Trouble at the Treasury (2 page)

The kids finished their hot chocolates, pulled on their coats, and left The Vault. They headed toward the Metro station to catch the train that would take them to the White House.

A cold wind was blowing right into their faces. KC shivered. Marshall’s nose was red.

“Wait a sec,” KC said. She pulled Marshall over to a pet-store window. Through the glass, they could see a box of puppies. They were all asleep in a pile. KC pulled out her digital camera and snapped a picture.

“Don’t even think about it,” Marshall
said. “You already have three cats and a dog in the White House.”

“I just like to take pictures, Marsh,” KC said. “Stand in front of the puppies and I’ll get one of you, too.” She stepped back and aimed her camera.

A man and woman stepped into the scene just as KC pushed the button.

“Oh, look, Travis, puppies!” the woman squealed.

She was bundled into a down ski jacket with a bright red scarf. Blond hair fell from under a red knit hat. The man wore a cowboy hat and leather jacket.

“No puppies,” the man said. He gave the woman a kiss. “Come on, let’s keep moving, honey.”

The couple moved off with their arms around each other. KC snapped their picture as they walked away.

“Didn’t we just see that man in the restaurant?” KC asked Marshall.

“So?” Marshall said. He tugged KC toward the Metro stop.

“So nothing,” KC said. “But five minutes ago, he kissed that woman from the BEP. And now he’s kissing a different lady.”

“Don’t be so nosy,” Marshall said.

“I’m not being nosy,” KC retorted. “I’m being observant!”

    A half hour later, they were back home. Ever since KC’s mom married the president, KC had lived in the White House. Arnold, a tall marine, stood guard outside the door of the president’s private residence.

“How was your tour of the BEP?” he asked.

“It was totally awesome!” Marshall said. “Guess how much money they make in just one day!”

Arnold looked up at the ceiling and counted on his white-gloved fingers. “A million dollars?” he said.

“Try six hundred million!” Marshall said.

Arnold whistled as he opened the door. “Maybe I should ask the president for a raise,” he whispered.

KC giggled. “I’ll see what I can do,” she whispered back.

She and Marshall hung their coats on a set of hooks in the kitchen.

The president’s maid, Yvonne, was standing at the stove. “Did you have fun?” she asked.

“Guess how much money they make in a day,” Marshall said, grinning.

“Six hundred million,” Yvonne said.

“How did you know?” Marshall asked, surprised.

“I took my nephews on the tour last week,” Yvonne said. “How about a snack?”

“That will be great,” KC said. “Where are the president and my mom?”

Yvonne pointed to the closed door that led to the library. “Big doings in there,” she said. “The Secretary of the Treasury is with them.”

After a snack, KC and Marshall went upstairs to her room. “You want to play Monopoly?” she asked. “We can pretend it’s real money.”

They were still playing an hour later when they heard a knock on the bedroom door. The president and KC’s mom walked in.

“Hi, how was the tour?” Lois asked.

“It was great,” KC said. “We saw millions of dollars being printed!”

“And they keep it all in a vault right under the street!” Marshall added.

“Well, the vault is going to be short some money today,” the president said. “Someone stole one hundred thousand dollars this morning.”

KC and Marshall stared at President Thornton.

“What do you mean?” KC asked.

“They stack one thousand bills together into a package they call a brick,” the president said. “A brick of hundred-dollar bills is missing.”

“We saw those bricks on our tour!” KC said.

“Actually, the same amount went missing last week. The Bureau thought that one was just a counting mistake,”
the president went on. “Now they’re sure that someone stole the money.”

“But the tour guide told us it was impossible to steal money,” Marshall said. “Because of the security cameras!”

“I know,” the president said. “Impossible or not, someone did it … twice.” He smiled at his stepdaughter and Marshall. “You kids didn’t happen to notice anyone stuffing money in a pocket, did you?”

“No, we were too busy watching the machines making it,” Marshall said.

“Well, nothing we can do about it,” Lois said. “Kids, Zachary and I are going out of town tomorrow, so we’re eating early tonight. Five minutes, okay?”

“Okay, but can Marshall roll first?” KC asked. “He’s going to land on my hotel and I’ll be rich!”

“Fine, but then come right down to eat,”
Lois said. She and the president left the room.

Marshall picked up the dice and rolled.

KC crossed her fingers.

He landed on KC’s hotel. “Rats, this game is rigged!”

