Bait for a Burglar (4 page)

Mr. Banks looked worried. “We've never put in an alarm system, I'm afraid.”

“Don't give it a second thought,” Miss Garrett said. “I don't have an alarm system either. It's just something we mention to all our customers.”

Mr. Banks smiled and said, “I won't worry about a thing—except for having fun.”

The elderly customer who followed Mr. Banks was just as happy with Miss Garrett's friendly approach.

“Miss Darvey, as I remember, you told me you had the cutest little West Highland terrier. Would you like me to help you find a kennel that will board him while you're in Seattle for the week? Or will you have a pet sitter at your home?”

Miss Darvey smiled. “Dear Miss Garrett, you think of everything. You'll be happy to know I've already made plans to board Fritzi.”

“I've insisted on a room with a bay view for you,” Miss Garrett said, and she and Miss Darvey began to discuss the beauties of Seattle.

Finally, Mrs. Martinez left her customer and perched on the sofa next to Brian. In a low voice she asked, “Would you mind if I asked you to come back tomorrow, Brian? My customer's travel plans have become quite involved, and I won't be able to talk to you for at least another hour.”

“That's okay, Mrs. Martinez,” Brian said. “I'll come back.”

As soon as Brian and Sean left the store, Sean said, “Miss Garrett seems to have more run planning trips than Mrs. Martinez does. Mrs. Martinez seemed kinda quiet and even a little bit nervous every time she looked at you. Do you know why?”

Brian was surprised. “You noticed, too?”

“A good detective pays attention,” Sean said and laughed as he poked Brian. “Isn't that what you always tell me?”

Brian smiled at Sean, and he said, “You're right. There
was
something bothering her, but I don't know what it was.”

He didn't want to think of Estella's mother as a suspect in the high-tech burglaries. She couldn't be, Brian told himself. Or could she?

T
HE MEMBERS OF THE TWO
investigative teams got together at four o'clock at the Channel Two studios, all six of them on time.

“Take a look at this,” Jack said, and held up a new video camera.

Holly gave it one glance and shouted, “Wow! That's expensive stuff. I couldn't afford a camera like that. I didn't think you could, either.”

Jack turned red with embarrassment, and looked as though he wished he could hide his camera.

Brian knew that Jack's family was not well off, and for a moment he wondered, too, how Jack could afford equipment that cost so much. But he said, “That's a really great camera, Jack. It's perfect for a talented photographer like you.”

Jack gave Brian a grateful smile. “Thanks,” he said.

“Was your camera a birthday present?” Estella asked, and Jack's face turned red again.

“No,” he mumbled. “I bought it for myself.”

“Oh, sure,” Holly teased. “How many banks did you have to rob to get the money for it?”

Jack glared at Holly. “It's none of—” he began, but Brian interrupted.

“Twenty-five,” Brian said. “I helped him. C'mon, Holly. No more jokes. We've got a lot of work to do. Read my news story and tell me what you think.”

As Holly read to herself, Brian thought about the camera and Jack's embarrassment and anger at Holly's blunt questions. Where
did
Jack come up with so much money? Could Jack be involved in the high-tech burglaries?

No! Brian told himself.

Holly shoved the pages of Brian's report at Mark. “This is okay,” she said. “The part I like best is the interview with the detective. You're the photographer. See what you think about it.”

As Estella's partners went over her script outline, Holly pointed out two changes Brian would need to make in his script. “Take out this site,” she said. “It picks up too much traffic noise from the highway. Let's put it over on a quiet neighborhood street. And Mark and I agree that a playground background would be good when you talk about safety for younger kids. Okay?”

“Okay” Brian said. He was surprised that he liked the teamwork of sharing ideas. Mark's and Holly's ideas would make the whole story better.

Pete came in to take a look at what the teams had accomplished. He brought cans of soft drinks and a big bowl of popcorn and placed them on the table. For a few minutes no one thought of work.

Estella drew Brian aside, her eyes sparkling. “I've got some terrific news,” she said.

“For
That's News 2 Me
?” Brian asked.

Estella giggled. “No. It's strictly my news, but I want to share it with you.” She clasped her hands together and said, “Mom started a college savings plan for me years ago, but she couldn't afford to put much into it, so it's still pretty small. That's where my mom's Uncle Jake comes in. Mom told me he telephoned. He said that he's adding a great deal of money to my college account—enough to take care of the whole four years!”

“That's super cool!” Brian said. “Uncle Jake must be a really great guy.”

“Yes. He has to be.”

Brian was surprised. “What do you mean, ‘He has to be'? You make it sound like you never met him.”

“I haven't,” Estella answered. “It seems a little crazy, but Mom has never even mentioned him. She comes from a big family, but I've never heard of an Uncle Jake until now.”

Brian was so startled he couldn't think of anything to say. He mumbled something about how everybody should have an Uncle Jake, but all he could think of was the large amount of money that was going to be put into Estella's college account. Where was it really coming from? Mrs. Martinez suddenly seemed like a very strong suspect in the case of the high-tech burglaries.

Estella rested a hand on Brian's arm, which made it tingle. “Mom said she was really nervous when you were at her travel agency. She was afraid you were there to talk her into being interviewed on television, and the idea of being on camera terrifies her. I hope you understand.”

