Elizabeth's San Antonio Sleuthing by Renae Brumbaugh

yelled, “Kate, Elizabeth! What are y’all doing up there? Come down and join us!”
    It was Gary, and his loud voice echoed on the buildings around them. To the left and the right, tourists turned to see who Elizabeth and Kate were. The Skipper and Gilligan turned, too. Elizabeth locked eyes with the Skipper and realized he recognized her.
    Just then, Gary spotted Uncle Dan, who was trying to wheel back into the hotel lobby. “Dan! Over here! I just spotted your niece and her friend. We’re going to rent a riverboat. Do all of you want to come?”
    Oh no. Did Gary just point out to the whole world… and to those men…that I’m Uncle Dan’s niece? That can’t be good
.
    All of a sudden, the Skipper’s face went white. His jaw clenched, and he seemed to realize he’d been duped. “Hey, you!” he called out to Uncle Dan.
    Without warning, Biscuit leaped from the low balcony and dashed straight for the Skipper! The little dog bared his teeth and growled.
    â€œWhy, you little mutt…,” the man said, kicking at Biscuit. The little dog backed up, but continued to growl.
    â€œHey!” Uncle Dan yelled, wheeling his chair around. “Cut it out!”
    The Skipper looked around at all the witnesses and took a deep breath. Rage flooded his eyes. But he pasted on a smile and said, “Sorry about that, folks. I get a little nervous when a dog bares his teeth at me.”
    By this time Kate and Elizabeth were on the ground, and Uncle Dan wheeled up beside Elizabeth. He didn’t say a word, just gave the Skipper a steely-eyed stare. Even in a wheelchair, Uncle Dan offered a powerful presence. He was a war veteran. A war hero. He’d faced things far more dangerous than a crooked riverboat owner.
    The Skipper held eye contact with Uncle Dan, then turned. “Well, folks, the show’s over. Now, who wants to go for a ride?”
    The line that had been forming dispersed, causing the captain more frustration. But he continued to stand there, smiling and nodding. “Come back another time,” he said weakly.
    About that time, Kate looked around. “Where’s Biscuit?” she asked.
    Elizabeth looked to the spot where Biscuit had stood moments earlier, but the little dog was nowhere in sight.
    â€œBiscuit?” Kate called. “Biscuit, where are you?” Her voice came out in a squeak.
    Elizabeth put her hand on Kate’s shoulder and said, “He was just here a minute ago. I’m sure he’s around here somewhere. The captain doesn’t have him, and—” She looked around for Gilligan. He was gone, too.
    Oh no! It can’t be! God, please don’t let that man have Biscuit! God, please keep Biscuit safe!
    Soon, everyone around was calling for the little dog. Even strangers were looking beneath restaurant tables and in shadowy corners, hoping for a sign of Biscuit.
    Elizabeth looked at Uncle Dan, who had his eye on the captain and his empty boat. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” she whispered.
    â€œIf you’re thinking we need to keep an eye on that man and his sidekick, then yes,” he said. “Do you have the recorder? Let’s go see if we got a good recording of the whole thing. Then we’ll come up with a plan to find Biscuit.”
    The recorder! In the excitement, had they left it on the table at the ice cream shop?
    â€œKate!” she called, scanning the crowd.
    She spotted Kate next to Gary, who was trying to calm her. “We’ll find him. There were too many people around for him to have just disappeared. Surely someone saw something!”
    Kate continued to look through the crowds. “That man took him. I know he did,” she told her youth minister.
    Gary looked confused. “That man? What man? What are you talking about?”
    Elizabeth interrupted their conversation. “Excuse me, Kate. I think that little recorder might lead us to Biscuit.