The Binkle and the Catawampus Compass (Binkles and Magic) (17 page)

Chocolate ripple was rated as “blah” compared to the double chocolate. So, bite by bite, the two boys tasted their way through the platterful of ice cream. They worked against time, determined to get the mountain devoured before it melted into a puddle.

On some flavors Jeep and Merve agreed, on others they didn’t, but either way they were having fun together. Now and then, one of them said something silly and they’d giggle. By the time they picked the winner, they did agree on one thing—they couldn’t eat another bite. Despite their best efforts to whittle down the mountain, nearly a third of it was uneaten.

Jeep mimicked an announcer like he’d seen on TV, “And the winner is (long pause). But first I’d like to thank the judges—Merve McCoy and Jeep Parker. Let’s hear a round of applause for the judges.”

Both boys did an exaggerated bow, which was hard to do while sitting down and also making the fake applause.

Jeep started over again, “The winner is... But folks, you know what a hard choice it was. And all the contestants were deserving. We’re sorry that there can be only one winner. Let’s congratulate all the others that came close—maybe next time.”

Jeep really hammed it up, and Merve went along with the silliness. “The winner is..., drum roll please... strawberry cheesecake! Let’s hear it for strawberry cheesecake!”

Again, the fake applause, and both boys were doubled over laughing at themselves.

~~~

When the last of the ice cream was cleared away, Merve remembered why he came and tried to return to his tough-guy role.

“So, what do you want me for?”

“I wanted to figure out why we can’t get along.”

“That’s easy. I don’t like you—or your friends.”

“Why’s that? You don’t know me and I don’t know you. So why us?”

Merve preferred action to words and didn’t want to talk about this stuff. But Jeep refused to waste the moment.

“Maybe you didn’t like me before—and that’s OK. We know each other better now. Look, we just ate a mountain of ice cream together. We’re not friends, but we proved that we can get along. And I had a good time with you.”

Merve didn’t exactly agree, but at least he listened. Jeep continued, “Wasn’t this pleasant? Isn’t this better than fighting?”

“What are you up to, Jeep? I think you’re trying to trick me.”

“No Merve, that wouldn’t be nice. I want us to be nice to each other.”

“Is that all? Just be nice? I’m not buying it. Be nice¼, be nice,” he mimicked.

“If you think you can....”

“Sure I can—if I want to, I can,” Merve insisted.

 “Great! I knew you could, and I thank you.”

“For what? What are you thanking me for?” Merve asked suspiciously.

“Why, for saying you’ll be nice, of course. You’re going to stop picking on the little kids—that’s real nice.”

“I didn’t say that. Why should I?”

Jeep shook his head as though Merve wasn’t making sense. “C’mon, admit it. It’s not much fun anymore. You and your buddies could have a lot better time after school doing something you like. Not just picking on the little kids.”

“Like what?”

“Maybe sports? Maybe a hobby? Lots of choices—all of them more pleasant than picking on kids who can’t defend themselves.”

The two of them spoke of sports, and games, and after-school activities. In the end, they found they had more than a little in common. Somehow, Jeep and Merve moved away from hostility and added something new—cooperation.

Did that solve everything? Of course not. But ice cream and binkles together were a good first step.

Chapter 15—

DETECTIVE WORK AT ELKHORN

In order for The Plan to work, Jeep had to show up often so the staff at Elkhorn got used to seeing him around. He followed the same routine day in, day out. After school he rode to Elkhorn on his bicycle, rain or shine. At the gate he stopped long enough to chat with the guard on duty. Before many days had passed, the guard started waving him through without the usual paperwork.

Jeep always too the time to speak to the nurse he’d met on his first visit (named Helga Schmidt) as he arrived. She’d tell him news about his mother’s condition. Although that never changed, her efforts were kindly meant.

The first problem for him to solve was how to get his mom out of her room.
I can’t spend all my time in there, since that would keep me from looking around like I need to
.

Jeep told Mrs. Schmidt, “I want to take mom outside so she could get some sun and fresh air.”

 “Great idea. I know where there’s a wheelchair that’s not in use.” They dug it out of a dusty storage room. Then she taught him how to steer it about smoothly and the safest way for him to lift his mother in and out of it.

After that, Jeep was free to explore Elkhorn inside and out. Jeep took his mom outside to sit in the sun unless the weather was bad. Although she didn’t respond to him in words, he could see her body responding to the warm sun and being near living things. Jeep talked to her nonstop as he pointed out all the people and happenings along the way.

It didn’t take long for the staff to grow accustomed to their comings and goings. True to his mission, Jeep left and returned to the building by as many different routes as he could find. He always brought a book along so he could read aloud to his mother, in the hope she was listening. He only chose happy stories—just in case.

Jeep was surprised to find he actually liked to be at Elkhorn.
At first I thought it was cold and unwelcoming here, but not so much anymore. This place is swarming with people—some who need help, and some who want to help them. All of them could use a binkle.

Jeep’s friendliness (a new skill which he considered a part of his disguise) came easier than he expected. Soon he knew almost everyone’s name and waived “hi” to patients and staff as he wheeled his mother past. They brightened up a bit and many called back, “Hi, Jeep, How’s it going?”.

“It goes to show, there are binkles to be found everywhere—when you’re looking for them,” he told Anna and Louise later, as he told them the events of the day.

Although their outings looked like nothing more than a casual walk, Jeep never forgot why he was at Elkhorn. His eyes and ears noticed whatever they passed. His apparently idle chitchat was collecting facts that might be useful when the time came. In the evening, he’d debrief (the spy word for reporting what he found) his friends.

Sherlock Holmes would have been proud of this team. Jeep, Anna, and Louise made elaborate notes about the staff’s routines and schedules. They mapped the building and the grounds with clearly marked entrances and exits. Gaps were dutifully filled in as Jeep brought back more intelligence.

Louise and Anna took it upon themselves to help cover for the long hours Jeep was spending at Elkhorn. They did some of his cooking and cleaning chores so Chris wouldn’t find out how much time Jeep was spending there.

