The Secret at Jefferson's Mansion (5 page)

“Marsh, remember when Spike ran into the bathroom yesterday?” KC asked.

“Yeah,” Marshall said. “Some guy in there nearly had a heart attack!”

“That guy is William Randolph, the crook!” KC said. “He looks different because he disguised himself as a relative of Thomas Jefferson.”

“But who is he really? How did he even
know about the horses?” Marshall asked.

“I'm not sure,” KC said. “But now we have to tell the detectives where he's going. Come on!”

The kids raced back along the path, keeping an eye out for the thief. KC figured he had cut through the woods so he'd come out on the main road.

She and Marshall ran faster. They were out of breath as they reached the front door of Monticello.

“KC! Where have you been?”

KC stopped and whipped around at her mother's voice. Lois was sitting in a shiny black car with Arnold. Two other cars were parked nearby.

“Mom, we found the crook who stole the horses!” KC yelled as she cut across the lawn toward the car.

KC jumped into the backseat and held the door for Marshall. “Arnold, we have to go back to the bed-and-breakfast!” she cried. “Please, he has the horses with him and he's getting away!”

Lois turned to Arnold. “Do it,” she said.

Arnold gunned the engine and tore out of the driveway. He drove as fast as he could down the long, winding road.

Her mother turned around. “Okay, I'm listening,” she said. “And why are your clothes filthy? And your hair! You look like you've been living in the forest!”

“Mom, that man who said he was William Randolph? He's a fake!” KC gushed. “He stole the horses and he's getting a cab back to the Bates place!”

“Tell me later,” Lois said. “Arnold, can't you go any faster?”

With a squeal of the tires, Arnold roared onto the town road. He leaned on his horn and sped past slower cars. Finally he braked to a stop in front of the Virginia House.

Before anyone could get out, a cab pulled up behind them. The man who called himself William Randolph jumped out. He was clutching the box of horses to his chest. Without even glancing at the black car, he raced up the steps and through the door.

Lois handed KC her cell phone and a slip of paper. “Honey, call the detectives at Monticello!” she said. “Tell Agent Blake what you told us! Arnold, come with me.”

Lois and Arnold ran into the bed-and-breakfast.

KC dialed the number and quickly told
Agent Nancy Blake what had happened. Then she opened the car door. “Come on, Marshall. I don't want to miss this!” They dashed up the front steps.

When KC opened the door, she saw William Randolph lying facedown on the floor. Arnold was sitting on him. Arnold's belt was wrapped around the man's ankles. His Marine Corps necktie made nice handcuffs.

Lois was on the phone in the corner. Mrs. Bates stood behind her desk, guarding the twelve little horses.

“Get off me, you overgrown Boy Scout!” the man shouted at Arnold. “You can't prove nothin'! I found those horses, and you can't prove I didn't!”

“I can prove it,” KC said. “Your fingerprints will be on the chest, the shovel, and
the key you used to unlock the glass case.”

The man glared at KC. His face was red, but he grinned. “The key, huh? And how was I supposed to get the key, Miss Know-It-All?” he spat.

Lois was off the phone. She came and put her arms around KC.

“Your mother gave the key to you yesterday,” KC said. “After she stole it from Mr. Tea's desk.”

“You don't know nothin' about my mother,” the man on the floor said.

“She's Mrs. Peeps,” KC said. “You two have identical eyes. Yesterday you watched us through the window and waited till no one was around. Then you snuck in and used the key to open the case. You took the chest and lowered it to the wine cellar on that little elevator.”

The man blinked at KC. Then his face dropped to the floor. He stopped struggling with Arnold.

“Your green eyes are really green contact lenses, aren't they?” Marshall asked.

The man didn't answer.

“You forgot your flashlight in the wine cellar, which helped us escape,” KC said.

“It was pretty rotten to lock us down there,” Marshall said.

“I didn't lock you in nowhere,” Arnold's captive said. “Blame that on someone else.”

The front door burst open. Two FBI detectives crowded into the room. The female detective walked over to Arnold. “Want to tell me who this is?” she asked, pointing to the man under Arnold.

“Thank you for coming so quickly, Agent Blake,” Lois said. “This man on the
floor is Mr. Peeps. He and his mother stole the Jefferson horses. I'll explain the rest on the way to Monticello.”

Agent Blake snapped her handcuffs on Mr. Peeps's wrists. Arnold's belt and tie were returned to him. KC and Marshall went back to Monticello with Arnold. Lois rode with the other detective.

The five of them hurried up the brick walkway once more. Arnold carried the chest of horses.

“You'll be arresting Mrs. Peeps,” Lois told the other detective.

“How will I know her?” he asked.

“She has pale blue eyes,” KC said. “Just like her son.”

That night, KC and Marshall sat with KC's mother and the president, sharing a pizza.

“So it was the blue eyes that tipped you off?” the president asked KC.

“Yes, but at first I believed there were two different men,” KC said. “The guy we saw at the bed-and-breakfast didn't look anything like William Randolph at Monticello.”

“That's because he was wearing a wig and green contacts,” Marshall added. “I think Spike knew he was a crook. That's why Spike went into the bathroom after the guy!”

“Spike? Bathroom? What do you mean, Marshall?” Lois asked.

“That's a whole other story!” KC said.

Marshall burst out laughing.

“It seems that Mr. Peeps has been in a Florida prison,” Lois said. “When he got out, his mother brought him to Monticello. After I telephoned about the horses, they hatched their plan. The Randolph disguise was so he'd have a reason to be in the building.”

“Mrs. Peeps is the one who told Mrs. Cross to take us on a tour,” KC said. “She also sent Mr. Tea to town, to make sure no one would see her son steal the horses.”

Marshall looked at KC. “Did he lock us in the cellar?” he asked.

“No, that was Mr. Tea,” Lois said. “He saw the door ajar and closed it with his
screwdriver. He had no idea you kids were down there.”

“The whole place needs a new security system,” the president said. “I've made arrangements to have it done, and Mr. Tea will be in charge. I think Thomas Jefferson would be pleased.”

KC yawned. “I'm going to bed,” she said. “Marsh, can you stay over?”

“Sure, if it's okay with my folks,” said Marshall.

Lois began cleaning up the pizza scraps. “I've already called your parents,” she said. “Sweet dreams, you two.”

“Nighty-night,” President Thornton said. “Don't let the bedbugs bite.”

The kids walked down the hallway to their bedrooms. Marshall was carrying his backpack. “I hope Spike doesn't decide to
go for one of his walks tonight,” KC said. “You'd never find him in the White House.”

“Don't worry, he's sound asleep,” said Marshall, patting the pack.

They said good night, and KC walked into her bedroom. When she opened her closet door, she could still smell the fresh paint. She had left the hidden cupboard uncovered. It was a perfect place to keep her diary and piggy bank.

KC changed into her pajamas and pulled back the covers on her bed. She jumped backward. A cardboard cutout of a big black tarantula sat on her pillow. Right away KC knew Marshall was the culprit.

KC grabbed her flashlight and tiptoed down the hall to Marshall's bedroom. She tapped lightly on the door. When he didn't
answer, she stepped quietly into his room.

Marshall was sound asleep in his bed. On his nightstand stood Spike's jar. But that was not what KC had come looking for.

She shone her light around the room. There it was! The jar of crickets sat on the windowsill.

KC picked up the jar and twisted off the lid. Then she tiptoed over to the foot of Marshall's bed. She lifted his blanket and slid the opened cricket jar next to his bare feet.

Back in her own room, KC snuggled down into her bedcovers. She hoped she'd stay awake long enough to hear Marshall's scream.