by Ron Roy
“I give up,” Josh said.
“Those are Kip’s purple sunglasses,” Dink said. “He wasn’t wearing them when you guys were doing the rubbing, even though it was bright outside. That’s because he’d left them in the secret closet. He must have forgotten them. Anyway, this proves Kip knew what was hidden in the closet. I think Kip is the crook!”
“Kip? But I thought it was Albert!” Ruth Rose said.
Dink sat back on the bench. “Albert and Kip must do it together,” he said. “I think Albert gets keys to the crypts and snoops around inside. If he finds expensive stuff like the Royce Vase, he texts pictures to Kip. Then Kip makes the fakes to switch for the real stuff.”
“Or he gets someone else to make a fake,” Ruth Rose said. “Like my grandmother!”
“Clever!” Josh said. “If they put a fake Royce Vase in the crypt, no one would ever realize the real one was gone. Even if someone from the family went inside the crypt.”
“Kip probably got his cousin Albert to sneak your grandmother’s vase into the crypt,” Dink said to Ruth Rose. “He works in the cemetery, so no one would notice him hanging around.”
“At least we have proof Gram didn’t do it!” Ruth Rose said. “We can show this picture to the cops!”
Dink tapped Ruth Rose’s backpack. “Does your guidebook tell how to get to the police station?” he asked.
Twenty minutes later, the kids were sitting in a small room at the Park Slope police station. They sat facing Officer Pete Foster, who was behind his desk with Dink’s phone in front of him.
“Well, I’ll be darned,” Officer Foster said. He was staring at Dink’s photo of the Royce Vase.
Minutes earlier, he had texted the photo to Foley Royce, asking, “This item just recovered. Is it Royce Vase?”
The answer came back quickly: “Yes! When can I get it?”
Officer Foster responded, “You can pick it up at the police station at your convenience.”
Dink had explained about meeting Albert in the cemetery, and how they’d been locked in the crypt. He told Officer Foster how they figured out that Albert, who mowed the lawns in Green-Wood Cemetery, was Kip’s cousin Bertie.
“My grandmother copied her vase from a picture Kip has in his shop,” Ruth Rose told the officer. “We think Kip’s cousin texted him that picture from inside the crypt. Later, Kip or Albert went back to the crypt and switched Gram’s vase for the Royce Vase!”
Officer Foster stood up. He took out his phone and texted Officer Deming, On our way. Pick up Albert Skane at Green-Wood. “Okay, now let’s go talk to these naughty cousins.”
The three kids rode in the back of Officer Foster’s cruiser. He pulled up at Kip’s Place just as Officer Deming stopped at the dry cleaner’s. They watched Albert climb out of the backseat of her cruiser.
“This should be interesting,” Officer Foster said. “Let’s go inside, kids.”
Kip greeted them all. “Hello, Officers. Hi, kids. What’s going on?” he asked. Then he noticed his cousin. “Yo, Bertie? What’s up?”
“We have reason to believe you’re in possession of a stolen vase,” Officer Foster said. He opened Dink’s phone and showed the picture of the Royce Vase in the secret closet. “This one. Does it look familiar, sir?”
Kip stared at the phone. He shook his head. “I have no idea what that is,” he said. “Maybe my cousin does, but I—”
“Don’t lie!” Albert burst out. “I helped you build those shelves! You know darned well what it is!”
Officers Foster and Deming led Kip and his cousin into the office. Dink showed them the secret doorknob behind the clay dog.
Officer Foster opened the door and whistled. “Your scheme is over, gentlemen,” he said. He pointed to Kip’s sunglasses next to the vase. “Those are your glasses, right? Your fingerprints will be all over the Royce Vase there, right?”
“It was all his idea!” Kip said, pointing at his cousin.
“Like heck it was!” Albert shouted. “You asked me if I could get keys to the crypts. I saved all your texts!”
“We’d love to read those texts, and we will,” Officer Deming said. “But let’s continue this down at the station.” The officers handcuffed Kip and Albert and took them outside to the cruisers.
Officer Deming put her arm around Ruth Rose’s shoulders. “I’ll bring your grandmother back to Ms. Hoffman’s apartment in half an hour,” she said.
* * *
—
Dink called Maria and told her the news. She said she’d order a couple of pizzas. Now they were all sitting around her table, eating and laughing.
Gram’s vase stood on the coffee table next to the pizza box.
“It’s not very pretty, is it?” Gram said.
“I think it’s beautiful!” Maria said. “And if it could talk, what a story it would tell!”
Gram told them about her stay at the police station. “They put me in a room with a bed and small bathroom,” she said. “That nice Officer Deming brought me tea and cookies.”
“The crypt was worse!” Josh said. “Dink and Ruth Rose were scared because of the dead body under the floor, but I told them not to worry.”
“Oh yeah?” Dink said. “Did I forget to tell you I recorded everything you said inside the crypt?” He pulled out his phone. “Want to listen, Josh?”
Josh reached for a slice of pizza. “No, thanks,” he said.
Dink grinned. “Just kidding. I didn’t record anything,” he said. “Remember, my phone battery was down. I was plenty scared in the crypt. I almost fainted when the door slammed!”
“And I was terrified!” Ruth Rose admitted. “I still have goose bumps!”
Josh grinned at Dink and Ruth Rose. “You guys are so cool,” he said.
“We know, Joe,” Ruth Rose said.
If you don’t want to know the answer, don’t look at the bottom of this page!
Answer:
GRAM IS AN ARTIST, NOT A CRIMINAL
To learn more about the facts in this mystery, find these books at your local library or bookstore:
Books About New York City
Kidding Around NYC: For Kids Who Want the Inside Track on the City by Suzanne Roche (Oak Lei, 2015)
This Is New York by Miroslav Sasek (Universe, 2003; originally published in 1960)
Books About Famous Cemeteries
Rest in Peace: A History of American Cemeteries by Meg Greene (Twenty-First Century, 2008)
Books About Parrots and Parakeets
Parrots by Ruth Bjorklund (Scholastic, 2012)
Pet Parakeets by Julia Barnes (Gareth Stevens, 2006)
Books About Pottery
Ceramics for Kids: Creative Clay Projects to Pinch, Roll, Coil, Slam & Twist by Mary Ellis (Lark, 2004)
The Kids ’N’ Clay Ceramics Book: Handbuilding and Wheel-Throwing Projects from the Kids ’N’ Clay Pottery Studio (Tricycle, 2000)
Books About Stained Glass
Crafting with Kids by Jennifer Casa (Visual, 2011)
Crafting with Tissue Paper by Kathleen Petelinsek (Cherry Lake, 2014)
Mason Jar Crafts for Kids: More than 25 Cool, Crafty Projects to Make for Your Friends, Your Family, and Yourself! by Linda Braden (Sky Pony, 2015)
Books About Rubbings
Fun and Festive Fall Crafts: Leaf Rubbings, Dancing Scarecrows, and Pinecone Turkeys by Randel McGee (Enslow Elementary, 2014)
Making Paper & Fabric Rubbings: Capturing Designs from Brasses, Gravestones, Carved Doors, Coins & More by Cecily Barth Firestein (Lark, 2001)
Craig Norton
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ron Roy has been writing books for children since 1974. He is the author of dozens of books, including the popular A to Z Mysteries®, Calendar Mysteries, and Cap
ital Mysteries. When not working on a new book, Ron likes to teach his dog tricks, play poker with friends, travel, and read thrilling mystery books.
You can visit Ron on his website at ronroy.com
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