Eye on Crime (8 page)

“Not many clues there,” Joe said.

The brothers stood outside the Golden Palace for a moment debating what to do next. Just then the front door to the store opened and the old man
came outside, struggling to lift a large plastic garbage bag.

“Need some help with that?” Frank asked.

“Sure could.”

Joe took the heavy bag from the man. “Where does it go?”

“There's a Dumpster in the alley. Thanks.”

“No problem,” Frank said. The man went back into the store. Joe headed for the alley, with Frank a step behind.

“This thing is heavy,” Joe said. “It sounds as though it has glass in it.”

“Maybe from a case that was broken during the heist.”

“Could be. Help me lift this up.”

Frank took hold of the bag. The two heaved it higher to maneuver it over the rim of the Dumpster. Just as the bag cleared the top it ripped, raining glass, paper, and other debris on to the concrete.

“At least most of it stayed in the bag,” Joe said as he stooped to scoop up the garbage from the walkway. Frank bent down to help him.

“Well, what do you know,” Frank said as he sifted through the garbage. “Our good deed with the garbage is going to leave us smelling like roses.”

“I think the smell of this garbage has made you lose your senses, Frank.”

“Well, it certainly has made me giddy. Here, look at this.” Frank held up a small piece of stiff paper, no bigger than an unfolded chewing-gum wrapper.

“Looks like a torn lottery ticket,” Joe said, refraining from touching the dirty piece of paper. “Or a movie ticket stub.”

“Close,” Frank said. “It's a ticket stub for the
Monty Mania
show.”

“So? There are probably hundreds of
Monty Mania
ticket stubs in garbage bags all over town. It's a popular attraction.”

“But think about it,” Frank said. “This stub is from last night's show. Now it's here at the same
place that Callie and Iola are accused of robbing last night.”

“So maybe we should put it back in the garbage. From where I'm standing, that ticket stub only makes Iola and Callie look guilty.”

“Except, one—we know in our hearts they didn't do it; and two—this stub is not for the seats we were sitting in. In fact, it doesn't have a seat number.”

“Like it was a special pass?”

“Possibly.”

“So where does that lead us, Frank?”

“Remember what you found in Rojas's locker? That picture of him and Wingfoot with Monty Andrews?”

“I follow you. These two crimes are starting to link themselves to that TV show.”

“Exactly,” Frank said. “Let's head for the van to see if we can contact those guys.”

“So you think it really might be them? Who did the robbery, I mean,” Joe asked.

“Could be,” Frank replied.

Frank and Joe went back to the van. They called telephone information and learned that there was only one listing for the name Wingfoot. They dialed the number on their cellular phone and were pleased with the results.

“Bingo,” Frank said as he clicked off the phone. He hooked his seat belt and started the van.

“Where are we going?”

“Wingfoot's house. Turns out that he and Rojas were at the
Monty Mania
show before they supposedly robbed the Jewelry Exchange. And to top it all off, they were hypnotized, just like Callie and Iola.”

“And that proves what? That everybody is innocent?” Joe asked.

“No, of course it doesn't. But it may lead us to a theory or to other suspects. Wingfoot has a copy of their performance on
Monty Mania.
Maybe it will give us some ideas.”

“So we're counting them out as suspects?” Joe continued his questioning.

“Not all the way, Joe. But I'm willing to go innocent until proven guilty for them. They're being helpful. I'm not sure they'd help us if they were guilty.”

Frank gunned the van and headed for Pepper Wingfoot's house. Ten minutes later they were standing in his living room. Roberto Rojas had joined them.

“How do you think this
Monty Mania
thing ties in to the robberies?” Rojas asked as Wingfoot cued up the videotape of the pair's appearance on the show.

“I'm not sure yet,” Frank answered. “Part of detective work is taking a hunch and breathing life into it.”

The four young men sat on the couch and
watched the videotape. While Wingfoot fast-forwarded through the stuff that didn't involve him and Rojas, Joe picked up a newspaper from the coffee table.

“Oh,” he said, “this is yesterday's paper.”

