Case of the Time-Capsule Bandit Read online

  “AARGH!” it groaned.

  “Nice work!” Randi cried. “He’s down!”

  “Let’s get out of here!” D.C. yelled.

  Randi and D.C. bolted down the stairs and out of the house.

  They were only a few yards up the drive when Randi called out, “Wait! I can’t run any more! I’m starting to think this cat really does weigh fifty pounds,” she added, panting. “I’ll hide here in the woods while you go for help.”

  “But the ghost!”

  “If that was a ghost, you couldn’t have kicked him,” Randi noted. “Now take the phone out of my backpack. It gets reception at the end of the road. Run up there and call the sheriff.”

  “Are you nuts? Come with me!” D.C. urged her. “We’ll go see the sheriff when we get to town.”

  “And let the person in the cabin escape? Don’t you think the sheriff will want to know who was trespassing?’

  “Aside from us?” D.C. asked.

  “Go!” Randi ordered.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  For the next ten minutes, Randi waited and watched. But no one emerged from Toot McCarthy’s old cabin. She was starting to wonder if the person inside had been seriously injured by D.C.’s kick when Sheriff Ogle arrived, the siren on her police car wailing. She took out her gun, rushed to the cabin, and nudged the front door open with the toe of her shoe. Randi had to admit that the sheriff looked very professional from a distance. When she reappeared on the porch a few minutes later, Sheriff Ogle had put her gun back in its holster.

  Randi stepped out of the woods and the sheriff shrieked.

  “What were you doing back there, Miranda Rhodes?” she gasped with one hand over her heart. “You gave me the scare of a lifetime! I just came within a hair of soiling my uniform!”

  “Sorry, Sheriff. Did you find the trespasser?” Randi asked. “Who was it?”

  Sheriff Ogle shook her head. “There’s no one inside the cabin. I checked every room.”

  “But that’s not possible! I’ve been watching the whole time, and no one’s come out.”

  The sheriff shrugged. “There’s a reason people say the Holler is haunted. Now, you want to tell me what you and the Cruz boy were doing snooping around in Toot’s cabin?”

  “D.C. and I saw the missing cat sneak inside, so we went in to get him.”

  The sheriff reached out to pet the feline in Randi’s arms. “Is that Pumpkin? I hardly recognized him. Poor thing looks like he needs a good bath. But little Molly Dunkin sure is gonna be glad to see him!”

  “What’s this stuff Pumpkin’s got on him?” Randi asked. “It sparkles in the light. Do you think it might be gold?”

  The sheriff laughed. “There’s no gold in this part of the Smokies. That cat’s covered in mica.”

  “Mica?”

  “It’s a shiny, flaky kind of mineral. Break open any rock and you’ll find it. These hills are full of mica. They used to mine it round here. Now, why don’t you ride back with me to town? Your friend’s worried to death about you. And we can call the Dunkins and have them come to the station to pick up their cat.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  When they arrived, the police station was empty except for D.C. and Mayor Landers. D.C. was sitting on a wooden bench, looking miserable, while the mayor paced the room.

  “What are you doing here, Cameron?” the sheriff asked, but the mayor didn’t bother to answer. He stomped straight up to Randi instead.

  “I’ve got a good mind to call your parents, young lady,” Cameron Landers announced. He wasn’t very handsome when he was angry, Randi observed. His face was bright red, and a big blue vein on his forehead appeared to be throbbing.

  “Now, Mayor, I don’t think it will be necessary to get Miss Rhodes or Mr. Cruz in trouble this evening,” Sheriff Ogle said, trying her best to soothe him.

  “You two kids had no business trespassing on that land and wasting valuable police time!”

  “They weren’t doing anything the rest of us haven’t done,” Sheriff Ogle reminded the mayor. “I seem to recall that you and I went ghost hunting a few times back in the day.”

  “We weren’t looking for the ghost, ma’am,” D.C. said. “We were just trying to rescue the cat.”

  “This town’s in serious trouble, and you call the sheriff out to Rock Hollow to help you rescue the Dunkin family’s fat pet?” the mayor scoffed.

