The Absent Author by Ron Roy

Chapter 1
    “Please, Josh,” Dink said. “If you come with me today, I’ll owe you one. Just name it.
Anything
!”
    Dink’s full name was Donald David Duncan. But no one in Green Lawn ever called him that. Except his mother, when she meant business.
    Josh Pinto grinned at his best friend.“Anything?” He raised his mischievous green eyes toward the ceiling of Dink’s bedroom. “Let’s see, what do you have that I want?” He scratched his head. “I know, I’ll take Loretta!”
    Dink tossed a pillow at Josh. “When I said
anything
, I meant anything but my guinea pig! Are you coming with me or not? I have to be at the Book Nook in fifteen minutes!”
    Dink rushed into the bathroom, tucking his shirt into his jeans at the same time. Josh followed him.
    Standing in front of the mirror, Dink yanked a brush through his thick blond hair. “Well?” he asked. “Are you coming with me?”
    “What’s so important about this writer guy?” Josh asked, sitting on the edge of the bathtub.
    Dink turned around and pointed his hairbrush. “Wallis Wallace isn’t justsome writer guy, Josh. He’s the most famous mystery writer in the world! All the kids read his books. Except for you.”
    “If he’s so famous, why’s he coming to dinky little Green Lawn?”
    Dink charged back into his bedroom. “I told you! He’s coming because I
invited
him. I’m scared to death to meet someone so famous. I don’t even know what you’re supposed to say to an author!”
    Dink dived under his bed and backed out again with his sneakers. “Please come with me?”
    Josh leaned in the bedroom doorway. “Sure I’ll come, you dope. I’m just trying to make you sweat. Usually you’re so calm!”
    Dink stared at his friend. “You will? Thanks! I can’t believe Wallis Wallace is really coming. When I wrote and askedhim, I never thought he’d say yes.”
    Dink yanked his backpack out of his closet. “Pack my books, okay? I’m getting Wallis Wallace to sign them all!”
    Josh began pulling Wallis Wallace books off Dink’s bookshelf. “Geez, how many do you have?”
    “Every one he’s written.” Dink sat on the floor to tie his sneakers. “Twenty-three so far. You should read some of them, Josh.”
    Josh picked out
The Poisoned Pond
and read the back cover. “Hey, cool! It says here that Wallis Wallace lives in a castle in Maine! Wouldn’t that be neat?”
    Dink grinned. “When I’m a famous writer you can live in my castle, Josh.”
    “No way. When I’m a famous
artist
, you can live in
my
castle. Down in the basement!”
    Josh picked up
The Riddle in the River
. “What’s this guy look like?” heasked. “And how come his picture isn’t on any of these books?”
    “I wondered about that, too,” Dink said. “I sent him one of my school pictures and asked for one of him. But when I got his letter, there was no picture.”
    He finished tying his laces. “Maybe Wallis Wallace just doesn’t like having his picture taken.”
    Josh squeezed all twenty-three books into Dink’s pack. He grinned at Dink. “Or maybe he’s just too ugly.”
    Dink laughed. “Gee, Josh,
you’re
ugly and you love having your picture taken.”
    “Haw, haw.” Josh picked up his drawing pad. “But just because you’re my best friend, I’ll draw his picture at the bookstore.”
    Dink looked at his watch. “Yikes!” he said. “We have to pick up Ruth Rosein one minute!” He tore into the bathroom and started brushing his teeth.
    “How’d you get her to come?” Josh called.
    Dink rushed back into his room, wiping toothpaste from his mouth. “You kidding? Ruth Rose loves Wallis Wallace’s books.”
    Dink slung his backpack over his shoulder. He and Josh hurried next door to 24 Woody Street. Tiger, Ruth Rose’s orange cat, was sitting in the sun on the steps.
    Dink pressed the doorbell.
    Ruth Rose showed up at the door.
    As usual, she was dressed all in one color. Today it was purple. She wore purple coveralls over a purple shirt