“Yeah,” said Pepper. “I figure to keep it because the front page makes me famous. It's got a snapshot from the video surveillance camera catching me and Roberto in the act of something we didn't do.”

Joe put the newspaper back down on the table and turned his attention to the videotape. As he watched Monty Andrews hypnotize the two Shoreham baseball stars, he was eerily reminded of what he had witnessed happening to Iola and Callie.

“You know,” Frank said, “Monty's act is sort of the same every time. It must be that whole idea of seeing yourself or somebody you know on television that makes the show popular.”

“Or maybe he's hypnotizing the whole world through the screen,” Rojas said.

Everybody laughed nervously.

“Now, there's a scary thought,” Frank said.

Pepper shivered. “The world would be doomed if somebody could actually do that.”

“Pause the tape!” Joe suddenly shouted. Wingfoot clicked the remote control.

“Can you go back a few frames?”

“This is a cheap VCR,” Wingfoot said. “The
best it can do is go forward and backward. I can't go frame by frame or slow motion.”

Joe took the remote. “Here, let me reverse it a bit. There.” Joe hit Pause, freezing a scene on the screen.

“What did he have you doing there?” he asked.

“He was asking me to act as if I was about to hit a home run,” said Rojas.

Joe grabbed the newspaper from the table and went over to the television. He held up the picture on the front page that showed Rojas and Wingfoot in the Jewelry Exchange. In the picture, Rojas was swinging a large hammer at a glass case full of jewelry.

“Look familiar?” Joe asked.

“Yeah,” Rojas said. “That's my home run swing. So?”

Joe didn't reply. Instead, he turned back to the videotape and hit Play.

“Let's watch a little more,” he said.

After a few minutes Frank put up his hand. “There,” he said.

Joe hit Pause on the remote again. On the screen, Wingfoot was kneeling down, motioning as though he were picking something up from the floor and putting it in an invisible bag.

“He had me believing I had hit a jackpot playing slot machines in Vegas,” Pepper said. “You know, a big one, where money is pouring out onto the floor.”

“Which looks vaguely like you picking up some jewels from the floor and putting them in a bag,” Frank said. “Just like in this picture.”

“You still haven't proved anything,” Rojas said. “In fact, you're starting to make me feel like I am guilty.”

“Are you?” Joe asked. “Is there something you want to get off your chest?”

“No!” Rojas shouted. “I'm telling you, we did not rob that store.”

“We'll go with your word for now,” Frank said. “You've been a lot of help. Can we borrow the video, Pepper?”

“Sure. Just don't lose it. I've never seen Rojas so funny before. We may need it for laughs in jail.”

When he got back in the van, Frank used the phone to dial Callie's house. He spoke with her for a few minutes, then said goodbye and dialed another number. Ten minutes after a very heated conversation, Frank and Joe were standing in the office of Brady Stelfreeze.

“I still have my reservations about you two being involved in this case,” Stelfreeze said with disdain. “But the girls want you involved, and Mr. Shaw trusts you, so I'm willing to take a chance for now.”

“You won't regret it, Mr. Stelfreeze,” Joe said.

“I hope not. Anyway, I have the tapes from the security cameras at both the Jewelry Exchange and the Golden Palace.”

“Good,” Frank said. “Let's see the tape of Callie and Iola, please.”

Stelfreeze pushed a button on the desk in front of him. A cabinet across the room opened, revealing a large television. He pressed another button and the interior of the Golden Palace filled the screen. The brothers stood as they watched Callie and Iola slink in through the front door.

“Screwdriver,” Joe said, narrating. “Look around. Spot the security camera . . .”

“Tape the lens, but the tape falls off,” Frank said.

It ended there as the girls escaped when a police siren wailed in the distance.

“That should do it,” Frank said.

“Do what? Land those two in jail is the only thing that video does.”

“Not yet, Mr. Stelfreeze,” Joe said. “Do you have a copy of the girls' appearance on
Monty Mania?”

“Not yet.”