  “Calm down, Cam,” the sheriff ordered. Randi could tell that she was finally getting annoyed. “I was only out there for five minutes.”

  “Five minutes you could have spent searching for our capsule! I come down here to the station to give you important news and I find out you’re hunting for lost cats.”

  “Well, I’m here now, aren’t I? What’s the big news?”

  “I’ve just come from a town council meeting. It’s been decided. If that capsule isn’t recovered by midnight tomorrow, we’re going to postpone the whole festival.”

  “But you said I’d have seventy-two hours! It’s only been twenty-nine!”

  “If you’d done your job, you wouldn’t have needed two hours, Sheriff! Everyone knows where the capsule is. Now, if you don’t go up to Angus’s house and get it, I’ll do it myself!”

  The mayor stomped toward the door of the station, the soles of his books sticking a bit to the linoleum. He was halfway out the door when he turned and pointed a finger at Randi.

  “And you two stay away from Rock Hollow! That whole place is dangerous, and the last thing we need is to waste time rescuing a couple of grade-school troublemakers.”

  The door slammed shut and stayed closed for less than five seconds before a little girl rushed in.

  “Pumpkin!” she screeched, lifting the massive cat out of Randi’s arms.

  “You must be Molly Dunkin,” Randi noted.

  “And this is her mother, Kate Dunkin,” the sheriff said, nodding toward a blond woman who had followed Molly into the station.

  “Thank you two so much for finding our cat!” Kate Dunkin said in a British accent. She leaned in closer to Randi and D.C. and spoke in a whisper. “I was a bit worried he was gone for good this time. My husband and I own the River View Hotel, and Pumpkin likes to hide out in our guests’ cars. That’s why we’ve had to keep him on the leash. But about a week ago he got loose again somehow. Where did you find him?”

  “Rock Hollow.”

  Kate Dunkin shook her head in exasperation. “He must have hitched a ride in someone’s vehicle. Pumpkin’s too lazy to go that far on his own. Looks like he survived quite well in the wild, though. He’s as fat as ever.”

  “He’s pretty hefty, that’s for sure,” Randi said. Her back ached from holding him. “But he definitely doesn’t weigh fifty pounds anymore.”

  Kate Dunkin gave Randi a funny look and then broke into laughter. “He never weighed fifty pounds. Fifty pounds is the reward I offered for Pumpkin’s return! Pounds are British money. I’m afraid I’ve lived in Tennessee for twenty-five years, but I still have a hard time thinking in dollars and cents. And I was so distressed the day Pumpkin disappeared. Here . . .” She handed a fifty-dollar bill to Randi and another to D.C. “I’m not sure what the exchange rate is these days. I think this should cover it, don’t you?”

  “Yeah!” D.C. shouted with glee.

  Randi was speechless. She’d solved dozens of cases, but the money in her hand made it official. She was now a professional detective—and she couldn’t wait to tell her dad.

  * * *

  Go to Appendix E to complete the Ninja Task!

  * * *

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  * * *

  NOWHERE TO GO

  Randi and D.C. stepped out of the police station and were nearly flattened by a kid riding a bike down the sidewalk at full speed.

  “Sorry!” the boy called out, but he didn’t stop. He seemed to be chasing a black SUV that had just disappeared around a corner, heading for the park at the center of town.

  “That’s the Boston kid. The one whose d
ad has been hanging out with Dean Sutton.”

  “Nice bike,” D.C. noted, and Randi had to agree. The silver bicycle was brand-new, with thick, all-terrain wheels. “Where’s he going?”

  “No clue,” Randi said. “Let’s find out.”

  Randi and D.C. jumped on their own bikes and set off in pursuit. The chase ended when they turned a corner and found the street and sidewalk blocked by a crowd that had gathered outside the town hall. The citizens of Deer Creek had caught the mayor on the way back to his office.

  “Is it true you’re postponing the festival?” someone asked in disbelief.

  “If the time capsule isn’t found by midnight tomorrow, we don’t have any choice,” the mayor responded.

  “But the bunting and the ribbons,” someone else moaned. “What will we do with all of the bunting and the ribbons?”

