by Gary Paulsen
“How did you do it?” Amos pointed at the guards. “Those guys are three times your size.”
“Tricks of the trade.” Andy headed toward the balcony window. “And of course those knockout pills you gave me didn’t hurt.”
“Where’s Fatima?” Dunc asked.
“That could prove to be a problem for you.” Andy slid the glass door open. “She’s out shopping and her father is in a meeting. You’ll have to work fast so they don’t come in on you. Good luck.”
Andy disappeared over the edge of the railing. Amos stared at the empty balcony in awe. “How did he do that?”
Dunc shook his head. “Who knows? Come on, we better make the switch before Fatima and her dad get back. Do you have the key?”
“Right here.” Amos pulled off his shoe and sock. “Boy, will I be glad to get rid of this thing. My skin was starting to grow around it.”
Dunc took the key and put it into the phony electric outlet. The secret panel popped open. He took out the jewels and handed them to Amos. Then he slid the case with the fakes from under his shirt and placed them in the safe.
“That was a piece of cake, Amos. Let’s get the real ones back to our room and wait for Andy.”
Amos was watching the fish in the aquarium. One of the larger fish gulped down a small one. “Hey, did you see that? These guys play rough.”
“We don’t have time to watch the fish, Amos. Let’s get out of here.”
“I’m right behind you.” Amos was still looking at the fish when he started for the door. The toe of his right foot caught in the mouth of the bearskin rug lying on the floor and he shot forward.
Dunc turned just in time to see the jewel case splash into the water and drop to the bottom of the aquarium. “That’s just great, Amos. Reach in there and get it. We’re in a little bit of a hurry here.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“I’ve been watching the fish in there. They have teeth. Sharp teeth.”
Dunc bent down. “You’re right. Those aren’t ordinary fish. They’re piranhas, maneaters.”
“So long, jewels. I’m outta here.” Amos headed for the door.
“Hang on.” Dunc barely caught the back of Amos’s shirt. “Maybe we can find something we can use to pull the case out.”
Amos glanced around the room. “Nope, I don’t see anything. Let’s go.”
“Hand me Mesha’s cane. It’s over there by the couch.” Dunc pulled a chair up next to the aquarium.
Amos handed him the cane. “Whatever you do, don’t get your hand close to the water.”
Gingerly Dunc lowered the curved end of the cane into the aquarium. The piranhas circled around it.
One of the guards shifted position.
The boys froze.
The big man muttered something and went back to his snoring.
“Hurry, Dunc,” Amos whispered tensely. “I’d almost rather face the fish than those two goons.”
“I’ve just about got it.” Dunc inched the case up the side of the glass wall to the top. “Reach in and get it before it falls again, Amos!”
“Are you nuts?”
“It’s slipping!”
Amos made a wild grab and scooped the case out onto the floor.
Dunc let out his breath and reached to pick it up. “For a minute there I thought we were gonna lose it, Amos. Amos?”
Amos was holding up his arm. The bottom of his sleeve had a big piece ripped out of it.
They turned to the tank. One of the piranhas was swallowing the last of the material.
Amos’s eyes narrowed into tiny slits.
“Now wait a minute, Amos. Let’s just try and stay calm.”
“When this is over,” Amos hissed to Dunc, “if we’re both still alive, I’m gonna kill you!”
Andy was waiting for them when they got back to their room. “What took you guys so long?”
Amos blew air through his teeth. “It’s a long story.”
Dunc handed Andy the jewel case and fell into the nearest chair. “Now what?”
“We wait until Cyrano contacts you again. We have agents stationed around the hotel ready to move in when I give the signal.”
The telephone rang. Dunc answered it. “Hello.” He was quiet for a few seconds. “I understand.… Yes, we have them.… All right.… We’ll meet you in thirty minutes.” He hung up the phone.
“Who was it?” Amos asked as he got comfortable on the couch.
“Cyrano’s kidnapped Fatima. He’s been tipped off. He knows the government is after him and that we have the jewels. He says we have to bring them to the airport or we’ll never see her again.”