KC grinned. As she counted the money Marshall handed her, she had an idea. “Marsh, remember the guy who was checking the money? You asked Vincent about him.”

“Yeah, the guy with the fast fingers,” Marshall said. His eyes opened wide. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

KC nodded. “Maybe he didn’t put all the money back on the conveyor belt after he checked it! Maybe some of it went somewhere else, like inside his shirt!”

“But what about all the cameras?” Marshall asked. “Someone would have
noticed if the guy took any bills. They watch the tapes every day.”

“I guess so,” KC said. In her mind, she was seeing the man handling the money. She had not noticed him stick any bills in his pocket. All she saw was those fingers flying back and forth. “Come on, let’s go eat.”

Yvonne set platters of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and thin green beans on the table.

“Thanks, Yvonne, this all looks and smells delicious,” the president said.

“You’re welcome, sir,” Yvonne said. “Will you need me anymore? This is my bowling night.”

“Go and have fun,” Lois said. “We’ll take care of the dishes.”

Just then the phone rang.

“I’d better get that,” the president said.
“The folks at the BEP are checking the camera videotapes. Maybe they’ve already caught our crook!”

The president left the table, but came back in less than three minutes.

“No luck,” he said. He sat down and picked up his napkin. “The tape for today had nothing unusual. It certainly didn’t show some worker hiding a hundred thousand dollars in his lunch box!”

“Do they ever search the people who work there?” KC asked.

“I don’t know for sure,” the president said. “But I’ll look into it.”

“What about the serial numbers on the bills?” Marshall asked. “If the crook tries to spend the money, can’t they catch him that way?”

The president nodded. “Yes, Marsh,” he said. “Those numbers are already
being sent to stores and banks. But if I were the thief, I wouldn’t spend the money right away. I’d hide it for a year or two, and wait.”

“Well, if I had stolen the money, I’d sneak it into some foreign country,” Lois added, “where it would be very hard to track.”

KC looked up. Something her parents had just said made a thought pop into her head. But the idea was gone a second later.

KC’s mom and the president started talking about their trip tomorrow.

KC leaned over and whispered in Marshall’s ear.

“Let’s go back to the BEP tomorrow,” she said.

“Why?” Marshall asked.

“I want to watch that videotape,” KC said.
“Maybe we can get them to pause the tape. We might see that guy stashing some of the money in his clothes.”

Marshall snorted. “KC, they’ll never let two kids look at that videotape,” he said. “Especially now that they’ve had another robbery!”

“They’d let the president see it,” KC whispered.

“He’s going out of town, remember?” Marshall said.

KC grinned at Marshall. “I know that,” she said, keeping her voice low. “I was thinking of the
other
president!”

Marshall stared at her with a blank look on his face. “The other president … oh, you mean Casey Marshall!”

“Yes!” KC said.

When KC and Marshall first met President Thornton, some evil scientists had locked him in the White House basement and cloned him. KC and Marshall figured out the plot, and the scientists went to prison.

But the clone was a nice guy. The president gave him a small apartment in the White House. “Who knows when I might need a body double,” the president had explained.

KC and Marshall took the elevator to the lower level of the White House. “Casey likes to watch movies down here,” KC said.

But the presidential movie theater was dark.

“Shh, I hear something,” Marshall said.

“It’s water,” KC said. “He must be in the swimming pool!”

They found Casey Marshall swimming laps in the long blue pool. The kids waited till he came up for air, and KC handed him a towel.

“Well, hello,” Casey said. “What brings you down here?”

Casey climbed out of the pool. He looked identical to KC’s stepfather, from his brown eyes to his dark hair. Of course, usually the president didn’t wear a wet bathing suit.

“How’d you like to go somewhere fun with us tomorrow?” KC asked.

“Where?” Casey asked. He rubbed his hair with the towel.

“To the Bureau of Engraving and Printing,” KC said.

“Why?” he asked. “You two look like you’re up to something.”

KC and Marshall told Casey about the two thefts. “We think the thief is someone we saw yesterday on our tour,” KC explained. “But we need to watch the videotapes from the hidden cameras to be sure.”

“I told KC they probably wouldn’t let us,” Marshall went on.

“So we want you to come with us and pretend to be the president,” KC said. “They’d have to let you see the tapes!”

Casey wrapped the towel around his
neck. “I can’t lie and say I’m the president,” he said.

