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place as Bart, the three of them could engineer an escape.
    The doorman raised his eyebrows gleefully. “Look at the detective!” he said. “Think you’ve got everything figured out, do you? Well, I’ve got some badnews for you both: You’re never, ever going to see MacArthur Bart.” The doorman’s smile disappeared. “Henry, gag ’em.”
    A pair of washcloths made excellent gags.
    â€œAll right,” said the doorman. “It’s time to get rid of these detectives once and for all.”

CHAPTER XXIII
CAPTURED!
    J UST THEN there was a knock at the door.
    â€œMr. Snuffley? This is Linda, the manager? Um, we’re a little worried about you in there, seeing as you haven’t eaten any of your food or anything? Are you in there, Mr. Snuffley?”
    Henry and the doorman looked at each other, panicked. Steve and Dana tried to shout out for help, but the washcloths muffled their cries.
    The doorman called out, “Um, hello, Linda! This is Mr. Snuffley! I’m fine.”
    â€œOh, okay, happy to hear it,” said Linda. “Have a good day, sir.”
    Henry and the doorman exhaled simultaneously, relieved.
    Steve’s hopes plummeted.
    But then there was another knock. “Hi, Mr. Snuffley? Sorry to bother you again. I’m just wondering if you mind if I come in for a moment?”
    â€œWhy?” said the doorman tersely.
    â€œWell, a maid’s key has gone missing on this floor, and we need to recode the lock on your door.”
    The doorman cursed quietly and whispered to Henry, “Take these two out on the balcony and make sure they don’t do anything unwise.” Then, louder: “Just a minute, Linda. Let me throw on some clothes.”
    Henry opened the sliding glass door that led to the balcony and pushed Steve and Dana outside. The doorman pulled the curtain closed.
    It was a little cramped out there for three people. Henry was distracted, looking nervously back at the room even though they couldn’t hear any of what was going on in there. Soundproof windows: That had to be another sign of a nice hotel room. Steve looked around, hoping some other guests would be on their balconies and see them, but the place was dead quiet. Below them, the pool sparkled—it looked blue and inviting and, from up here at least, close enough to jump into.
    The next few things seemed to happen all at once.
    Steve looked at Dana, who looked at Steve, who kicked Henry hard in the kneecap. Henry shrieked, and Dana, hands still tied, climbed backward onto the balcony’s ledge. He stood up, wobbled, and jumped. And then Steve did the same thing.

CHAPTER XXIV
UNDERWATER CHAOS
    A CCORDING TO
T HE B AILEY B ROTHERS ’ D ETECTIVE H ANDBOOK:
    Shawn and Kevin consider themselves experts on jumping out of tall buildings. And do you know their favorite place to land? Not a barge full of soft garbage (Bailey Brothers #7:
The Great Landfill Caper
), or a hay cart (#16:
Danger Flies the Coop
) or even a truck full of pillows (#21:
The Message in the Factory Whistle
). That’s right! It’s water!Whether they’re taking swan dives off abandoned lighthouses on Benson Bay or the rocky cliffs of Acapulco (in Mexico!), when it comes to a safe and splashy landing, there’s no better surface than good old H 2 O!
    Steve Brixton also considered himself an expert on jumping out of buildings, although he typically ended up injuring himself in the process. But he fell now with confidence, anticipating the cool, chlorinated cushion of pool water below him. He entered the water feet first (Steve couldn’t do a swan dive even when his hands weren’t tied behind his back), plummeted downward, and came down mightily on the bottom of the pool.
    Water may be soft, but a pool’s floor is not.
    Steve’s hands were smashed between his butt and the concrete, and a sharp pain shot from his wrists to his nail beds. Bubbles streamed from his