“I’ll call my people.” Andy jumped up and reached for the phone.
Dunc put his hand on Andy’s arm. “He said Popeye and I have to come alone or else.”
“Cyrano can be very dangerous.” Andy’s look was serious. “Are you sure you want it this way?”
Dunc nodded. “He won’t hurt anybody if he gets the jewelry.”
Andy gave him the case. “I don’t like it.”
Dunc tucked the jewels under his arm. “Are you coming, Amos?”
Amos chewed on the inside of his cheek. “Maybe we could call in a SWAT team. How about the National Guard? They have experience with this sort of thing.”
“We’re running out of time.” Dunc headed out the door.
“I hate it when he does that.” Amos went through the door muttering to himself. “He knows I’ll follow him. I always follow him. Next time I’ll surprise him.…”
The ride to the airport seemed to take forever. Dunc checked his watch every few seconds. When the cab finally stopped, he threw some money at the driver, jumped out, and raced inside with Amos right behind him.
“Cyrano said to meet him back at gate thirty-seven. We have five minutes.”
They pushed and shoved their way through the crowded airport, emptied their pockets for the metal detector, and raced up the escalator.
“There he is, Amos. See that guy in the last row with the newspaper and the dark glasses? That’s Cyrano. Look at him sitting there as cool as a cucumber.”
They ran down the aisle and swung over the rail. Amos was gasping for breath.
Dunc trotted into the waiting area and stood in front of Cyrano. He held out the jewel case. “Here they are. Where’s Fatima?”
Cyrano opened the case and examined the jewelry. An evil smile spread across his face. He snapped it shut. “I’m really disappointed in the two of you. I had expected you to try something. In fact I was hoping you would. It makes life so interesting.”
“You got what you wanted. Tell us where she is.”
Cyrano laughed. “I’ll phone you her location from South America.”
Amos stumbled over a large brown suitcase. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead.
“A little out of shape, aren’t we, Popeye? Ha! The two of you are jokes.” Cyrano pushed Amos. “Get out of my way.”
Amos started to fall backward, but he braced his legs on the suitcase and managed to stay upright. The suitcase didn’t budge.
“She’s in the luggage, Amos!” Dunc yelled.
Cyrano glanced anxiously around the waiting area, which was filling up with people. He backed away and tried to melt into the busy crowd.
An elderly woman stuck out her cane and tripped him. Cyrano fell flat on his back. Before he could get up, she flipped him over and snapped a pair of handcuffs on him.
“Mesha?” Fatima crawled out of the unzipped suitcase.
Mesha grinned and tossed the jewel case to a redheaded bystander.
“Andy?” Amos’s eyes widened.
“We just happened to be in the neighborhood,” Andy joked. “By the way, Mesha is one of us.”
“I don’t get it,” Dunc said. “If she’s one of the good guys, why didn’t you just have her steal the jewels? It would have saved us a lot of trouble.”
“Sorry about that.” Andy helped Fatima to
her feet. “Cyrano had too many informers at the hotel. We couldn’t let him know we had Mesha on the inside.”
“Would someone please tell me what is going on here?” Fatima pleaded.
Andy offered her his arm. “I’d be delighted, Ms. Khalil. You see, it’s like this …” He looked over his shoulder at Dunc and winked. Then he led her down the corridor. “It’s a tough job saving lives …”
“Are you just going to stand there and watch him steal your woman?” Amos demanded.
Dunc shrugged. “That’s the way it goes. You win some, you lose some.”
“There’s always Bertha Abercromby.”
“What?”
“You know. Tall Bertha. She really has a crush on you. When we get back, I’ll talk to her. Maybe I can set something up.”
“Do me a favor, Amos.”
“Name it.”
“Don’t do me any favors!”
