Read Online Poison Frog Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Gertrude Chandler Warner
Ads: Link
it?”
“That was it. It was really very simple. A few days later, the guy called again. The first time it was for the ferrets, then the condors, and then the toads. I didn’t even plan on taking the poison frogs, either. The ones that caused this,” he said, holding his hands up. “They were just so ... so beautiful. I wanted them for myself, and I wasn’t thinking. I figured I could take good care of them ... but I was wrong, obviously. I took the wrong food for the ferrets, for example.”
“And the voice on the phone never sounded familiar to you?” Jessie asked.
“No.”
“But it’s easy to disguise your voice over the phone, anyway” Henry pointed out, and everyone agreed.
Brian put his hands on his knees and let out a long sigh. “That’s the whole story. I guess I’m in deep trouble, huh? Well, it’s better than living with the guilt. I never even spent the money I got. It’s still sitting on my dresser in the same envelopes!”
Lindsey shook her head. “You have no idea at all who the person was or what he might have done with the animals?”
“Not a clue. I guess he sold them. They were worth a lot of money, I’m sure.”
Lindsey nodded sadly. “Yes, they were. Brian, I don’t know what we’re supposed to do with you now. You’ve committed some very serious crimes.”
“I know that, and I wouldn’t blame you for turning me in. I’d do anything to get those animals back, but I’ve already told you everything I know. You might as well call the police and have them come get me. I deserve it.”
“Are you sure about that?” Lindsey asked. “Because I know that’s what Jordan and Mr. Colby will want to do when I tell them you’re here.”
Brian paused, then nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure. I won’t feel better about myself until I start paying my debt.”
Lindsey reach for the phone. “Okay...”
For the second time that morning, she began dialing the number of the local police department, then got interrupted before she had a chance to finish.
“Wait!” Henry said, putting his hand up. “I just thought of something!”
Lindsey hung up the phone. “What?”
Henry smiled. “Maybe Brian can help us!”
“Huh?”
Henry turned to him. “You’re still supposed to drop off these tadpoles, right?”
“Well ... yeah, sure. I’m supposed to, but I’m not going to.”
“Sure you are,” Henry said.
Brian looked over at Lindsey, then back at Henry. “I am?”
“Uh-huh. And after you leave, we’re going to catch us a criminal!” Henry said delightedly. “When the guy shows up, he’s going to find a lot more than a bag of toad tadpoles waiting for him. Everyone get the idea?”
Lindsey smiled. “Yeah, I do.”
“But we’d better not tell Jordan or Mr. Colby about this,” Henry warned. “They might not go for it.”
“We’ll try it first,” Lindsey agreed.
Henry rubbed his hands together. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do ...”
CHAPTER 9
To Catch a Thief
When Grandfather Alden heard of the plan to catch the mysterious caller, he insisted on being part of it, just to be safe.
Shortly after dark, he and the children, plus Lindsey, took their places. They hid in a little cluster of trees about fifty feet from the fir tree with the large rock at the base. They were far enough away to see what was going on without running the risk of being noticed.
At precisely eight o’clock, Brian came walking down the main path, as planned, but with a plastic bag filled with nothing but water.
Brian set the bag down behind the rock, picked up the envelope of money, then returned the way he came, careful not to look back. Having done that, his part in the plan was over. He and the others had agreed that he shouldn’t hang around, just in case the mystery man was watching him. He was also careful not to give any hints as to where Lindsey and the Aldens were hiding. He was to act like this was an ordinary “drop,” just like the last two. It was important
“That was it. It was really very simple. A few days later, the guy called again. The first time it was for the ferrets, then the condors, and then the toads. I didn’t even plan on taking the poison frogs, either. The ones that caused this,” he said, holding his hands up. “They were just so ... so beautiful. I wanted them for myself, and I wasn’t thinking. I figured I could take good care of them ... but I was wrong, obviously. I took the wrong food for the ferrets, for example.”
“And the voice on the phone never sounded familiar to you?” Jessie asked.
“No.”
“But it’s easy to disguise your voice over the phone, anyway” Henry pointed out, and everyone agreed.
Brian put his hands on his knees and let out a long sigh. “That’s the whole story. I guess I’m in deep trouble, huh? Well, it’s better than living with the guilt. I never even spent the money I got. It’s still sitting on my dresser in the same envelopes!”
Lindsey shook her head. “You have no idea at all who the person was or what he might have done with the animals?”
“Not a clue. I guess he sold them. They were worth a lot of money, I’m sure.”
Lindsey nodded sadly. “Yes, they were. Brian, I don’t know what we’re supposed to do with you now. You’ve committed some very serious crimes.”
“I know that, and I wouldn’t blame you for turning me in. I’d do anything to get those animals back, but I’ve already told you everything I know. You might as well call the police and have them come get me. I deserve it.”
“Are you sure about that?” Lindsey asked. “Because I know that’s what Jordan and Mr. Colby will want to do when I tell them you’re here.”
Brian paused, then nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure. I won’t feel better about myself until I start paying my debt.”
Lindsey reach for the phone. “Okay...”
For the second time that morning, she began dialing the number of the local police department, then got interrupted before she had a chance to finish.
“Wait!” Henry said, putting his hand up. “I just thought of something!”
Lindsey hung up the phone. “What?”
Henry smiled. “Maybe Brian can help us!”
“Huh?”
Henry turned to him. “You’re still supposed to drop off these tadpoles, right?”
“Well ... yeah, sure. I’m supposed to, but I’m not going to.”
“Sure you are,” Henry said.
Brian looked over at Lindsey, then back at Henry. “I am?”
“Uh-huh. And after you leave, we’re going to catch us a criminal!” Henry said delightedly. “When the guy shows up, he’s going to find a lot more than a bag of toad tadpoles waiting for him. Everyone get the idea?”
Lindsey smiled. “Yeah, I do.”
“But we’d better not tell Jordan or Mr. Colby about this,” Henry warned. “They might not go for it.”
“We’ll try it first,” Lindsey agreed.
Henry rubbed his hands together. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do ...”
CHAPTER 9
To Catch a Thief
When Grandfather Alden heard of the plan to catch the mysterious caller, he insisted on being part of it, just to be safe.
Shortly after dark, he and the children, plus Lindsey, took their places. They hid in a little cluster of trees about fifty feet from the fir tree with the large rock at the base. They were far enough away to see what was going on without running the risk of being noticed.
At precisely eight o’clock, Brian came walking down the main path, as planned, but with a plastic bag filled with nothing but water.
Brian set the bag down behind the rock, picked up the envelope of money, then returned the way he came, careful not to look back. Having done that, his part in the plan was over. He and the others had agreed that he shouldn’t hang around, just in case the mystery man was watching him. He was also careful not to give any hints as to where Lindsey and the Aldens were hiding. He was to act like this was an ordinary “drop,” just like the last two. It was important
Similar Books