  “Bunting’s the least of my problems,” Betty Prufrock pointed out. “You postpone the festival and Dean Sutton’s going to own my ice cream parlor in less than a week!”

  “I’m sorry, Betty,” Mayor Landers responded. “But I’ve done everything I can do. If you want to save the festival, I suggest you have a word with the sheriff and convince her to do her job!”

  The mayor charged up the stairs and into the town hall, leaving an angry crowd in his wake. Without the festival, there would be no presidential visit. And that meant no tourists—and no money. The people of Deer Creek could lose their businesses, or worse, their homes.

  “This isn’t good,” D.C. said. Randi knew from his expression that he was thinking about the apple orchard. “My mom’s going to be pretty upset when she hears. I guess I better get home.”

  “Yeah, me too,” Randi agreed. “I’ll meet you at the hideout tomorrow at nine a.m.”

  “No, I’ll come to your house this time,” D.C. insisted. “I don’t think my mom’s gonna be in the mood for company.”

  Randi heard a faint wheeze when her friend inhaled, and she knew the stress must be aggravating his asthma. “Don’t worry, D.C. You’re not going to lose the orchard,” she tried to assure him. “We’ll find the time capsule before midnight tomorrow.”

  “I know,” D.C. said with a smile, but Randi could see that he wasn’t convinced.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  By the time Randi arrived home, the dinner table had been set. Uh-oh. Not a good sign. She checked the clock on the kitchen stove and grimaced when she saw it was already six thirty. An angry voice was coming from her dad’s office, and Randi crept down the hall to investigate.

  “I’ve tried calling, but she won’t answer the phone. This isn’t like my daughter at all,” Herb grumbled.

  Oh yeah? thought Randi. How would you know?

  “First she shows up an hour late for lunch; then she storms out and doesn’t check in,” Herb continued. “I just . . . I just don’t know what’s gotten into her, Mei-Ling.”

  “She’s upset, Herb. Her whole life has changed. You should give her a little more time to get used to things,” Mei-Ling replied. Randi was surprised to hear the woman pleading her case.

  “What I should do is ground her,” Herb Rhodes replied.

  Randi had to think fast. She still had a bone or two to pick with her father, but nothing could get in the way of her investigation. The capsule had to be found or D.C.’s mom might lose the orchard. She couldn’t afford to be grounded. Not tonight.

  Give him what he wants. Be who he wants you to be—a silly, stupid little kid.

  Randi tiptoed back to the front door and reentered the house, calling out cheerfully, “Dad! I’m home.”

  Here goes. She heard Herb stomping down the hall and held her breath. Oh no, Randi thought when her father walked into the kitchen with his armed folded across his chest. Grounded for sure.

  “You know we have dinner at six o’clock. Where have you been, young lady?”

  “Sorry, Dad. I should have checked in. It’s just that D.C. and I were having so much fun that I lost track of time!” she explained in a bubbly voice. “We found that lost cat. You know the fat one whose picture is on those flyers around town?” She pulled the fifty-dollar bill out of her pocket and waved it in the air. “We got a reward and everything!”

  Herb let his arms fall to his sides. “Who’s D.C.?” he asked.

  Whew. Randi exhaled. “He’s a kid I met yesterday. His mom owns the Guyton Orchards now. We started a club!”

  Herb cracked a smile. Since her mom died, he’d been after her to spend more time with kids her age, and she could tell he was pleased that she’d made a new friend. When he forced his smile into a frown, Randi knew what it meant. He wasn’t mad anymore, but he didn’t want her to think he was letting her off easy.

  “Let’s try to be more responsible from now on. Mei-Ling had to set the table tonight, and that’s supposed to be one of your chores. If you want to be treated with respect, you first have to earn it. Understand?” he asked. Randi nodded humbly. “Okay then. Let’s enjoy dinner. Mei-Ling made an amazing meal for us.”

  Crisis averted, Randi thought as Herb helped himself to catfish dumplings.

  “You know,” Herb said as he spooned sauce onto a dumpling, “I’ve been researching the Miss Catfish contest. I don’t think it would be so terrible if you entered.”

