The Bicycle Thief (5 page)

“I'm not telling you anything,” said Adam as he got off the swing.

Adam grabbed for his shoe, but Frank wouldn't let go.

“Give me my shoe!”

“Give me my bike!”

They went back and forth, each of them pulling as hard as they could. Suddenly a voice yelled from behind them.

“Boys! What is going on here?”

Adam and Frank both let go of the shoe at the same time. They went flying backward, landing on their backsides. It was all Joe could do to keep from laughing out loud.

“Nothing! We were just playing, Mom!” Adam's mother was standing at the edge of the playground, her hands on her hips, a suspicious look on her face.

“Adam took my bike—,” Frank started to say.

But Adam cut him off. “I took Frank's bike
and moved it to a safe place!” he said quickly. “I saw he'd left it by the bike path, and I was afraid someone was going to steal it.”

“Yeah,” said Frank. “And I was just giving him his shoe so he could lead us to where he put it.”

Adam's mother looked at the two of them. Frank put his arm around Adam's shoulder. They both tried to look innocent.

Adam's mother smiled. “Well,” she said, “how nice of you boys to help each other out! Okay, then, let's all go get Frank's bike.”

At that moment Mr. Mack and Lucy caught up with them.

“Did you find your bike?” Mr. Mack asked.

“We're on our way to get it!” said Mrs. Ackerman.

“Great,” said Mr. Mack. “Let's go!”

Adam grumbled under his breath. He didn't seem happy to have to give Frank's bike back, especially because he had to do it in front of so many people. But it was better than getting in trouble with his mother.

As they walked Frank elbowed Joe and pointed to Adam's right leg. Sure enough, he was limping a little bit.

Adam led them back to the road where Lucy had lost the track originally. He kept walking
down the road. They passed people picnicking and passed the ranger's station. They walked all the way to the statue of Bayport's founding fathers and mothers. Adam turned off the road at the memorial.

There was a small man-made pond and stream near the memorial. Frank and Joe often came here to throw the remains of their sandwiches to the ducks. On the bank of the river were a number of huge old willow trees. Their branches hung all the way to the ground. Adam walked over to the largest one.

“I put it under here for safekeeping,” he said.

“More like he put it there so you would never find it!” Joe whispered to Frank.

Adam's mother beamed with pride. No matter how many times Adam got in trouble, she was convinced he was the best kid at Bayport Elementary School.

Adam pulled aside the branches of the willow tree to reveal a hidden patch of ground, just big enough for Frank's bike. There was only one problem.

The bike wasn't there.

   7
 

Teamwork

W
hat!” yelled Adam. “Where did it go?”

Adam swung his head back and forth, as though the bike might be hiding somewhere.

“Very funny,” said Frank. “Now, where is my bike?”

“I left it here. I swear I did! You've got to believe me.”

Adam's mother put her hands on her hips. She frowned. “Adam, sweetie. This is no time for
games. You've had your joke. Now give Frank his bike.”

“No, I'm not kidding, Mom!”

Adam beat around the tree branches, but the bike wasn't hiding anywhere.

“Adam, this is not funny. You had better find that boy's bike!” said Adam's mom. She didn't sound happy. The two of them began to argue. Frank looked around sadly.

“Did you get your bike, Frank?” Mr. Mack called out. Lucy came bounding into the space beneath the willow tree, someone's magazine in her mouth.

“Adam says he left it right here, but . . .” Frank looked around him. It was clear that his bike wasn't there.

“Well, maybe he got confused about which tree he left it under. There are a bunch of willows here, and they all look pretty similar.”

“That's a smart idea, Mr. Mack!” said Joe. “Frank, you look through the trees to the left. I'll look through the ones to the right.”

Frank and Joe looked under every willow tree in the area, even the ones that were way too small to hide a bike under. But Frank's bike was nowhere to be found.

“Do you think he's telling the truth?” Joe asked Frank.

Frank thought for a moment. “Yeah,” he said. “I don't think he'd lie to his mom. And he seemed really surprised when my bike wasn't there.”

“That can mean only one thing.”

