Book 2-Annie Adams and the Unsolved Mystery

Annie Adams and the Unsolved Mystery

                                                                                      Chapter 15

                                                                           Unexpected Treasures

     Upon hearing that Annie and Beth were no longer in the room, Charlie and Katie immediately set out to find them.  Just as the two of them reached the back door  Annie and Beth came pelting through it and nearly ran Katie and Charlie over.  "Where have you been?"  Charlie asked the two girls in a frantic whisper.

      The others at the window still in their kneeling positions looked around as Annie and Beth crouched low, and followed by Katie and Charlie gathered around Sheriff Summers.  "You two nearly gave the rest of us heart attacks!" Len told them in a scolding but anxious voice.  "Sorry about that,"  Annie said more excitedly than apologetically.

     "We overheard Bobby say that the guy out there was definitely his uncle, so we went outside to see if we could get an updated pic of him on our cells.  We hid in the bushes beside the house and we each got one!"  Annie squealed in delight holding up her photo for Len to see.  "After all that pic that's been circulating all around is an old one."

     Len heaved a deep sigh before he said, looking at the photo, "Okay, I'll admit this one is much clearer and obviously up to date." Annie grinned at him.  "But don't ever do that again!" he said in a irritated tone.  "We won't," Annie promised.  "What's Frank doing now?" she asked changing the subject.

     Len, Charlie, Bobby and Eric peeked through the drapes again.  "He's still arguing with the guy across the street,"  Bobby said.  "Wait!  Unk just threw up his hands....and oops!  Duck!"  Bobby all but yelled at the others while pulling the curtains shut.  "He's looking over here!" Bobby added as everyone gave each other wary looks and Len went to the front door and peered out it's small window.

     "He's leaving!" the sheriff said in a shocked voice, and glancing back at the others.  "Oh man!" Beth fretted.  "I hope he didn't see Annie and I at the side of the house."  "No.  If he had, he would have left right away," Len said wisely.  "He probably saw us peeking out the windows just now," he told her.  "There he goes,"  Eric said, hearing Frank gun his engine and take off down the street.

     "Darby.  I think you and I should go have a chat with the neighbor," Len said with a look at him.  "What ever you say Boss," the deputy said getting up off of the floor.  "You all stay put!" Len Summers commanded the young detectives, with a special look at Annie and Beth.  Everyone agreed they would.  "Charlie.  I want you to lock both doors just in case," Len told him.  Charlie nodded at him as he and Darby walked out the front door.

     The group watched out the window as the two men walked across the street to the brick ranch house and saw Sheriff Summers knocked on the door.  The same man who had seemed to be arguing with Frank Malone earlier came to answer the knock.  "Hello.  I'm Sheriff Summers and this is Deputy Darby," Len said politely.

     "Would you step out here on the porch please? The man did as he was asked and Len said, "What is your name?"  "Ralph Jenkins," he answered in a pleasant voice.  Mr. Jenkins was a short chubby man in his forties.  His dark brown hair was receding and his brown eyes looked huge behind his eye glasses.  He was dressed in a sleeveless tee shirt and faded blue shorts, and the sandals he wore on his big feet were very outdated.

     Sheriff Summers got right to the point.  "Are you aware that the man you were talking to a few minutes ago is a convicted felon?"  Mr. Jenkins gave no sign of distress at hearing this news.  Len went on, "He is currently wanted for theft and two counts of attempted murder."  This information got Mr. Jenkins' attention for his eyes had suddenly grown even larger behind his specks, and he had begun to sweat.  Darby took this opportunity to take his pad and pen out of his shirt pocket to take notes.

     "I swear!  I didn't know that!"  Mr. Jenkins said, his voice saturated with fear.  "He told me he was an F.B.I. agent and that the house across the street was a "Safe House" for a State Witness to hold up in until trial."  Mr. Jenkins was talking so fast that Darby was having difficulty putting Ralph's words on paper.

     Ralph took a few tissues out of his back pocket and ran it over his sweaty face.  Then he took a deep breath before he spoke again.  "Frank showed me an official looking badge and sounded like he knew what he was talking about,"  Mr. Jenkins said shakily.  "We will need you to come down to the station and give us a formal statement about what you have told us here, and anything else you might think of that will help us apprehend Frank Malone."  Len told him.

     "Oh yes sir.  I have never been in trouble with the law; not even a traffic ticket,"  "That's good to hear," Len told him.  "Hey.  Will you tell me Ralph what you and Frank were arguing about?  And why, if you know, did he take off so quickly?"  Len asked him.  "Well, he wanted me to keep an eye on that house," Ralph said, pointing across the street.

     "He wanted me to let him know if anyone came nosing around it."  "How were you supposed to get in touch with him?"  the sheriff asked.  "He gave me his phone number," Mr. Jenkins said simply.  "Do you still have it?"  Len asked, not being able to keep the glee out of his voice.  "Yeah, it's in the house; I'll get it," and he hurried inside.

     Len and Darby exchanged a wide eyed glance just before Ralph came back through the door, and handed the sheriff a small piece of paper.  "Thank you," Len said, amazed at how God works things out.  "Now back to what I was saying," Ralph began, "I told Frank that I couldn't be responsible for watching the house, because I am a truck driver and I travel all over the U.S. and am sometimes gone for a week at a time."

     "And what did Frank say to that?" Len asked him.  "He threatened to have me put in jail for noncompliance.  And when he saw he couldn't intimidate me that way he tried the old civic duty ploy.  The minute he tried to scare me with jail, I knew something wasn't right.  You see I have this sorta odd hobby.  I love cop and F.B.I. shows."  Len and Darby looked at each other and grinned.

     "Well, after the shows are over I looked through my law books to see if the legal info is correct.  I've learned a lot.  So I know what Frank was spouting was not so,"  Ralph told the two officers.  Len and Darby laughed heartily while Mr. Jenkins grinned widely at them. " As to why Frank took off so quickly, well, I guess I made him mad.  His last words to me were, 'I'll be sending a prosecuting attorney your way!'

     Len was beginning to like Ralph Jenkins.  "So, do you want me to come down to the station tonight?"  Ralph asked.  Len looked at his watch and said, "How about nine?"  "That's fine with me.  I've got no wife or kids to answer to,"  Mr. Jenkins said with a grin.  "I'll see you at nine then," Len told him, shaking his hand, and Darby gave Ralph a wave before he went into his house and closed the door behind him.

     "You know what I think?" Darby said as he and Len walked back across the street, "I think Mr. Jenkins may be in some danger for helping us."  "Yep.  I've been thinking the same thing," Len said seriously.  "I think we may have to put him in protective custody."  "I agree," Darby said, "We don't want any more so-called accidents like in Annie's case."  Len looked straight ahead as they neared the hideout's front door and said as a shiver ran down his spine, "No. No we don't."