front of me, I imagined as the Red Arrow. Officer Olaf. Chief Gomez. Even Hattie, the kindly longtime receptionist at the Bayport Police Department.
Clearly, I was losing it.
Joe and I were almost immediately ushered into Chief Gomez’s office as Pett and Seth were led into a different room.
He didn’t exactly look thrilled to see us. But then, we rarely met on happy occasions.
“Boys,” he said, inclining his head and looking from Joe to me.
“Chief Gomez,” Joe said, “this is all a big misunderstanding.”
Gomez laughed. “Oh, sure. I’ve never heard that from you boys before.”
“It’s true,” I threw in. I didn’t actually expect him to believe me, but it was worth a shot. “We were just having a conversation with Pett and Seth when Officer Olaf showed up.”
Gomez rolled his eyes at me. “Just a conversation,” he said, deadpan. “At three o’clock in the morning. In a deserted part of town.”
“That reminds me,” Joe piped up, sitting a little straighter in his chair. “Who called in the noise complaint? There aren’t any houses anywhere near those woods.”
Chief Gomez’s expression turned hard, like he was tired of humoring us. “That’s classified information.” He leaned forward. “Listen, boys, I thought we had a deal.” He lowered his voice. “The Deal. Sound familiar?”
I looked at Joe. Time to get serious. “Of course it does, sir,” I said, putting on my best altar-boy face.
Gomez sighed, like he was just as tired as we were. “I’ve been hearing rumors that you boys are doing some investigative work around town,” he said. “That would be unfortunate, wouldn’t it? After we worked so hard to get the Deal in place.”
Joe leaned forward. “We haven’t been investigating, sir,” he said, “but we have been asking a few questions about the Red Arrow.”
Gomez looked at him. “The Red Arrow,” he repeated, no emotion in his voice.
“It’s a symbol we’ve seen a lot around town,” I said. “Somepeople seem to think it’s related to a . . . a curse, of sorts.”
Gomez looked at me hard, then cleared his throat. “Listen, boys,” he said, “I’m not thrilled about the Deal either. I want you boys to be safe, but you’ve contributed a lot to the town over the years, and I . . . well, I’ll admit it. Sometimes I miss your input on a case here or there.” He paused. “But I certainly don’t enjoy hearing that you boys are jeopardizing your future over some urban legend. Some ghost story teenagers tell each other at slumber parties.”
Joe shot me a nervous glance. “But what if . . . what if, without investigating, Frank and I stumbled on some information implying that the Red Arrow is very real?”
Chief Gomez looked from Joe to me, shaking his head. “I’d say great,” he said, lowering his voice and moving closer. “Care to tell me what it is? And how you got it?”
I looked at Joe, subtly swiping my hand across my neck. Cut it out. Catch-22. “No, sir,” I said.
“Listen.” Gomez smacked his meaty hand on the top of his desk. “I want this to end. I don’t want to be called into the station at three a.m. to give you this warning again.” He gave us another serious look. “Stop sniffing around. Follow the Deal. Don’t put your whole future in jeopardy.”
Just then the phone on his desk rang. The chief frowned at us as if to say Quiet! And then picked it up.
“Yes? . . . Okay. Okay. Yes, understood.”
He hung up the phone and gave us an insincere smile. “Boys, after consulting with your father, we have decided todrop all charges against you.” He leaned forward. “But you’d better stay out of trouble from now on. Understand?”
“Absolutely, sir,” I said, standing up. Phew! Fenton Hardy comes through again.
Chief Gomez led us out of his office, grabbing his jacket on the way out. “I’m going home to get some sleep,” he told us.
Sleep. Much as I’d struggled with it earlier that night, it
Clearly, I was losing it.
Joe and I were almost immediately ushered into Chief Gomez’s office as Pett and Seth were led into a different room.
He didn’t exactly look thrilled to see us. But then, we rarely met on happy occasions.
“Boys,” he said, inclining his head and looking from Joe to me.
“Chief Gomez,” Joe said, “this is all a big misunderstanding.”
Gomez laughed. “Oh, sure. I’ve never heard that from you boys before.”
“It’s true,” I threw in. I didn’t actually expect him to believe me, but it was worth a shot. “We were just having a conversation with Pett and Seth when Officer Olaf showed up.”
Gomez rolled his eyes at me. “Just a conversation,” he said, deadpan. “At three o’clock in the morning. In a deserted part of town.”
“That reminds me,” Joe piped up, sitting a little straighter in his chair. “Who called in the noise complaint? There aren’t any houses anywhere near those woods.”
Chief Gomez’s expression turned hard, like he was tired of humoring us. “That’s classified information.” He leaned forward. “Listen, boys, I thought we had a deal.” He lowered his voice. “The Deal. Sound familiar?”
I looked at Joe. Time to get serious. “Of course it does, sir,” I said, putting on my best altar-boy face.
Gomez sighed, like he was just as tired as we were. “I’ve been hearing rumors that you boys are doing some investigative work around town,” he said. “That would be unfortunate, wouldn’t it? After we worked so hard to get the Deal in place.”
Joe leaned forward. “We haven’t been investigating, sir,” he said, “but we have been asking a few questions about the Red Arrow.”
Gomez looked at him. “The Red Arrow,” he repeated, no emotion in his voice.
“It’s a symbol we’ve seen a lot around town,” I said. “Somepeople seem to think it’s related to a . . . a curse, of sorts.”
Gomez looked at me hard, then cleared his throat. “Listen, boys,” he said, “I’m not thrilled about the Deal either. I want you boys to be safe, but you’ve contributed a lot to the town over the years, and I . . . well, I’ll admit it. Sometimes I miss your input on a case here or there.” He paused. “But I certainly don’t enjoy hearing that you boys are jeopardizing your future over some urban legend. Some ghost story teenagers tell each other at slumber parties.”
Joe shot me a nervous glance. “But what if . . . what if, without investigating, Frank and I stumbled on some information implying that the Red Arrow is very real?”
Chief Gomez looked from Joe to me, shaking his head. “I’d say great,” he said, lowering his voice and moving closer. “Care to tell me what it is? And how you got it?”
I looked at Joe, subtly swiping my hand across my neck. Cut it out. Catch-22. “No, sir,” I said.
“Listen.” Gomez smacked his meaty hand on the top of his desk. “I want this to end. I don’t want to be called into the station at three a.m. to give you this warning again.” He gave us another serious look. “Stop sniffing around. Follow the Deal. Don’t put your whole future in jeopardy.”
Just then the phone on his desk rang. The chief frowned at us as if to say Quiet! And then picked it up.
“Yes? . . . Okay. Okay. Yes, understood.”
He hung up the phone and gave us an insincere smile. “Boys, after consulting with your father, we have decided todrop all charges against you.” He leaned forward. “But you’d better stay out of trouble from now on. Understand?”
“Absolutely, sir,” I said, standing up. Phew! Fenton Hardy comes through again.
Chief Gomez led us out of his office, grabbing his jacket on the way out. “I’m going home to get some sleep,” he told us.
Sleep. Much as I’d struggled with it earlier that night, it
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