Mystery at the Washington Monument

by Ron Roy

  “The letter o looks okay,” Marshall said.

  “I can’t tell if it’s been plastered over,” KC said. “But look, it says the stone was set into the Monument around July 3, 1914. It’s four feet long and two feet high. It weighs over eight hundred pounds.”

  “Okay, but that doesn’t tell us who drilled a hole in it, or when,” Marshall said.

  “The hole was pretty small,” KC said. “But maybe it went deep inside the stone. You could hide something long and thin in there.” She grinned at Marshall. “Like a goat.”

  “More like a document or a map or a letter,” Marshall said. He looked at the Web site still on the computer screen. He scrolled down till he was in the 1910s. He read silently for a minute, then he let out a loud squawk.

  “Shhh, Marsh. We’re gonna get thrown out of here!” KC hissed.

  “Listen to this,” Marshall said, reading: “Prominent jeweler Conrad Sutherland reported a robbery at his home. He told reporters that a pouch of uncut diamonds was stolen while he was out of town. Police questioned a Mr. Dusty Dimm, who was employed as a stone mason doing repairs on the Sutherland home when the diamonds went missing. Mr. Dimm was released because he was able to prove that he was away visiting his sister when the jewels were stolen. Police are still looking for the thief and the diamonds.”

  7

  More Monkey Business

  “Marsh, Dr. Tutu told us someone named Dimm brought Washington to that other vet! That means Dimm was probably the person who trained Washington to break open the memorial stone!” KC said.

  “So this Dusty Dimm must have stolen the diamonds in 1914 and hidden them in the stone,” Marshall said.

  “And the Dimm who now owns Washington must be related to that other one,” KC went on. “Dimm must have the diamonds!”

  “How do we find him?” Marshall asked. “Or her.”

  “I don’t know, but we have to get back to the White House,” KC said. “Maybe the president will have an idea. Marshall, if we can track down this Dimm, we’ll solve the whole mystery and find the diamonds!”

  KC thanked Ms. Mann and Mr. Babcock, then she and Marshall raced out of the building. By the time the Metro train dropped them near the White House, they had calmed down.

  The kids hurried through the private entrance to the White House.

  They found Yvonne, the president’s maid, in the kitchen reading the newspaper. “There you two are,” she said. “Your folks were concerned, KC.”

  “Are they here?” KC asked. She leaned her backpack in a corner and unzipped the top. Washington was still asleep inside.

  Yvonne shook her head. “No, but you have a very mysterious message.”

  Yvonne glanced at a pad next to her elbow. “A Dr. Tutu called. He said to tell you that Dr. Warren called him back after you left. Dr. Warren wanted you to have this phone number.” Yvonne read off the numbers.

  “But whose number is that?” KC asked.

  Yvonne looked at her note. “Someone named Dimm,” she said.

  KC and Marshall high-fived. “We’ve got it!” KC cried.

  “Now we can find Dimm and the diamonds!” Marshall said.

  “Do you know when the president and my mom will be back?” KC asked Yvonne.

  Yvonne shook her head.

  KC looked at Marshall. “I can’t wait,” she said. “Let’s call the number right now.”

  Yvonne got up and left the room. KC brought the phone to the table. She tapped in the numbers Yvonne had written on the pad. She listened, then asked if there was a person named Dimm there. A few seconds later, she hung up. Her face was white.

  “Was it Dimm?” asked Marshall.

  KC shook her head. “No, that number was for the Washington Monument.”

  Marshall looked stunned. “Dimm works at the Washington Monument?” he asked.

  “They said they’d never heard of anyone named Dimm,” KC said.

  “Then why would he or she give that name to the vet?” Marshall asked.

  “I don’t know,” KC said. “We met some park rangers over at the Washington Monument yesterday. Maybe one of them snuck the monkey in to steal the diamonds.” She remembered the four rangers she and Marshall had seen while they were at the Monument.

  There was Butch, Opal, Jennifer, who sold maps, and Dr. Grift. Could one of these people be the mysterious Dimm, Washington’s owner and trainer?

