The New Year Dragon Dilemma by Ron Roy Read Free Book Online

saw on that guy’s laptop in the aquarium!” Dink added.
    “How did you know it was here?” asked Ruth Rose.
    “I caught that guy Burk sneaking a peek at it,” Dink said. “After he told us he didn’t recognize Josh’s drawing, he looked right out the window at the boat.”
    The boat was moored about fifty yards out into the water. It was painted green, but some of the paint was chipped away. The sails were down, but Dink could see that they were dirty. Someone’s T-shirt was pinned to a rope, flapping in the breeze. A rubber dinghy was tied to the aft end of the boat.
    “I wonder if the laptop guy is out there,” Josh said.
    “I don’t know,” Dink said, wishing he had binoculars.
    Just then they heard a door slam behind them. They looked and saw a man leaving the harbormaster shed. He was hurrying toward the dock.
    “Duck!” Ruth Rose said. All three of them scrunched down behind the recycling bins.
    The man called Burk rushed past them and hurried out onto the dock. He was wearing a light-colored fisherman’s sweater. They watched him stop at the end of the dock.
    Less than a minute later, a man on the sailboat stepped into the dinghy, untied the rope, and started the motor. It took only a minute or two to reach the end of the dock. He and Burk began talking. The dinghy driver remained seated in his boat with the motor running. Burkstood on the dock, looking down at him. They both looked angry.

    “The guy in the boat is Laptop Man!” Josh whispered to his two friends.
    “I know,” Dink answered, keeping his voice low. “And I think Burk is the man I saw last night, running toward the swan float.”
    “He’s small enough to climb that little ladder,” Ruth Rose said. “And I’ll bet anything that piece of yarn you found came from his sweater!”
    “Right,” Dink said. “And when we saw the guy with the laptop at the aquarium, he was telling Burk to go to the swan float during the second fireworks. He even drew a picture for him. I’ll bet you he emailed it.”
    “So let’s arrest them!” Josh said.
    “We can’t prove they stole anything,” Dink said. “And even if we could, we have to tell the police.”
    “Why don’t we call them right now?” Ruth Rose asked. “You’ve got your cell phone, right?”
    Dink looked at Ruth Rose. “What would we say?” he asked.
    “We could tell them we found a guy wearing a sweater that matches that piece of yarn,” Ruth Rose suggested.
    “Guys, something is happening!” Josh whispered.
    The man in the boat stood up. He reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out something small enough to conceal in one hand. He passed the object to Burk, who looked at it, then slipped it into his own pocket.
    “What did he give him?” Josh asked.
    “Could it be the ruby?” Ruth Rose asked. “There’s our proof!”
    “No, the ruby was bigger,” Dink said. “It’s about the size of an apple. And if Burk stole the ruby last night and gave itto Laptop Guy, why would he be giving it back to Burk now?”
    The man in the dinghy shoved off, heading out toward his sailboat. Burk turned and walked back the way he’d come. He passed within two feet ofthe recycling bins where the kids were hiding.

    “He doesn’t look happy,” Ruth Rose said.
    They watched him approach the harbormaster shed. But he didn’t go in. He kept walking toward the street.
    “Where’s he going?” Josh asked.
    “I don’t know, but wherever it is, we’re going, too!” Dink said.

The kids let Burk get about a hundred yards ahead of them, then they followed. Away from the water, the fog was thicker, making it difficult to see him.
    Burk stopped at a street corner. He glanced at his watch, then looked around as if waiting for someone.
    “What’s he doing?” Josh asked.
    The kids were huddled next to a small food store that sold sandwiches. Delicious smells came through the open window.
    Burk looked at his watch again, then leaned against a sign.
    “Oh my gosh,