When Grandfather drove to the zoo, the children piled out, intending to find Edward. Grandfather trailed after them.
“Did Amos come back?” Benny shouted at Edward, who stood before the Monkey House.
Sadly, Edward shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Pat and I have searched the entire grounds, and he’s no place to be found.”
“I know where he is!” Benny said.
Edward gave him a sharp look. “You do? Where is he?”
“Mac Thatcher sold him to the pet shop man,” Benny answered, his eyes fastened on Edward.
“Can you believe Mac Thatcher could have stolen Amos?” Henry asked.
“Yes, I can,” Edward said in a discouraged tone.
“You don’t seem surprised,” Violet said.
“I’m not,” Edward said dully.
The children and Grandfather waited patiently for Edward’s explanation.
“I’ll tell you about Mac Thatcher later,” Edward said. “First let’s go see if the pet shop monkey is mine.”
“Yes, yes,” Benny said so excited that he ran from Edward to Grandfather. “Amos was stuffed in a real little cage and we’ve got to get him out!”
“And we will,” Edward said grimly.
Pat, who came out of the Bird House, joined them, and Edward quickly told her about Mac Thatcher and the monkey.
“Oh, no,” she groaned. “I thought we’d seen the last of him.”
Edward started walking toward the exit. “I’m going to Bridgeport. Hopefully Amos is still at the pet shop.”
Jessie handed Pat the box of vitamins and special food. “Here’s what you asked for.”
“Thanks, Jessie,” Pat said, rewarding her with a warm smile. “I’ll see to it that the black panther gets his vitamins.”
“And you know which other animals need their food,” Edward called over his shoulder.
“Yes,” Pat answered, a worried frown crossing her forehead. “You run along.” She gave Benny a quick pat on the back. “I’m sure Amos will be there.”
“I know it!” Benny responded promptly, hurrying to catch up with Edward.
So back to Bridgeport they drove, this time with Edward in the front seat.
Once inside the pet shop, the clerk took one look at the children and hurried to the rear to get the monkey.
Returning, he set the cage on the counter where Edward could examine the monkey.
In a few minutes Edward announced, in a triumphant burst, “It’s Amos!”
“I knew it!” Benny said gleefully.
“I paid five hundred dollars for that monkey,” the clerk sniffed, “and I don’t intend to give him up.”
“Well, I’m buying him back at the same price,” Edward said sternly. “This monkey was kidnapped from my zoo. I recognize him from that brown marking on his head.”
“Oh, my,” the clerk said. “If you’ll pay me the money, I’ll be grateful. I don’t want any trouble by dealing with a stolen monkey!”
Edward wrote out the check, mumbling, “I’ll take this out of Mac Thatcher’s hide!”
Benny talked to Amos, and the bright-eyed monkey responded by chattering and sticking out a paw.
Violet leaned down to the cage and said softly, “You’re going home now, Amos.”
“Not quite to the zoo yet,” Edward said grimly. He turned to the white-faced clerk. “May I use your telephone?”
“Help yourself.”
Dialing the Rosedale police, he told them a few things that had happened at the zoo and asked them to meet him at Mac Thatcher’s house, giving them the address.
Henry wondered how he knew Mac’s address.
“Let’s go to Mac Thatcher’s, James,” Edward said, his face a thundercloud. “Now Mac will pay for what he’s done.”
The children scrambled into the station wagon. Benny sat in the very back with Amos. Jessie tried to piece together what had happened, but decided she’d better be patient and ask Edward later.
Grandfather, not losing a minute, drove out of the parking space and headed back to Rosedale. If he’d had a siren, it would have been going full blast.
“How do you know where Mac Thatcher lives?” Jessie ventured to ask.
“Oh, I know a lot about Mac,” Edward said. “You see, he used to work for me. He was a lazy worker, often forgetting to feed the animals. Or he’d be late for work, neglecting his tasks.”
Henry nodded. “That sounds like Mac. We were in his bookstore, and he hadn’t fed Scamper, either.”
“Scamper?” Edward questioned.
“Scamper’s a cute little dog,” Benny explained. “If we didn’t have Watch, I’d like to take him home.”
“He is a sweet dog,” Jessie added. “You could tell by the way Mac treated him that he didn’t get any attention or love.”
Edward continued, “I just couldn’t have an employee who was irresponsible with my animals.” His eyes flashed, remembering. “He didn’t even like animals. A zoo is no place for a person who dislikes animals.”
“That’s terrible!” Violet whispered, her face stricken.
Entering Rosedale, Edward directed, “Turn left at the light, James. Anyway, I fired Mac,” he continued, “and hired Pat.”
“I can see why,” Henry said.
“You can’t have someone unreliable working with animals,” Edward said. “He not only forgot to feed some of them, but he didn’t clean out their homes, either.” He shook his head. “If you work with animals, you must be very responsible.”
“I wonder if Mac emptied the seals’ pool and changed temperatures, and did all those other mean things?” Violet asked.
“Well, he was angry with me for firing him, but we have no proof that he did those other things,” Edward replied. “One thing for sure, though, is that he’s going to answer for stealing Amos! He took him because he just wanted to get back at me any way he could.” He pointed. “Third house on the left, James.”