  That’s how you’ve been spending your time while I’ve been trying to save the town? Randi wanted to ask, but she knew better than to smart off. Even Mei-Ling was keeping her eyes glued to her own plate, making sure no one asked her to weigh in on the subject.

  “Entering the pageant’s too risky,” Randi replied with a mouthful of dumpling.

  “Risky?”

  “What if I won? They’d make me wear that stupid catfish hat.”

  “It’s a crown, honey,” Herb corrected her.

  “Whatever,” Randi said. The subject was making it difficult to keep up her silly, stupid little kid routine. “I’m not entering a beauty pageant. I don’t care if people think I’m pretty or not.”

  “It’s not about being pretty,” her dad argued. “The pageant’s a tradition. It’s a way of showing that you’re proud of your town. Don’t you want to show everyone that you’re happy to call Deer Creek home?”

  “I’m not,” Randi mumbled as she pushed the food around on her plate.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I said I’ll think about it, Dad.”

  “Really?” Herb asked hopefully.

  “No,” said Randi, deciding it was time to turn the tables. “By the way, did you ever call your editor back? Did you find out what he wanted?”

  “Yes.”

  Randi’s face lit up. “Really, Dad?”

  “No,” Herb admitted with a mischievous smile. “I haven’t had time.”

  “Come on, Dad!” Randi said with a groan. “You’ve had plenty of time! Don’t you think you should start writing again before you forget how to do it?”

  “I’m too busy helping you settle in. Which is why I think the pageant—”

  “There might not even be a pageant this year,” Randi said, cutting him off. “The mayor’s going to postpone the Founders’ Day Festival if somebody doesn’t find the capsule by midnight tomorrow.”

  Herb Rhodes stopped eating long enough to study his daughter’s face. “I hope you don’t think you’re going to be that somebody, Miranda. I don’t want you poking around in places you don’t belong. It’s too dangerous.” Herb picked up his fork and took a big bite. “By the way, these fish dumplings are delicious, Mei-Ling.”

  “It’s all in the spices.” Mei-Ling beamed. “How’re your dumplings, Miranda?”

  “Fine,” replied Randi coolly. Herb shot her a stern look.

  “Hey, Dad,” said Randi. “I saw Sheriff Ogle this morning, and she told me the story about the founders’ treasure. How come you never mentioned it before?”

  “It’s just a legend, hon. No one really believes it exists. Though I do remember searching for it a few times when I was about your age.”

  “D’yo
u ever find anything?” asked Randi.

  “Sure did. It was on one of those hunts that I discovered your mother,” Herb said. “She was the greatest treasure of all.” He stopped and cleared his throat. “Listen, kiddo. I know you’re upset about what happened this afternoon, but I’m just trying to do what’s best for our family. . . .”

  “So hold a sec—you’re saying that a person should do what’s best for the group even if it might upset a person she loves. Is that right?”

  Herb pondered the question. “There’s an old saying: The needs of the many outweigh the desires of the few. I suppose I agree with that way of looking at things. Unless the few happen to be your parents.” He ended with a hearty chuckle.

  It’s just a big joke to you, Randi thought. Let’s see if you’re still laughing tomorrow.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  Randi woke at seven a.m. after a restless night of sleep. She’d tossed and turned for hours, worried she wouldn’t be able to locate the time capsule by midnight. What would Glenn Street do? Randi rolled out of bed, and a bright yellow book on the night table caught her eye. It was a Mandarin Chinese dictionary with a note attached that read: For mae mae. Love, Mei-Ling. Randi was certain the book hadn’t been there the night before, which meant Mei-Ling must have placed it on the table after Randi had fallen asleep. Had Mei-Ling checked on her like she was a baby? She’s got a lot of nerve, Randi thought.

  She opened her bedroom curtains to let the morning light in. On the front lawn below her window, a figure wearing black silk pajamas was practicing what looked like the ancient martial art of Tai Chi. Randi watched Mei-Ling’s graceful movements. Her entire body seemed to flow from one position to the next, as if she were made of water.

  Randi picked up the note Mei-Ling had left her during the night and stared at it again. Mae mae. What did it mean? Her curiosity got the best of her, and she flipped through the dictionary until she’d pieced together the phrase.