A to Z Mysteries: The Bald Bandit by Ron Roy and John Steven Gurney Page B

wandering around Green Lawn knocking on everyone’s doors?” asked Josh.
    “Come on, guys,” Ruth Rose said. “Think about it. What’s tonight?”
    Dink and Josh looked at each other.
    “Halloween!”

With black shoe polish in his hair and plastic fangs in his mouth, Dink looked like Dracula.
    His mom had made him a cape from an old black raincoat. He tied the cape around his neck just as the doorbell rang.
    A strange creature stood on his porch. The thing was wrapped in green cloth. Tufts of red hair poked out at the top. Large black high-tops stuck out at the bottom.
    “How do I look?” the thing asked.
    Dink took out his fangs and grinned. “Like some weird vegetable. Half carrot and half asparagus.”
    Josh shuffled inside the house.
    “You look pretty good, Dink. I like the blood dripping down your chin.”
    The bell dinged again. This time it was a miniature Elvis. Ruth Rose was wearing a white suit with sequins everywhere. She even carried a little guitar. Her Elvis wig made her look about two inches taller.
    Ruth Rose strummed her guitar and wiggled her hips.
    “Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen,” she said, taking a bow.
    “Come on in, Elvis,” Dink said. “We have to talk about Operation Redhead before we go trick-or-treating.”
    They sat at Dink’s kitchen table. A basket of candy stood waiting for the neighborhood kids.

    “Here’s my plan,” Dink said. “Every house we go to, we ask if anyone knows a skinny redheaded kid.”
    “That’s
my
plan!” Ruth Rose said.
    Dink grinned. “Oh, yeah, I forgot.”
    One of Ruth Rose’s black eyebrows was crooked. “We have to keep our eyes peeled. Check out tall kids trick-or-treating.”
    “Got it,” Dink said.
    “Anyone with red hair, we ask them if they took a video of the bank robber,” Ruth Rose went on.
    “Check,” Dink said. “Any other ideas?”
    “Yeah, I got a great idea,” Josh said. “Let’s stop talking and get moving!”
    Dink’s mother walked into the kitchen. She screamed and clutched her chest.
    “Oh, my goodness! Monsters in my kitchen!”
    Ruth Rose stood up. “I’m not a monster, Mrs. Duncan. I’m Elvis!”
    Dink’s mom adjusted Ruth Rose’s left eyebrow. “I know, honey. You make a great Elvis. But these other two!” She shuddered and made a terrified face.
    “We’re going now, Mom.” Dink fit the plastic fangs over his teeth. He handed Josh a paper bag and took one for himself.
    “Please be back in two hours,” his mother said. “Dad and I will have some cider and doughnuts for you.”
    The three kids each took a different street. They agreed to meet back at Dink’s house in about two hours.
    Dink headed down Woody Street. He looked at every tall kid in a costume, checking for red hair. But most of the kids out were shorter than him. Hecounted seventeen ghosts, twenty little witches, eight angels with floppy wings, and a zillion small furry animals.
    Dink rang Mrs. Davis’s doorbell. “Trick or treat!”
    “Oh, hello, Dink!” said Mrs. Davis. She dropped a small bag of candy kisses into his sack.
    “Have you seen any redheaded kids tonight?” Dink asked.
    “Redheads?” Mrs. Davis patted her white hair. “I’m afraid I don’t know anyone besides your friend Josh who has red hair.”
    Dink thanked Mrs. Davis for the candy and walked next door to old Mr. Kramer’s house.
    Mr. Kramer was a little deaf.
    “Do you know a skinny redhead?” asked Dink in a loud voice.
    Mr. Kramer turned one ear and leaned toward Dink. “What’s that yousay? A tinny red bed?”
    “A skinny red
head!”
Dink yelled even louder. He wished he had Ruth Rose with him. She was the only one loud enough for Mr. Kramer to hear.
    Mr. Kramer dropped a nickel in Dink’s bag and slammed the door. Dink sighed.
    He followed some ghosts to the next house on Woody Street.
    A gorilla opened the door when Dink rang the bell. It had a hairy chest and a huge mouth filled with yellow teeth.
    “Trick or treat!” said