“You won’t have to lie,” KC assured the clone. She told him the rest of the plan as they went to his apartment. It was near the White House bowling alley.

Casey opened his closet. “What should I wear?” he asked.

“Something my stepdad would wear,” KC said.

Casey pulled a dark blue suit off a hanger. “How about this?”

“That’s perfect,” KC said. “The president has three others just like it.”

Casey grinned. “I know. He gave me this one.”

They picked out a white shirt, red tie, and black shoes.

“Okay, Mom and the president are leaving right after breakfast tomorrow,”
KC told Casey. “Can you meet me and Marshall in the kitchen at nine-thirty? They should be gone by then.”

“I sure hope I don’t get in trouble for this,” Casey said.

“You won’t,” KC said. “In fact, the president will be happy when we tell him you helped us catch the crook!”

    The next morning, Marshall got up early and biked to the White House. He was in time for breakfast, as usual. Yvonne made scrambled eggs and cut up fresh fruit. The president was sitting at the table, wearing a dark blue suit with a red tie. KC caught Marshall’s eye and started to giggle.

“What’s funny, honey?” the president asked.

“It’s a secret,” KC said. She was thinking
of Casey downstairs wearing an identical suit.

“Well, we have to go,” the president said, standing up. “What are your plans for the day, kids?”

“That’s a secret, too,” KC said.

“Boy, I live in a house filled with secrets!” the president said. He gave them a wave and thanked Yvonne as he walked out the door.

Three minutes later, the kitchen door opened again and Casey walked in.

Yvonne stared. “Sir?” she said. “Did you forget something?”

“I don’t think so,” Casey said. “May I please have some scrambled eggs?”

“But, Mr. President, you just ate,” Yvonne said. “And when I offered you seconds, you told me you were full.”

KC and Marshall burst out laughing.
“Yvonne, this is Casey Marshall, not the president. He’s going out with us to do something for the president.”

“Oh, I feel so foolish,” Yvonne said. “I don’t usually see you in a suit, Casey. Let me fix you a plate.”

After Casey ate breakfast, he, KC, and Marshall all put on coats and left.

KC had called a taxi. It was waiting right outside. The driver jumped out and opened the rear door with a huge grin on his face. “Good morning, Mr. President!” he chirped.

“Good morning,” Casey said. He stepped into the taxi. KC and Marshall squeezed in after him.

Ten minutes later, the kids and Casey entered through the BEP’s front door. A young man in a blue blazer approached them. A name tag hung from a chain
around his neck. It said that he was an aide and his name was Peter. Peter opened his mouth, then closed it again when he noticed Casey.

“Good m-morning, M-Mr. P-Presi-dent,” Peter finally stammered.

“Good morning, young man,” Casey said.

“The president has heard about the money that was stolen,” KC said. “We’d like to see yesterday’s videotapes, please.”

Peter was still staring at Casey. “Um, I need to … um, just a minute, please.” He hurried away.

“Did I fool him?” Casey whispered.

“Totally,” Marshall said. “His face was as red as your necktie!”

The kid came back with a gray-haired man in a dark suit. “Mr. President, how may we help, sir?” he asked.

“I’d like to see yesterday’s videotapes, please,” Casey said.

“Ah, yes,” the man said. “Follow me, please.”

He led them to an elevator. Inside, he pushed a button and KC felt the elevator car going up. When it stopped, they stepped out and walked to a black door. A sign on the door said

The door was opened by a woman wearing thick glasses. When she noticed Casey, she said, “Oh my goodness!” and backed away.

They entered a large square room. The lighting was dim, and the space was half dark. Nearly every inch of wall held a
screen. Some of them were blank, but others showed flickering images.

A tall man walked over to the group. “I’m Travis Royce, floor manager. Can I help here?” he asked. Then his eyes fell on Casey. “Mr. President! Good morning, sir!”

Casey nodded at the man. “I’d like to see yesterday’s videotapes,” he said again.

“Oh, you’re here about the robbery,” Mr. Royce said. “We use compact discs now, sir. I’ve reviewed them several times myself, and I showed them to my boss. They’re still on my desk.”

As Casey followed Mr. Royce, KC grabbed Marshall’s arm.

“Recognize him?” she whispered.

“No, should I?” Marshall asked.

“The restaurant yesterday,” KC hissed. “He came in and sat with that woman with
red hair. The one who works in the room where they cut the money. Then a few minutes later, we saw him near the pet store all lovey-dovey with that blonde!”