  Washington hopped out of KC’s pack. He came over and crawled into her lap. KC stroked the monkey’s silky fur. She thought about how the monkey had jumped on Butch, as if they were old friends. “Butch could be Washington’s owner,” she said to Marshall. “Washington likes him.”

  Marshall thought for a minute. “Yeah, and Butch seemed to know a lot about those stones. But I think the crook is Jennifer, that woman selling the maps and books. Remember she had peanuts on her counter? I found a peanut shell on the floor near that memorial stone!”

  KC looked at Washington sitting on her lap. “Talk to us, Washington,” she said. “Who is your owner?”

  “There were two other rangers there yesterday,” Marshall went on. “That woman who took us in the elevator, Opal. Washington let out a howl when he saw her with those tourists.”

  “Yeah, I remember now. I thought he was screeching at the tourists,” KC said. “But maybe he was screeching at her.”

  “Or how about Dr. Grift?” Marshall said. “He sure was in a hurry to get the monkey out of the Monument!”

  Just then the president and KC’s mom walked into the kitchen.

  “There you are,” the president said.

  “KC, is that a monkey?” her mother asked, stepping back.

  KC held him up. “His name is Washington,” she said.

  “He’s lovely, honey,” the president said. “But what’s he doing in our kitchen?”

  8

  Surprise Party

  “It’s a long story,” KC said. “You guys should sit down.”

  “Oh, that kind of story,” the president said. He pulled out chairs for Lois and himself.

  “Want to hold Washington, Mom?” KC asked.

  “I don’t think so,” her mother said.

  “I do,” the president said.

  KC handed Washington to the president. The monkey settled back on his lap and played with his red necktie.

  With Marshall helping her, KC told her parents everything, starting with the white lights they’d noticed in the Washington Monument windows.

  It took KC fifteen minutes to explain everything. When she was done, they all sat staring at the monkey in the president’s lap.

  “So you think this little chap found those diamonds and handed them over to his owner?” the president asked. “Someone named Dimm?”

  KC nodded. She was tired of talking.

  “And this Dimm may be related to the original Dimm, the one who probably stole the diamonds in 1914?” KC’s mother asked.

  KC nodded again.

  “So if Dimm works in the Washington Monument, he or she could be one of the park rangers,” the president added.

  “We met four of them yesterday,” Marshall said.

  “But the thief could be someone else from a different shift,” the president said. “There are about a dozen rangers working at the Monument.”

  “How do we find the right one?” Lois asked.

  “I have an idea,” KC said. “Mom, can we have a party here tomorrow?”

  “What kind of party?” her mother asked.

  “For all the park rangers from the Washington Monument,” KC said. “We could get them all together, then I’ll bring Washington in. Maybe he’ll recognize Dimm!”

  “Or whatever his or her real name is,” the president said. “I like it. Lois, what do you say, can you get the staff to pull it off by tomorrow?”

  “Yes, I think so,” Lois said. “But what reason will I give for this party?”

  The president scratched his chin. “I know! Tell them we all enjoy seeing the Monument from th
e White House windows, and we’d like to thank them for doing such a great job,” he said.

  “That’s a good idea,” KC’s mom said. “And it’s the truth. I love how pretty the building looks at night.”

  The next day, ten park rangers came to the White House. “They look different in regular clothes,” Marshall said to KC.

  “Let’s go say hi,” KC said. They ran over to greet the rangers.

  Butch was wearing a bright yellow and green tropical shirt. His aftershave smelled like lime juice.

  Dr. Grift had on a suit and tie. He seemed a little nervous. His face was red and his hand, when he shook KC’s, was damp.

  The woman named Opal looked pretty in a pink sundress. She had pearls around her neck and her hair was tied with a scarf. A pink bag was slung over one shoulder.

  Jennifer, who sold maps and books, wore a white pantsuit and white sandals. Her sunglasses were pushed back in her hair.

  They were all standing around in one of the smaller dining rooms. KC’s mom had brought in a lot of food and cold drinks.

