coming out of the back seat of this police car, were my dad, and of all people, a man wearing a red school jacket, Mr. D.  The police captain asked his officers what had happened here.  They told their story and stated that these kids (meaning us) had attacked these two gentlemen (meaning Gus and Percival).  They also stated that the children had accused these gentlemen of stealing diamonds.

            "Without the diamonds, we have no grounds to hold these men," said one of the officers.  Percival and Gus rose, brushed themselves off and started walking in our direction.

             Suddenly, Mr. D. said, "Is this the proof you are looking for?" 

            He pulled out a handkerchief and opened it.  Wrapped inside were a few black stones. 

            "And just what are they?" asked Percival. 

            Mr. D. responded, "Why diamonds, of course." 

            "That's preposterous, everyone bloody well knows that diamonds aren't black," Percival said with a smile. 

            Mr. D. explained that my dad and he had gone back to the underground room after school that day.  As they were searching, he said a strange bright light appeared, hovered over something on the floor and then disappeared.  While searching that area, he thought that, maybe the police had been looking for clear, shiny diamonds and didn't notice these black stones hidden under the rubble made by the fire.  Then he rubbed the black off of one of the stones, and sure enough, it sparkled like a diamond. 

            "So you see, my good man, this is what you have been looking for," Mr. D. said with a smile. 

            My dad added, "We were at the police station trying to turn in these diamonds, when they got a phone call.  We thought it would be a good idea to accompany the good captain here, to help nail you two turkeys." 

            Percival looked shocked and suddenly reached for his gun.  He pulled it out, grabbed Buster, and held the gun to the poor kid's head.

            The police were stunned and didn't know what to do. 

            "Drop your weapons immediately, or this youngster gets it," he said. 

            The policemen looked at their captain.  He told them to do what Percival said.  He didn't want Buster to get hurt.  The police dropped their guns and Gus picked them up.  He also took the diamonds from Mr. D.  I felt so sorry that Buster was in a life-death situation.  Bob and I couldn't do anything to help him.  Even the police, who finally believed us, were helpless.

            Poor Buster turned as white as a ghost.  I hoped he wasn't going to pass out.  As two thieves tried to escape with Buster as their hostage, a strange thing happened.  Like a flash of lightning, Pierre ran up to Percival and bit him, hard, on the rear end.  Percival was startled.  He dropped his gun and released Buster.  Then a stranger thing happened: from out of nowhere, two large tires dropped down on top of Percival and Gus.  The center of the tires encircled the two men. They were unable to move because their arms were held down at their sides by the tires.  When I looked up, I saw Mom and "The Mean Machine" standing on the second floor of the building above us.  They were giving each other a high five.  Obviously, Mom was back to her normal self.

            The police collected the weapons, handcuffed Percival and Gus, and brought them to the police cars.  Mom and Kelli came running down the stairs.  Mom ran to Dad and hugged him, and Kelli did the same to Bob.  Pierre jumped on Buster, knocked him down, and was nipping and licking him happily.  I walked over to Mr. D., and what the heck, since there was so much hugging going on, I gave him a hug and thanked him for finding the missing diamonds. 

            As I looked around, I saw how happy everyone was.  The last few days had been unbelievable, and we had experienced enough "bad news" to last a lifetime.  But after everything that had happened, maybe our luck was finally changing!  I guess only time would tell.  

            But there were still too many unanswered questions:  Was there really a hidden treasure map in the old house on the edge of town, and why did the ghost of the Tory come to our aid when we were in trouble?    Why did it help Kelli and Mr. D. find us in the fiery room, and later, why did it lead Mr. D. to the missing diamonds?  Perhaps it thought we were all part of the English army because we always wore our red school jackets.  (Remember over two hundred years ago Tories were loyal to the English soldiers.  The Americans called them REDCOATS back then.)  Knowing my friend Bob, some day, he would be ready to take me on another one of his wild goose chases looking for answers to some of these questions, but hopefully, that wouldn't be for a long, long time!  

 THE END

Answer the following questions.

1.  What happened to Buster after the police arrived?

2.  Who found the diamonds.  Who led him to the place where they were hidden?

3.  How did Pierre save Buster?

4.  How did Kelli and Mom stop the crooks?

5.  Why weren't the diamonds destroyed?

6.  Why do you think the ghost of the Tory helped the boys and Mr. D.?