The Rightful Heir (37 page)

“S
HOULD BE A GOOD TIME TONIGHT!”
Tom Biggs noted with pleasure as they drove through the small, yet buzzing, town of Leon. They arrived at the main street downtown and found a parking spot in front of an old burned-out grocery store. Cars were lining up quickly along the narrow street as people from every surrounding community made their way to the town square, or intersection, to be precise. “Oh, shoot! Looks like we've already missed the pumpkin weigh-in.” Tom quickened his pace, Carol and Benjamin following. They passed business shops and buildings that had been there long before anyone in town was born…well, except for Ol' Mr. Jones.

Benjamin noticed yellow papered flyers hanging on every wooden light pole. He stopped to read one. “Missing Pug. Male/Tan colored with one black hind left paw. If found, please contact Jessica Howell at.…” He stopped reading. He felt guilty for keeping the truth from her.

“Ben, hurry up!” His mom waved him along. Circled around a familiar face, the crowd was booing and arguing. “That's Reverend Landreth up there!”

“Where
did you hide the bricks this time, Rev?” an angry farmer shouted.

Reverend Landreth pushed his square, black-rimmed glasses up on his big nose and wiped sweat from his bald head. He held the blue first-place ribbon tightly in his hand and the protestors were giving him a piece of their mind. Then he hunched over and hugged his stomach. The crowd went silent. He began to hiccup loudly and strangely.

“Oh (
hiccup
) no (
hiccup
)! My hiccups (
hiccup
) are (
hiccup
) back! (
hiccup
)”

A microphone squealed over the loud speakers next to a large stage made of hay in the middle of the intersection. “Can I have everybody's attention please?”

Benjamin recognized the voice. He looked up and stood on tip-toe to see Jessica Howell over the tops of the heads in front of him. That was Reverend Landreth's chance to act. He sneaked through the star-struck crowd and once again avoided being caught and
relieved
of his blue ribbon.

Benjamin ran around the crowd to get a better view of the Watermelon Queen.
Wow!
She wore a red dress that fit her perfectly. Her hair was specially done, and on top of her head was an extravagant crown made of a watermelon rind with a little of the watermelon still on it, seeds and all. The mothers
ooh-ed
and aah-ed over her dress, necklace, and crown, while their sons
ooh-ed
and
aah-ed
over her dress, neck, and.…

Jessica pulled the microphone away as she cleared her throat. “Before I start off this year's annual Harvest Home Festival, I want to take a moment to say.…” Benjamin looked at the growing crowd, which had doubled as more and more people streamed in. “…My pug, Mac, is missing.” A few laughs came from the crowd, followed by a few loud slaps and some
“Ows!”
“He's tan colored and has one black paw. I have fliers hanging up all around town,
so if you happen to see him, please grab him and call me.”

“Can I call you even if I don't find him?” a man yelled out.

Jessica spotted the toothless old man with a bushy, dirty beard and goofy grin. “Um…no!” Everyone laughed, including the embarrassed town drunk. “Okay, please have a safe and fun time. We'll be handing out more awards after the festivities.”

“Hey, where did Reverend Landreth sneak off to?” someone shouted, diverting everyone's attention. Jessica turned off the microphone and stepped off the hay bales. And that was Benjamin's chance to act. She walked over to her parents, hugged them, and stood there talking. He hoped her mom wouldn't remember him. Fearlessly he ran up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and smiled. “Hey, Ben!”

The boy smiled back. “Hey! You did a great job up there!”

She blushed and grabbed her watermelon crown nervously. “Oh, thanks. Mom, Dad, this is my friend Ben.”

They greeted him with handshakes and smiles. “Did you make it home okay with that box on your knees?” Jessica's mom smiled deviously at him.

“He's actually our neighbor!” Jessica said happily.

“Oh, really?” Her dad was curious.

“Well, I live a mile south of you, but I guess that's close out here.” He was relieved to see her parents laugh. But then the last two people he wanted to see showed up to embarrass him.

“There's my little
Casanova!”
his mom said loudly.

Benjamin's face turned blood red. His parents brushed up beside him.

“You must be Jessica!” Tom said in a juvenile, excited voice.

“Yes—” She smiled with embarrassment at Benjamin's dad.

“We think Benjamin's a really
cool
kid,” Carol declared.

Jessica's parents laughed. Tom and Carol introduced themselves, and Jessica and Benjamin walked away to talk
privately.

“Oh…I-I'm still on the lookout for your dog.” He felt so dumb, after his mom's remark.

Jessica sighed, feeling just as embarrassed by her parents. “I really appreciate it!” They stood on the sidewalk. Next to her was a flyer on a light pole. Benjamin noticed her face turn sad when she saw it.

“M-maybe tomorrow we could go looking for him after sch—”

“Good evening,
My Queen!”
An arm reached around Jessica and turned her. It belonged to a guy with wavy black hair. Jessica jumped in excitement.

“Derek!” she screamed happily. “I didn't think you'd make it!”