Suddenly, Mac dashed out carrying a suitcase. He opened the trunk of his car.
Turning, he saw the Aldens and Edward. He pressed his lips together and waited for them to get out of the car.
“What do you want now?” he sneered, folding his arms across his chest. “You follow me to the pet shop and now you follow me to my house!”
“I think you know why we’re here,” Edward said calmly, his eyes never leaving Mac’s frowning face.
“You stole Amos and sold him to the pet shop!” Benny said in an accusing tone. “We saw you!”
“No, I didn’t,” Mac retorted, an edge to his voice. “That monkey was nothing but trouble. Why would I want to steal him?”
“For the money,” Edward said shortly. “We went to the pet shop and rescued Amos. The monkey is in the station wagon. I’ve positively identified him! And,” he added, “the clerk can positively identify you!”
Mac glanced at the car and saw Amos in the cage. “Okay, so I tried to sell your monkey,” he admitted. “I didn’t get much money for him.” He shot Edward a hateful look. “After all, I lost my job and my salary!”
Edward calmly replied, “You deserved to be let go, Mac Thatcher, and I think you know it. I wouldn’t put it past you to have drained the seals’ pool, changed the temperatures, and stolen my files!”
Mac gritted his teeth in annoyance. “Well, I didn’t do it! All I did was take a measly monkey.”
Doubtfully, Jessie stared at Mac. She didn’t like his mean little eyes and narrow dark face. But she realized that didn’t make him guilty.
“Did you change all the names of the animals?” Benny asked.
Mac looked surprised. “What do you mean?”
“The giraffes’ sign was put in front of the bears, and the monkeys’ sign was in front of the elephants,” Violet explained.
Mac snorted. “I never heard of such a thing!” Abruptly, he yanked the keys out of the trunk, and they dropped in the street.
“Wait a minute!” Edward shouted, scooping up the keys, and dangling them before Mac’s eyes. “Why do you have my zoo office key and the key to the gates?”
“I forgot to turn in the fool things,” Mac said stiffly, but he bit his lip in confusion.
“I don’t think so,” Edward said icily. “You did turn in your keys, but first you had a second set made. This explains how you got into the zoo. You knew all about the zoo’s wires, how to change the temperature, and where the files were kept, didn’t you?”
Sullen, Mac stared at the ground.
“We saw you several times at the zoo, too,” Henry said. “Now we know why.”
“Yes,” Benny said, nodding his head vigorously, “and you asked us a lot of questions about the zoo!” He stuck out his chin, daring Mac to contradict him.
Mac’s eyes shifted from one to the other, then back to the telltale keys.
“All right!” Mac growled. “I guess you’ve got me. Sure I did all the things you mentioned! Why shouldn’t I?” Mac paused, his eyes narrowing. “You had it coming! No one fires Mac Thatcher and gets away with it. I’d be happy if your zoo closed.”
“You hurt the animals!” Benny said, his disbelieving eyes opening wide.
“If it hadn’t been for you kids and that mangy monkey, you’d never be the wiser.” He snatched the keys from Edward’s hands. “But try and stop me! I’m leaving Rosedale forever!”
Suddenly, a police car pulled up and two policemen jumped out.
Quickly, Edward told the police lieutenant the story of his animals and what had been done to them. “I’m sure the files will be in the house.”
The first policeman arrested Mac and ordered him into the back of the squad car. The lieutenant entered the house with Edward and the Aldens. Sure enough, the files were stacked in a corner.
Henry and Jessie picked up the important papers and carried them out to the car.
Scamper dashed outside with them, then stood on his hind legs.
“Who will take care of Scamper?” Benny wailed. “If Mac goes to jail, there won’t be anyone to feed him.”
Edward reached down and scratched the dog under its chin. Scamper eagerly licked his fingers. “Well, Scamper, it looks like you’ll be coming home with me. I’d like a little fellow like you around the house.”
“Oh, good,” Violet said, petting Scamper.
The dog looked at them with his big dark eyes. He obviously wanted someone to love and to be loved himself.
Edward found a leash and fastened it to Scamper’s collar and led him outdoors. “By the way, officer, Mac Thatcher owes me five hundred dollars. That’s the money he made when he stole my monkey from the zoo and sold him.”
“Come down to the station in a few hours and swear out a complaint,” the officer said, “and we’ll see that you get your money.”
“Thanks, officer,” Edward said, with a wave. After the police car left, he breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to the Aldens and the old twinkle crept back into his eyes. “To the zoo, James!”
Arriving at the gates, Edward immediately let Scamper out, holding onto the leash, and with his other hand took the cage to the Monkey House and opened it. At first the monkey stood quite still, then suddenly he erupted into a ball of energy. He leapt up, grabbed the trapeze and swung wildly back and forth. Then he grasped a tree branch and climbed to the top.
As they watched the monkey, a high-pitched voice interrupted them. “Yoo-hoo, Edward Marlow.”
In dismay the children turned and saw Helen Brooks bearing down on them, her high heels clicking determinedly.
Not Helen Brooks, Violet thought, her heart skipping a beat. In the joy of finding Amos and uncovering Mac Thatcher, she’d almost forgotten the woman who wanted to close the zoo. But now here was Helen Brooks to ruin the day. |