Be sure to join Dunc and Amos in these other Culpepper Adventures:
The Case of the Dirty Bird
When Dunc Culpepper and his best friend, Amos Binder, first see the parrot in a pet store, they’re not impressed—it’s smelly, scruffy, and missing half its feathers. They’re only slightly impressed when they learn that the parrot speaks four languages, has outlived ten of its owners, and is probably 150 years old. But when the bird starts mouthing off about buried treasure, Dunc and Amos get pretty excited. Let the amateur sleuthing begin!
Dunc’s Doll
Dunc and his accident-prone friend Amos are up to their old sleuthing habits once again. This time they’re after a band of doll thieves! When a doll that once belonged to Charles Dickens’s daughter is stolen from an exhibition at the local mall, the two boys put on their detective gear and do some serious snooping. Will a vicious watchdog keep them from retrieving the valuable missing doll?
Culpepper’s Cannon
Dunc and Amos are researching the Civil War cannon that stands in the town square when they find a note inside telling them about a time portal. Entering it through the dressing room of La Petite, a women’s clothing store, the boys find themselves in downtown Chatham on March 8, 1862—the day before the historic clash between the Monitor and the Merrimac. But the Confederate soldiers they meet mistake them for Yankee spies. Will they make it back to the future in one piece?
Dunc Gets Tweaked
Dunc and Amos meet up with a new buddy named Lash when they enter the radical world of skateboard competition. When somebody “cops”—steals—Lash’s prototype skateboard, the boys are determined to get it back. After all, Lash is about to shoot for a totally rad world’s record! Along the way they learn a major lesson: Never kiss a monkey!
Dunc’s Halloween
Dunc and Amos are planning the best route to get the most candy on Halloween. But their plans change when Amos is slightly bitten by a werewolf. He begins scratching himself and chasing UPS trucks—he’s become a werepuppy!
Dunc Breaks the Record
Dunc and Amos have a small problem when they try hang gliding—they crash in the wilderness. Luckily, Amos has read a book about a boy who survived in the wilderness for fifty-four days. Too bad Amos doesn’t have a hatchet. Things go from bad to worse when a wild man holds the boys captive. Can anything save them now?
Dunc and the Flaming Ghost
Dunc’s not afraid of ghosts, although Amos is sure that the old Rambridge house is haunted by the ghost of Blackbeard the Pirate. Then the best friends meet Eddie, a meek man who claims to be impersonating Blackbeard’s ghost so that he can live in the house in peace. But if that’s true, why are flames shooting from his mouth?
Amos Gets Famous
Deciphering a code they find in a library book, Amos and Dunc stumble onto a burglary ring. The burglars’ next target is the home of Melissa, the girl of Amos’s dreams (who doesn’t even know he’s alive). Amos longs to be a hero to Melissa, so nothing will stop him from solving this case—not even a mind-boggling collision with a jock, a chimpanzee, and a toilet.
Dunc and Amos Hit the Big Top
To impress Melissa, Amos decides to perform on the trapeze at the visiting circus. Look out below! But before Dunc can talk him out of his plan, the two stumble across a mystery behind the scenes at the circus. Now Amos is in double trouble. What’s really going on under the big top?
Dunc’s Dump
Camouflaged as piles of rotting trash, Dunc and Amos are sneaking around the town dump. Dunc wants to find out who is polluting the garbage at the dump with hazardous and toxic waste. Amos just wants to impress Melissa. Can either of them succeed?
Dunc and the Scam Artists
Dunc and Amos are at it again. Some older residents of their town have been bilked by con artists, and the two boys want to look into these crimes. They meet elderly Betsy Dell, whose nasty nephew Frank gives the boys the creeps. Then they notice some soft dirt in Ms. Dell’s shed, and a shovel. Does Frank have something horrible in store for Dunc and Amos?
Dunc and Amos and the Red Tattoos
Dunc and Amos head for camp and face two weeks of fresh air—along with regulations, demerits, KP, and inedible food. But where these two best friends go, trouble follows. They overhear a threat against the camp director and discover that camp funds have been stolen. Do these crimes have anything to do with the tattoo of the exotic red flower that some of the camp staff have on their arms?