“That doesn't matter,” Frank said. “Callie said one was sent to her house today.” Frank walked over to the VCR and ejected the videotape.

“Is this the other one?” Joe asked, pointing to a tape on Stelfreeze's desk. The lawyer nodded his head as Joe picked up the tape.

“Good,” Frank said. “It's getting late, and we have work to do. What time can you be at our house tomorrow?”

Stelfreeze got a confused look on his face. “Me? Tomorrow's Saturday.”

“So bill time and a half,” Joe said. “Here's the address.”

“Be early,” Frank said. “Skip breakfast. Mom makes great pancakes.”

Frank and Joe left the lawyer's office, drove to Callie's house to pick up the video she had for them, and headed home. After a quick dinner, Frank asked Joe a favor.

“Could you disconnect the VCR from the television in the den?”

“Sure,” Joe answered. “You have something cooking in that head of yours?”

“Bringing it to a boil, bro. Meet me in my room.”

Joe retrieved the VCR and hauled it up to his brother's bedroom.

“Thanks,” Frank said, taking the VCR from Joe and hooking it to his computer's video input connector.

For the next several hours, the brothers were huddled around the computer. The only interruption came at 1:00
A.M.
when somebody knocked on Frank's partially shut door.

“It's getting very late, boys,” said Mrs. Hardy, poking her head into the room. “Maybe you should call it a night.”

“We're onto something very important, Mom,”
Frank replied. “It could help clear Callie and Iola.”

Mrs. Hardy smiled and retreated without a word. A few minutes later she returned with a tray of snacks and juice to take her sons through what would be a night of hard work.

• • •

When Frank and Joe came down to breakfast the next morning, Brady Stelfreeze was helping himself to some maple syrup.

“Enjoy your breakfast,” Frank said as he pulled up a chair. “It's just the start to what should be a great day.”

“Well, the breakfast is wonderful,” Mr. Stelfreeze said with a smile. “So, I won't consider this a wasted trip.”

“Oh, it won't be, we promise,” Joe said.

After twenty minutes of eating and small talk, Mr. Stelfreeze joined the brothers in Frank's bedroom.

“So, what did you want to show me?” he asked. “Your fingerprint kit?”

“Oh, something much more high-tech than that,” Frank said. “Watch.”

Joe pressed Play on the VCR. The computer monitor displayed Wingfoot and Rojas performing on
Monty Mania.
Then a thick black line split the screen in half, and the previously full-screen image was relegated to the left side of the monitor.
On the right side of the black line the screen showed footage of the two Shoreham students inside the Jewelry Exchange.

“Guilty, says the jury,” Stelfreeze snickered. “All I see is some irrelevant video from a television variety show on the screen next to a solid piece of evidence proving that these two robbed the jewelry store. Is this all you have to show me?”

“How about this?” Frank said as he pushed a few keys on the computer. The black line that dissected the screen in two disappeared. The separate images began to expand and superimpose one on top of the other.

“Hmm,” Stelfreeze mouthed with a bit of interest.

Frank clicked away some more at the keyboard. The images on the screen began to shift as if they were melting together. As the colors and lines swirled, a new image began to replace the pictures of Rojas and Wingfoot going about their crime. For a moment the screen was a jumble of body parts, backgrounds, and facial features.

“I think I see something,” Stelfreeze said, staring at the fuzzy blob of colors. “But I'm not sure what.”

Then the image on the monitor stabilized as the computer completed its computations.

“There you have it!” Frank said with pride. “The real criminal.”

“I don't get it,” Stelfreeze said. “You plan to use some fancy computer graphics to frame somebody else for the robberies?”

“No.” Joe sighed. “We used the computer to show you how the real criminal framed Callie and Iola and Wingfoot and Rojas.”

“So you think that Monty Andrews, host of America's latest favorite variety show, is the real criminal?” Stelfreeze asked, pointing at the picture of the comedian on the computer screen. “How do you come up with that?”

“Look at the screen,” Frank said as he tapped a few keys. A side-by-side split-screen image from the Golden Palace video and the
Monty Mania
video twinkled on the monitor.