  “Thank you for coming on such short notice,” the president said. “We just came up with this idea yesterday.”

  “Please help yourselves,” KC’s mom said. “Yvonne, our wonderful helper in the kitchen, has made strawberry shortcake for dessert!”

  Everyone walked toward the food table and began filling plates.

  “I still think it’s Jennifer the peanut lady,” Marshall whispered.

  “No, it’s Dr. Grift,” KC said. “He’s so jumpy he can hardly talk.”

  The park rangers began eating. The president and Lois chatted with their guests. KC and Marshall kept looking at the grandfather clock in the corner. When it chimed at one o’clock, KC winked at Marshall. Then she got up and left the room. She came back in a few minutes carrying Washington in her arms.

  A few people noticed the newcomer.

  “Oh, how cute!” one woman said. “What a darling little monkey!”

  Then everyone else looked up.

  Suddenly Washington shot out of KC’s arms. He bounded to the table and began running. He knocked over two glasses of lemonade and galloped right through Butch’s potato salad. He slid in some mustard but kept on moving.

  With mayonnaise and mustard all over his paws, Washington jumped onto Opal’s chest and screeched. He began rubbing his nose all over her face.

  Opal turned as pink as her dress. Marshall ran over and scooped up Washington. He took him to his seat, but Washington kept struggling to get back to Opal.

  “I am so sorry!” Lois said, standing up. “Opal, please come with me and I’ll get you some towels. And of course I’ll have your dress cleaned.” She took Opal’s arm and led her out of the room.

  The president also stood. “Please go on eating, everyone,” he said to the other astonished guests. “I’ll go with my wife to help Opal. We’ll all be right back.”

  The president left the room. KC and Marshall followed with Washington.

  Lois brought Opal to a powder room where she could clean off the mayonnaise and mustard. When she came out, the president and another man were waiting. KC and Marshall sat off to one side.

  “Opal, this is Mr. Smiley of the FBI,” the president said. “Please have a seat. We’d like you to tell us about Dimm and the diamonds.”

  Opal sat and placed her bag near her feet. She had brought a hand towel from the bathroom and was twisting it in her fingers. Finally she let out a big sigh. “Last year, I was working cleaning people’s attics and basements,” she said. “If I found anything good, I’d sell it on eBay. I made a living, sort of.”

  Opal paused and closed her eyes. “Anyway, six months ago, I found a box of books and papers,” she went on. “There was this journal, like a diary. Some guy named Dusty Dimm had written it about a hundred years ago. I like old stuff, so I read the thing. There were drawings.”

  Opal stopped for a moment. She pulled a small black diary out of her bag and handed it to the president.

  Desmond Smiley, the FBI director, was taking notes as Opal told her story.

  “This guy Dimm wrote how he stole some diamonds from a rich man he was working for,” she went on. “His name was Sutherland. But Dimm was also working on the Washington Monument, helping build the thing. He knew that he’d be a suspect, so he decided to hide the diamonds inside the Monument, then lay low for a while.”

  Opal wiped her eyes with the towel.

  “You’re doing fine, Opal,” the president said.

  “Dimm made a hole in one of the big stones they were getting ready to put into the wall,” Opal said. “The stone was from the state of Washington. Dimm drilled a hole right inside the letter o. He stuck the diamonds in the hole, then added a thin coat of plaster to cover it up. He drew a picture of the stone, right in that diary.”

  Opal looked at President Thornton. “I decided to get those diamonds. I knew I couldn’t climb up there, so I bought Bingo, the monkey. I trained him to recognize the word Washington, and to hit the o. Every time he did it right, I gave him a reward. Monkeys learn fast.”

  “What happened to his arm?” the president asked.

  “He fell one day and cracked a bone,” Opal said. “I took him to the vet, but I gave her a fake name. I didn’t want anyone to be able to connect me to the monkey. I guess I shouldn’t have picked Dimm.”

  “How did Bingo get left behind in the Monument?” the FBI director asked.