~~~

Jeep kept Adah’s magic mirror in his pocket so he could check out each person he saw. After a few tries, he figured out the best way to use it. He held the mirror up in front of his face and looked at the person over his shoulder as he walked away from them.

The problem is,
everybody looks normal in the mirror. It doesn’t show me anything unusual about anyone. So
is everyone at Elkhorn OK?
He had a chance to find out sooner than he expected.

Late the next afternoon, he saw the retreating back of someone he didn’t recognize. Quickly he used the mirror. The person’s image was normal but the entire face of the mirror was blood red.
Ohmygosh! That’s what I’ve
been waiting to see. He’s Uuglash’s man!

The cold hand of dread (that’s a really bad case of fear) grabbed Jeep’s stomach. Almost immediately, the suspicious man was gone.

Every detective knows that staying alert often spells the difference between life and death. Jeep was determined to be even more alert now that he knew how to recognize what he was looking for.

I
spotted one bad guy. Maybe he’s not alone
. Just to be on the safe side, he kept the mirror in his hand and checked everyone with it—even those who’d already passed the mirror test.

With added caution, Jeep spent even more hours roaming Elkhorn, watching for Uuglash’s men. He pushed his mom and the wheelchair everywhere that wasn’t locked. The one place he had yet to explore was the basement.

       The next sight Jeep caught of the suspicious man he was carrying a tray of small bottles near the nurse’s station. The mirror confirmed the worst—all red.

Jeep asked the nurse, “Who’s that? I haven’t seen him before.”

“Oh, that’s Del Dexter. He works in the lab.”

“Where’s that?”

“Down in the basement.” Jeep gulped.

Jeep never had an excuse to go to the basement since it wasn’t along any of the routes to get in and out of the building.
But there’s no avoiding it now—I’ve got to check it out
.
I’ll just take a quick look-see, so I’d better leave the wheelchair upstairs. But without my usual “cover” There’s no excuse to be down there.

Jeep put the brake on Helen’s wheelchair when he parked it at the stair landing. He took a quick look around—the coast was clear. He gathered his courage. It helped to chant to himself, “Be strong—I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.” He tried to calm his racing pulse.