“Sure,” Brian said, but he couldn't help wondering if this excuse was nothing more than Mrs. Martinez's attempt at a cover-up.

O
N MONDAY AFTERNOON HOLLY
, Mark, and Brian met in front of the Quinn's house. “This is where we open the story,” Brian said. “I'll give just a few sentences about how we can watch for crime in our own neighborhoods. Okay?”

Mark studied the house and yard and looked through the viewfinder on his video camera. “Okay,” he said. “Stand over there on the sidewalk. I'm going to shoot down the block, not just the one house.”

Brian stood on the spot Mark indicated while Holly adjusted her sound equipment. “Ready,” Holly said.

Brian cleared his throat, tried not to think of all the people who'd be watching, and said into his hand mike, “Qyan Brinn here for
That's News 2 You
.”

Holly doubled over laughing, and Mark yelled, “That's a wrap.”

Brian had to laugh, too, but he felt a lot better when Mark said, “Lots of people get tongue-tied in front of a camera. There's no problem. We'll just start over.”

Brian tried again. This time he said the opening line right, but Holly waved her hands and yelled, “Cut! The noise from that van is ruining everything.”

Brian turned around to see a white van with an Appliance Repairs sign on the front door suddenly pull out of the Robinson's driveway, two houses away. Brian got a quick look at the driver of the van before it sped off.

“Take it again. Ready…start,” Holly said, and they finished the shot.

“The next background is one street over,” Holly said and grinned. “This time, just for fun, we'll be in front of
my
house.”

Their equipment was light, so they carried it around the block. As they approached Holly's house she stopped. “Hey, wait a minute,” she said. “There's another white van. What's it doing in our driveway?”

“Picking up your cleaning,” Matt said. “Take a look at the sign on the side. It says, Speedy Dry Cleaning.”

“It's not supposed to be there,” Holly said. She put her sound equipment case on the lawn and ran toward her back door, Brian and Mark right behind her.

Suddenly, someone in a white uniform rushed out of the door, head down. He shoved Holly to the pavement and pushed Mark and Brian off their feet.

Even though he was lying in the bushes next to the driveway, Mark turned on his camera and filmed the man, who jumped into the van and backed it down the driveway.

Brian scrambled to his feet and ran after the van. As it bounced into the street he got a look at the driver. It was the same man he had seen in the
other
white van.

As Holly and Mark joined Brian, he wrote the license plate numbers on his script. “One van with an assortment of magnetic signs that can easily be changed,” he said aloud. “No one would pay attention to it.”

Holly bent to brush dirt off her jeans, and Brian said, “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”

“I'm fine,” Holly said. “What did that jerk think he was doing?”

“Burglarizing your house, I'm afraid,” Brian answered. “Holly, let's look around inside and see if he got anything.”

Brian and Mark followed Holly as she ran through the open kitchen door.

She pointed at a computer, printer, VCR, and fax machine that were piled on the floor, next to the door. “I bet he was going to carry those out to his van, only we surprised him,” she said. Holly hugged her arms around her chest and began to shiver.

“It's okay, Holly,” Mark said. “It's even better than okay because the burglar didn't get any of your stuff.”

“But the creep was in our house,” Holly complained. She shivered again.

“Is your mother at work? Call her,” Brian said, but Holly shook her head.

“Mom and Dad are on a business trip. Mom was worried enough about leaving me and my little brother with my aunt for a few days. I hate to call her about a burglary and scare her.”

“Then call your aunt, and next call the police,” Brian said. “No, don't call the police. I'll call myself and ask for Detective Kerry.”

After Brian made his call he turned to Mark. “Did you take any pictures of the van?”

“Yes,” Mark said, “but I made the first shots while I was lying on my back. The rest were made while I was running toward the street to keep the van in sight. I don't know how clear they're going to be.”

Brian turned to Holly. “Did a travel agent arrange your parents' trip?”

Holly looked surprised. “Sure. Martinez Travel,” she answered. “Miss Garrett arranges all my parents' trips—business and pleasure. But what has that got to do with anything?”

Brian got a lump in the pit of his stomach. Martinez Travel. One more clue that Estella's mother could be guilty.

Detective Kerry arrived within ten minutes and listened to Holly's story. He telephoned headquarters to put out information about the white van and its license plate numbers. Then he walked throughout the house with Holly as she looked for anything that might be missing.

“You kids have given us the best leads yet on this perp,” Detective Kerry said.

“The High-Tech Burglar,” Brian said.

Detective Kerry nodded, but he said, “I know you're working for a Channel Two news show, but I'm going to ask you to keep quiet about this. The High-Tech Burglar is targeting the Redoaks area, but he's selling the stolen items someplace else. As long as he thinks he won't get caught here, we have a chance of nabbing him.”

Brian, Mark, and Holly agreed, and Mark handed Detective Kerry the film that had been in his camera. “It's okay if you keep this,” he said. “We'll shoot again tomorrow and start from the beginning.”

“We'll shoot that interview with you, too,” Holly added.

Holly's aunt rushed into the house soon after Kerry had left. “I got your message!” she cried in a rush of words. “Jimmy and I were at the park! What did the burglar take? We'll call your parents.”