The Kids From B.A.D.
	Stories by Allen Morgan
	detective story collection
	no illustrations
	six stories - 128 pages

The Case Of The Missing Bike (part 9)

The basement lights snapped on and Sally could see John in the middle of a heap of fallen bicycles. Then she heard footsteps at the top of the inside stairs. She ran to John and tried to pull him clear of the bicycles but it was too late. The two men were coming down the stairs.

"What's going on here?" asked the short man angrily. He went over to John, but John hardly noticed him.

"I found it!" he cried triumphantly at Sally.

"Found what?" demanded the short man.

"My bike. The one that was... " John's voice trailed off as he realized what he'd almost said.

The bigger man swore under his breath. The short one licked his lips nervously.

"You're making a mistake here, kid," he said. "We just got these bikes second-hand from a guy we know. That one's probably just the same colour as yours."

"Maybe you're right," John said quickly. "Listen, it probably just looks like my bike."

The two men looked at each other for a long moment, then the short one turned back to John. "You and the girl just sit tight for a minute while me and my partner have a little discussion here." He went back over to the big man and started talking to him quietly.

Sally helped John to his feet. "We're going to have to do something," she whispered.

John nodded. "Looks like trouble, all right."

"I've got a plan," Sally said. "You get them talking so they won't be watching me. I'll sneak over to the door. When I get a chance, I'll make a break for it and go for the police."

John didn't get a chance to answer her because the two men finished talking and the short one turned back to him again.

"Listen, kid," he said. "If you say that's your bike then I guess we believe you. Me and my partner think maybe this second-hand guy has something crooked going with the bikes he's been selling us, so we're going to report him to the police as soon as we can. But we were thinking, in the meantime why don't you just take your bike back home? We'll let you have it right now, and if you get out of here fast we won't tell the police about you two breaking in here. Ain't that right, Bill?"

The other man grunted but didn't smile. John knew the men were lying but he decided it might be a good idea to play along. If the two crooks were stupid enough to let them go, it would be safer than making a run for it. He'd get his bike back for sure, and he and Sally could still go straight to the police.

"Sounds fair to me," he said finally.

The short man looked relieved. He grinned at his partner. "See, I told you he'd want to get it back. Come on, let's help the boy on his way."

As the two crooks bent over the tangle of bikes John looked over at Sally and winked. But she didn't wink back. She wasn't even looking at him. Slowly, silently she was inching her way toward the outside door. John suddenly realized that she hadn't been listening at all. She was still planning to make a run for it. It would ruin everything.

"Sally!" he called to her desperately. "Wait a minute! "

It was too late. Sally was already running out the door. The small man turned and saw her. "Bill!" he shouted to his partner. "After her! Quick!"