“Someone else must have stolen it from here!”

That meant they were back at the beginning! Or worse. Now they didn't have any real suspects. Both Lucy and Adam were now innocent. Who else could it be? There was only one thing to do.

It was time to look for more clues!

“We need to hurry,” said Frank. The sun was getting lower in the sky. Soon it would be dark. He and Joe weren't allowed to be out alone after sunset. Frank was starting to worry.

“First we need to make sure Adam was telling the truth,” said Joe.

The boys started to search outside the willow tree. If Adam really had hidden the bike beneath the tree, there would be—

“Tracks!” yelled Frank. Sure enough, there were more of Adam's footprints, with Frank's bike's tire track right next to them. They led under the tree, where Adam was still arguing with his mom. Mr. Mack and Lucy were still there too, hunting for a smell that Lucy could follow.

There was also a set of tracks that showed Adam walking out
without
Frank's bike.

“Look at these,” said Joe.

Next to Adam's prints the ground was all torn
up. It looked as though a lot of people had walked through recently.

“Someone else was here!” said Joe.

“Yeah,” said Frank sadly. “Lots of someones. Way too many to get any prints.”

Joe looked closer. Frank was right. The ground was too much of a mess to get any individual footprint.

“Hey, guys! Looking for something?” Cissy had shown up behind them while they were searching.

“Yeah,” said Joe. “Frank's bike.”

Frank plopped down onto the ground. “We're never going to find it!” he said. “I'm going to be in so much trouble. We thought Adam had taken it, but he says he left it here. And now it's gone again!”

“He did leave it here,” said Cissy. She grinned.

Frank jumped up. “How do you know that?” he asked.

“Easy,” Cissy said. “I saw him!”

“You did?” said Frank. “Then, did you see who took my bike?”

“Yup,” said Cissy. “It was me!”

“What?”

“A couple of us Bandits were practicing over on the big lawn, and we lost a ball, and I went after it. I saw Adam sneaking around with your bike. I
could tell it was your bike, Frank, because no one else has a bike like yours. So I followed him here. I learned a few things from watching you guys solve crimes! When he left, I got the rest of the Bandits, and we picked up your bike and carried it away to safety. Then I went to go find you, but you were gone! I've been looking for you ever since.”

Cissy stopped because she was out of breath. When she was excited, she talked even faster than usual.

“Did you hear that, Mom?” Adam yelled from under the willow. “I told you I was telling the truth!”

Frank looked at the ground. So that's why there were so many tracks! It was his teammates, rescuing his bike.

“You guys are the best!” he said. “So where is my bike now?”

“Follow me,” said Cissy.

She took off running. The only things faster than Cissy's mouth were her legs—and her pitching arm! Behind her came Frank and Joe. Behind them were Adam and his mom. And behind
them
were Mr. Mack and Lucy.

Two minutes later they were surrounded by the rest of the Bandits, who were playing a game of baseball.

“Hi, Frank! Hi, Joe!” everyone yelled.

“Hey, guys!” they yelled back.

“Hey, Frank. Your bike is right over here!” Cissy led them over to a big old oak tree. They walked around to the other side of it.

And there was nothing there.

“What?” said Cissy. “I left it standing right here!”

 8     

Missing in Action

O
h no,” said Frank. “Not again!”

“I put it right here,” said Cissy. “I swear!”

“I believe you,” said Frank. “But I'm beginning to think my bike is cursed. Or else I am!”

The Bandits were putting away their baseball mitts and bats. Everyone was getting ready to leave. The sky was growing dark. Soon it would be nighttime, and Frank and Joe would have to go home. And then Frank was going to be in a lot of trouble.

“Maybe it's time to give up,” Frank said. “My bike is gone.”

“No way!” said Joe.

“Hey, everybody!” Joe yelled. The Bandits stopped putting their things away. Adam and his mom stopped arguing. Adam's little sister, Mina, came running over to listen. Mr. Mack stopped whistling. Even Lucy stopped barking to listen. “Frank's bike is missing! We've only got a little while before the park closes. Will you help us find it?”