Read Online Skin and Bones by Franklin W. Dixon - Free Book Online Page B

sight.
    â€œWhoa, it’s some kind of a claw!” Joe said, his voicehushed. An animal foot covered with long black hair lay on the paper. Projecting out from the top were very long gray nails which hooked around and under the hairy claw.
    Joe pulled a piece of paper from under the claw. The message was neatly typed from a computer printer: “Stop following me or the next package of bones might be yours.”

9 A Bloody Visit
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    Cautiously, using the tissue paper as a shield, Frank picked the hairy claw up out of the deep wooden box and examined it. There were no tags or identifying labels attached to the grisly object.
    â€œI’m calling Cody,” Joe said, reaching for the phone. Cody picked up after the first ring.
    Joe quickly told Cody about the package.
    â€œIt’s an anteater claw,” Cody said, his voice sounding as if his jaw were clamped shut. Joe could tell he was furious. “Probably the one from the zoo packages that were stolen from me!”
    â€œHere’s something,” Frank called to Joe. Carefully, he pulled back the hair from the underside of the claw. A tattoo marked the skin beneath the hair. “AskCody if this means anything,” Frank said. Then he read the tattoo. “X-3-7-C2.”
    Joe repeated the tattooed numbers to Cody.
    â€œJust a second,” Cody said through the phone receiver. “Let me check my order sheet.”
    Joe could hear paper rustling, and then Cody returned to the phone. “Yes,” Cody said. “That’s one of the anteater claws I picked up Monday. But how come he sent it to you and not me?”
    â€œDon’t forget, the driver of the green car followed us from your dad’s,” Joe pointed out. “So he’s probably been staking the place out. He must know we’re staying here and we’re friends of yours.”
    â€œMike Brando knows who my father is,” Cody offered. “He could definitely be behind all this.”
    â€œIs he wondering why we got the package?” Frank asked. Joe nodded.
    â€œSomebody’s obviously been staking out your place, too,” Frank called out, loud enough for Cody to hear. “He or she could have seen us coming and going. If the driver of the green car sent the package, it could be a warning after his run-in with Joe this afternoon.”
    â€œMan, we’ve got to get this guy,” Cody said in Joe’s ear.
    â€œHow are the beetles?” Joe asked. “Did the fumigator come yet?”
    â€œThe beetles are making their way from Bug Central to Bug Heaven,” Cody said. “Did you get things set up with Jennifer okay?”
    â€œYes, we did,” Joe answered. “How well do you know her?”
    â€œNot at all,” Cody said. “We just met the other day.”
    â€œDid you hear about her expansion plans?” Joe asked. “How she wants to change this neighborhood from retail to entertainment.”
    â€œNo,” Cody said. “What do you mean?”
    Joe repeated what Jennifer had said. “She really wants to change the atmosphere of the neighborhood.”
    â€œI haven’t heard a thing about it.” Cody’s voice got a little louder. “And speaking as a retailer, I’m not sure I like it.”
    Then Cody switched subjects. “Is Dad there?” he asked.
    â€œNot yet,” Joe answered. “He left us a note saying he’d be back later.”
    â€œWell, Dave called,” Cody said. “We were supposed to meet him for dinner tonight, remember? I told him about the bugs. I’m going to meet him at Dad’s in about an hour. I’ll just pick up something for us to eat. I don’t feel much like going out.”
    â€œOkay, great,” Joe said. “See you soon.”
    After Joe hung up, he and Frank wrapped theanteater claw back in the yellow tissue paper. Then Joe set it down in the shredded plastic foam it had been packed in. Frank fit the