He took one step down, paused and listened; then another, paused and listened; and another.... He shivered, feeling colder with each step. He scolded himself,
I’ve been watching too many scary movies
.
There’s probably nothing down here to be afraid of.
But he found himself walking very slowly, step by deliberate step. And then he reached the bottom.

Only silence greeted him. And there was no going back.

Chapter 16—

A BOLD RESCUE ATTEMPT

The narrow corridor stretched ahead of him from the bottom-most stair to a single point at the far end. It looked vacant from one end to the other under the glaring light fixtures that dangled from the ceiling. The doors along both sides of the hallway were closed and apparently locked. The flip-flop of his own footsteps, echoing along the concrete floor, was the only sound Jeep heard.

With each step Jeep became more jittery.
Any noise could make me jump out of my skin. Calm down, now
.
You’re just going to look around.

By the time he reached the far end, Jeep found only one door open. He peaked around the doorway, no one was there. With fear apparent in every move, he stepped into the brightly lit room.
See, no problem—nothing to worry about
.

It looked like a laboratory is supposed to look. Tall shelves of stainless steel and sparkling glassware filled the shelves around the deep sinks. Complicated equipment covered the counters. A partly open door led into a lighted room on the far side.

Jeep heard steady buzzing and bleeping sounds from a large machine that stood near the middle of the room. A tangle of twisting tubes and pipes stuck out of it, and colored lights blinked above a row of dials.

A screened-off area on the left side of the lab was devoted to lab animals. The arrangement of cages contained about twenty rats, rabbits, frogs, and small monkeys. Jeep wandered over and peered into their cages and was so caught up watching the animals he didn’t hear someone enter the lab from the far room.

“What are you doing here?” came a harsh demand.

Jeep jumped, then his heart froze as he turned and looked into the scowling face of Del Dexter for the first time. “I heard there were animals down here. I wanted to see them,” he said in his most innocent voice.

The man moved close, right in Jeep’s face and scowled. “I don’t believe you, you little sneak. I’ve seen you around, don’t think I haven’t. What I want to know is what you’re up to.”

“Up to...?”

“You can just cut out your innocent act. I said, I’ve been on to you for a while. You aren’t fooling anybody.”

 “What are you talking about? I just come here to see my mom.”

“Down here? Sure you are—and my name is the Tooth Fairy. I told you, I already figured out
what
you’re doing. What I still don’t know is why.”

 “Why do you think I’m doing anything? I certainly never saw you around before.”
How did I give myself away? I’ve been so careful.

Del wasn’t buying it. “The binkles, dummy. Do you think I couldn’t spot them?”

“Binkles?”

“There usually aren’t very many binkles around a place like this. Right after you start hanging around they start showing up everywhere—just like a bad smell.”

“Binkles? What do you know about binkles?”
I’m surprised to find anybody who even knows what they are, especially someone as disagreeable as him.

“That’s my job, little boy. I’m an expert on them. I’ll bet I know more about them than you do.”

I doubt that—it can’t be
. “If you don’t mind my saying so, you don’t look like a person who even knows what binkles feel like. You’re too much of a sourpuss to be a binkle expert.”

“Feel them? No, I wouldn’t want to feeeeeel them. Not me. I’m more like a farmer. I harvest them—put ’um to better use.”

“What do you mean, harvest? I had no idea¼ I thought most people just felt them.”

“Most people? Most people?” Del’s face wrinkled up like he’d swallowed a bug. “For them that’s probably true. But I’m not like most people! Way ahead of them, I am. I know enough not to waste them.”

 “Waste them? I don’t understand. They’re just something you feel when you’re happy.”

“Told you I know more about them than you do! Admit it.” Del crowed like he’d scored a touchdown.

“Looks like you do, ’cuz this is all news to me. Binkles are for feel-good energy.”

“That’s not the half of it, kid. We’ve got a system—with science and everything, see. I know how to harvest that energy for more important purposes.”

“Really? Binkles don’t work that way.”