  “I was stupid,” Opal said. “Bingo pulled out the diamonds—they were in a pouch—and gave them to me. I was so nervous I forgot his reward. He took off on me, so I left him there. I figured I’d get him the next day or something.”

  “Where are the diamonds now, Opal?” the president asked.

  She shook her head. “In my freezer. I poured water over them in an ice tray and froze them,” she said.

  Mr. Smiley stood up. “Take me to your home, Opal,” he said.

  Opal stood up and handed the towel to KC’s mom. “Thank you,” she said. “I’m sorry I ruined your party.”

  Mr. Smiley led Opal from the room.

  9

  Washington Makes New Friends

  Dr. Tutu invited Washington to live in the National Zoo. A few days later, KC and Marshall went to visit him. They stood in front of the giant cage filled with spider monkeys. There must have been fifty of them, swinging, chattering, and grooming each others fur.

  “How do we figure out which one is Washington?” Marshall asked. “They all look alike!”

  “I don’t know,” KC said. “They seem happy, though, don’t they?”

  In every corner of the tall cage, spider monkeys were eating and playing and snoozing. There were vines for climbing and trees for making nests. KC noticed one monkey holding a tiny baby.

  “Look,” Marshall said. He pointed to a sign on the wall. WASHINGTON, ONE OF OUR SPIDER MONKEYS, HAS HAD AN EXCITING LIFE. HE STOLE SOME DIAMONDS, SLEPT IN THE WHITE HOUSE, AND HELPED CAPTURE A CRIMINAL.

  Under the paragraph was another sentence: PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE MONKEYS.

  Other people were watching the spider monkeys through the cage bars. One was a man sitting in front of an artist’s easel. He was drawing one of the monkeys.

  “I have an idea,” KC told Marshall. She walked over to the artist. “Excuse me,” she said. “Could you spare a sheet of paper and a pencil?”

  “Sure,” the man said. “Do you like to draw?”

  KC looked at the man’s beautiful sketch. “No, but I wish I could,” she said.

  KC laid the paper on the ground and wrote the word Washington in big letters.

  “Great idea,” Marshall said when he saw what she’d done.

  KC and Marshall held the paper up to the bars of the cage. At first nothing happened. The monkeys continued racing and climbing and squeaking. Then one of them came toward the bars.

  “Is it him?” Marshall whispered.

  “I don’t know,” KC said.

  The curious monkey sat
in front of the paper and put his tiny hand through the bars. Then he let out a loud chirp and began tapping on the letter o.

  “Yep, it’s Washington,” KC said.

  The monkey tilted his head to one side. He looked at KC and Marshall. Then he chirped loudly again.

  Marshall grinned. “I think he just said, ‘Hi, Marshall!’”

  KC shook her head. “Wrong, Marsh. It’s so obvious that he said hi to me, not you!”

  “How do you know?” Marshall asked.

  KC smiled. “Girls know these things,” she said mysteriously.

  KC walked over to the artist and returned his pencil. He was looking at them curiously. “What was that all about?” he asked.

  KC laughed. “Don’t ask. It’s a long story!”

  Did you know?

  Did you know that the Washington Monument took more than thirty-five years to build? When the first stone was laid on July 4, 1848, no one expected that the capstone wouldn’t be placed until December 6, 1884.

  The Washington National Monument Society was low on money from the start. The state of Alabama wanted to help by donating an engraved memorial stone. The Society thought this was a great idea. They invited states and groups to donate stones to be used in building the Monument.

  Many did, but it wasn’t enough. Lack of funds, disagreements about the stones, and the out-break of the Civil War stopped construction of the Monument.

  During the war and for many years after, the Monument stood partly finished, at a third of its final height. Cows, pigs, and sheep wandered the grounds around it, eating grass.

  The United States celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in July 1876. People were feeling patriotic. Congress finally came up with the money to finish the Monument. Once building started up again, it only took a few years to complete the 555-foot Monument.

  Even though it was many years later, the builders included all the memorial stones that had been donated. And if you look carefully, you can still see the place where they stopped building all the way back in 1861—the marble above it is a slightly different color!