The tall, muscular jock wore a Leon High School blue and gold letter jacket. “I'd never miss the chance to see you.”

“Awwww!” she cooed and Benjamin rolled his eyes. She turned to him as she held Derek's hand. “Ben, this is Derek.
He's
a senior!”

“Nice to meet you, Benny.” He offered a large hand and Benjamin reluctantly grabbed it, followed by an over-gripping shake. “Wow, Ben. That's a strong handshake there! You keep working out and you'll be able to play on the football team!”

Oh boy. The Losing Lions…

Jessica stood on the toes of her high-heeled shoes.

“Well…we're gonna go and play some games, Ben. But it was nice seeing you! You staying for the concert?”

“Uh, yeah, definitely…” Benjamin hid his pain. “And it was nice meeting you, too, uh…”

“Derek!” All of his perfectly straight white teeth jeered at Benjamin.

The happy couple turned and skipped away, swinging their arms, laughing. Benjamin felt like a school bus had hit him, and Al
was right there in the driver's seat laughing at him. He was devastated. For a minute he watched them in the distance, having the time of their lives, then turned to see his parents still chatting with Jessica's.

He butted in, tapping his dad on the shoulder. “Yes, Ben?”

“Can we go home now…please?” He gave his dad a puppy dog face.

“What's wrong? Don'tcha wanna see Moonlight Drive? They're playing in a couple hours.”

“I don't feel good.”
I feel miserable!

“Okay, son.” Tom excused them and they walked through the crowd.

“Benjamin, do you have a fever?” his mom asked.

“I feel like throwing up!” They walked down the sidewalk, passing all the wooden light poles with Jessica's flyers. He went to grab one but noticed someone had already taken it. He yanked the last one from a pole and read it again. “Why doesn't she just have
Derek
go and find her little pug?” he mumbled sarcastically.

“What was that, dear?”

“Nothing…just…oh, you wouldn't understand.” He shut the car door and lightly banged the back seat with his head. They drove off. As far as Benjamin was concerned, he never wanted to go back to the Harvest Home Festival.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

T
HE RACCOONS MOVED QUICKLY
through the forest, Jonah by their side. Malcolm and his friends were now in familiar territory. The full autumn moon rose through a few long clouds, but visibility was better than usual from the extraordinary light.

“Hey, guys! We're not far from home!” Zeke noted. “Should we stop and tell the boss where we're going?”

Malcolm hesitated, then thought it best, since they were nearby. “Sure. Yeah, let's see him real quick. But don't plan on hanging around long. We need to get this thing to the spring, pronto!”

They traveled over a dried-up creek, making several attempts to get the barrel across, then moved on through the eerie woods. A slight mist was forming as the cicadas whined in the trees. Finally, they came into a familiar grove. Walking up to the tree in the middle, they saw two skinny legs and a long, fat, black-and-gray striped tail hanging down from a large branch. Jonah looked up and tilted his head at the loud snores bellowing from the fat raccoon's nose and mouth.

“Boss!” Zeke called, but there was no reply. “Hey, boss!”

A few snorts came from Marlon, then he mumbled, “Mmm, you want fifty walnuts for your…mmm…stupid bullfrog.”

Jonah had no idea what he was talking about.

“Boss!” Malcolm yelled.

Marlon lazily moved his legs and rolled over his fat belly. A chubby head with beady eyes behind a black mask peered
down. “Boys, good to see you,” he softly wheezed. He spotted the pug. “Did you bring me a slave? Or is he just the entertainment? I can only pay you in snail shells, brother, so let's make it happen, capiche?”

Jonah was confused. “Uh…hi?”

“Boss, the dog's with me. I need to borrow the boys for just a little while longer, then they'll come back,” Malcolm said to the yawning raccoon in the tree.

“Hmm, how'd the operation go the other night, boys?” Marlon asked.

“Uhhh…” Zeke couldn't look him in the eye. “We kinda got a little held up, boss.”

“Held up? Was it Fat Tony?” Marlon chewed a nail and spit it out. “It couldn't have been Don Diego…”

“It was that monster, boss,” Zeke said carefully.

Marlon wheezed a soft laugh. “Boys, look…if you wanna go out and play cowboys and Indians that's fine with me. But don't go making up stories about monsters and using that for an excuse to not get the job done.”

“The monster is a giant snake,” Malcolm said matter-of-factly.

“What? Giant snake?” Marlon squinted.

“Yeah, boss,” another raccoon said. “The other night we saw it eat an armadillo. We hid in a tree until the coast was clear.”

“I thought that ugly Farangis was dead.” Marlon shuffled around on the branch. “You tellin' me that that weasel I gave thirty walnuts to was wrong?”

“It's his mother,” Malcolm replied. “Farangis has a mother out there…and she's a
lot
bigger than him!”

“Mother?” Marlon smacked his little hand against his forehead. “Oh, geez! Now we got the whole family involved!”

“Not for long, boss,” Malcolm assured him. “I'll send the boys back soon.”