Sanford Secrets: Treasure at Dolphin Bay

Enter Lillibulero

The boys turned their heads slowly to look at Irene, eyes wide. "A menehune?" said Robby.

"What the heck is a menehune?" said Harry.

"The little people of Hawaii!"

Harry crossed his arms. "There's no way he's a menehune, he's a leprechaun!" The helmet was off now, and they could see that the little man had short-cropped, tight curly brown hair and striking emerald green eyes. His face looked as brown and as leathery as a fisherman who's been exposed to a lot of sun. At first glance, one would think that he would get squashed like a bug. But as Harry and Robby quickly found out, that usually worked in Lilliberulo's favor as that meant the element of surprise was on his side.

"If by leprechaun you are not only referring to the fact that I am of Gaelic descent but also to the fact that I am quick and in charge of the situation, then Harriman, you are very right," said Lilliberulo as he unzipped his jumpsuit to reveal slacks, a grey-green shirt, grey shoes and a grey belt. Now that he was here in person, Robby could hear the myriad of different accents in his voice that only made his voice sound so rough. On the phone, he could only hear the strongest accent, that of an Irish or Scottish accent.

"You're Mr. Lilliberulo?" blurted Irene.

Lilliberulo gave her a curt bow of the head. "Indeed I am. And you must be Irene Marshall."

"Oh yes, I am, pleased to meet you," said Irene with a quick bow of her head.

"Not quite were you expecting, huh?" he asked with a slight curl of his lips.

She smiled sheepishly. "Well not, not really. Not with the way the Hoenigs and Harry were talking about you."

"Ah yes, my woes, my reputation is bigger than I am, I'm afraid." By now he had walked up to the door, and the height difference was more noticeable. Irene was only six inches taller than him, but she felt bigger. He nodded at the house. "Show me what you found, Robertson."

"Yes sir." Robby quickly turned and led the way back into the house. Irene hung back as the two boys showed Lilliberulo everything they had found. Lilliberulo nodded as they revealed their thought process about everything they had seen in the house.

"Very good," said Lillibulero. He turned to Irene. "And you talked to the neighbors?" Irene nodded and told him everything she had found out. "And you are sure it is the treasure he is looking for?" he asked.

The boys nodded. "Oh yes," said Robby, "we talked to Maggie before we came to pick you up. She confirmed it. He was looking for the treasure."

Lillibulero rested his chin on his hand and nodded. "That does make sense, and yet, it doesn't."

"Huh?" chorused the three teens.

"But it does make sense!" said Irene. "Maggie said so herself Jack was looking for the treasure!"

"Wait, do you know something about this pirate guy?" asked Harry.

"Does kidnapping Jack not make sense for him?" asked Robby. "If so, why?"

Lillibulero eyed the three. "Those are not the questions you need to be asking."

Irene crossed her arms. "And why ever not? We've been the ones asking all the questions."

Lillibulero nodded. "I know, I know, but I am taking over this investigation. I will be the one asking questions from here on out. Unless I ask you to help, which you should be right now."

Robby sighed. "What do we need to do right now, Mr. Lillibulero?"

Lillibulero pointed at him. "Now that is a question worth asking. Right now, Robertson, I would like to see this Uncle Billy's place, and then you will take me to this Kailoa's where you saw this, um, pirate guy."