Dunc’s Undercover Christmas
It’s Christmastime, and Dunc, Amos, and Amos’s cousin T. J. hit the mall for some serious shopping. But when the seasonal magic is threatened by disappearing presents, and Santa Claus himself is a prime suspect, the boys put their celebration on hold and go undercover in perfect Christmas disguises! Can the sleuthing trio protect Santa’s threatened reputation and catch the impostor before he strikes again?
The Wild Culpepper Cruise
When Amos wins a “Why I Love My Dog” contest, he and Dunc are off on the Caribbean cruise of their dreams! But there’s something downright fishy about Amos’s suitcase, and before they know it, the two best friends wind up with more high-seas adventure than they bargained for. Can Dunc and Amos figure out who’s out to get them and salvage what’s left of their vacation?
Dunc and the Haunted Castle
When Dunc and Amos are invited to spend a week in Scotland, Dunc can already hear the bagpipes a-blowin’. But when the boys spend their first night in an ancient castle, it isn’t bagpipes they hear. It’s moans! Dunc hears groaning coming from inside his bedroom walls. Amos notices that the eyes of a painting follow him across the room! Could the castle really be haunted? Local legend has it that the castle’s former lord wanders the ramparts at night in search of his head! Team up with Dunc and Amos as they go ghostbusting in the Scottish Highlands!
Cowpokes and Desperadoes
Git along, little dogies! Dunc and Amos are bound for Uncle Woody Culpepper’s Santa Fe cattle ranch for a week of fun. But when they overhear a couple of cowpokes plotting to do Uncle Woody in, the two sleuths are back on the trail of some serious action! Who’s been making off with all the prize cattle? Can Dunc and Amos stop the rustlers in time to save the ranch?
Prince Amos
When their fifth-grade class spends a weekend interning at the state capitol, Dunc and Amos find themselves face-to-face with Amos’s walking double—Prince Gustav, Crown Prince of Moldavia! His Royal Highness is desperate to uncover a traitor in his ranks. And when he asks Amos to switch places with him, Dunc holds his breath to see what will happen next. Can Amos pull off the impersonation of a lifetime?
Coach Amos
Amos and Dunc have their hands full when their school principal asks them to coach a local T-ball team. For one thing, nobody on the team even knows first base from left field, and the season opener is coming right up. And then there’s that sinister-looking gangster driving by in his long black limo and making threats. Can Dunc and Amos fend off screaming tots, nervous mothers, and the mob, and be there when the ump yells “Play
ball”?
Amos and the Alien
When Amos and his best friend, Dunc, have a close encounter with an extraterrestrial named Girrk, Dunc thinks they should report their findings to NASA. But Amos has other plans. He not only promises to help Girrk find a way back to his planet, he invites him to hide out under his bed! Then weird things start to happen—Scruff, the Binders’ dog, can’t move, Amos scores a game-winning touchdown, and Dunc knows Girrk is behind Amos’s new powers. What’s the mysterious alien really up to?
Dunc and Amos Meet the Slasher
Why is mild-mannered Amos dressed in leather, slicking back his hair, strutting around the cafeteria, and going by a phony name? Could it be because of that new kid, Slasher, who’s promised to eat Amos for lunch? Or has Amos secretly gone undercover? Amos and his pal Dunc have some hot leads and are close to cracking a stolen stereo racket, but Dunc is worried Amos has taken things too far!
Dunc and the Greased Sticks of Doom
Five … four … three … two … Olympic superstar Francesco Bartoli is about to hurl himself down the face of a mountain in another attempt to clinch the world slalom speed record. Cheering fans and snapping cameras are everywhere. But someone is out to stop him, and Dunc thinks he knows who it is. Can Dunc get to the gate in time to save the day? Will Amos survive longer than fifteen minutes on the icy slopes? Join best friends Dunc Culpepper and Amos Binder as they take an action-packed winter ski vacation filled with fun, fame, and high-speed high jinks.
