The Incredible Polly McDoodle (The Polly McDoodle Mystery Series Book 4)

by Mary Woodbury

  Polly waved Kyle to a seat at the table. “It looks as if the crook with a conscience has been at it again. Mrs. Dobson got her birthday card from her daughter without the cheque. My dad got his birthday cards from his relatives without their cheques. He’s calling them right now to see what they sent. I haven’t gotten my letter from Isabel with October’s cheque for George’s food and my dog-sitting.”

  Kyle and Polly sat pouring over all the clues and the information. They studied the envelopes to Polly’s dad. The backs, especially around the sticky flaps, seemed just a bit rumpled, like they might have been wet.

  “I bet these were steamed open and then glued shut,” Kyle said.

  The plate of cookies disappeared and another carton of milk as well. Detecting was hungry work.

  Polly’s folks went for a run before the birthday dinner.

  The Clays, the Beamishes, and the McDougalls all went to Earl’s Restaurant for dinner. The waiters sang “Happy Birthday” to Polly’s dad. He opened his gifts. He loved his cologne—poured it on his hankie and waved it in the air. Polly was both embarrassed and pleased.

  Her mom gave her dad a jazzy tank top for running.

  When they got back home, the kids took George and Brutus for their evening walk. On the way back in the building they stopped to take the tape out of the video camera in the front hall. They put it into McDougall’s VCR and watched in silence as the parade of delivery persons, friends, and neighbours processed into the vestibule, stopped for their mail, or didn’t. Finally just as they were getting sleepy and were tempted to give up, someone in a mask approached the mailboxes. He or she was dressed in what looked like a postal uniform, but with a black mask covering the top half of the face. After opening the whole mailbox, the thief took a small bundle of letters and cards out of a shoulder bag and began putting mail into the boxes.

  “He’s disguised but I think I know who it is,” said Kyle.

  Polly nodded. “What do we do about it?”

  Kyle picked up the phone. He dialled Crime Stoppers. “Hi, this is Kyle Clay.” There was a pause as someone responded on the other end.

  “I called you before about the mail thefts in the Kirby neighbourhood. … We have more information.”

  Polly stood right beside him, but couldn’t hear the responses clearly.

  “Ms. Jaffer of the Post Office told us to keep the police informed.”

  “Tell them about the video.” Polly bounced up and down on her sneakers. She couldn’t believe Kyle. He had launched into a full description of the visitors to their mailboxes.

  “We have an envelope and writing samples and a video.”

  Then Kyle just listened attentively.

  “We can’t go out now. It’s too late,” Polly said.

  “That will work fine. Thanks so much.” Kyle hung up.

  “What did they say? What should we do?”

  “We are to hand the tape in to Student Crime Stoppers,” said Kyle. “We can take it with us to school tomorrow. They will pick it up there. They have other information. This will help.”

  Polly was reluctant to let it go. Now that they had figured everything out she wanted to be part of the capture. Her parents would be relieved, though.

  Kyle asked Mr. McDougall if he could borrow their VCR and a spare tape. He carried it away.

  There were still quite a few questions Polly wanted desperately to ask. But armed with this tape, the police, Canada Post, and the bank should be able to stop the mail thefts around Kirby—and her own place.

  Friday, the day of Spookarama and the school’s celebration of Halloween, dawned clear and crisp. It was perfect weather for kids to be outdoors in outrageous outfits. Polly’s mom had really gotten into the spirit of the day and had helped Polly with her police costume—making fake badges and silver buttons out of tin foil. Kyle had a white lab coat from the chemistry department at the university. Mandy had chosen to wear a beautiful yellow, gold, and brown long dress with a colourful headscarf from Uganda. Her leather sandals were hand-sewn from Morocco.

  “It’s going to be impossible to concentrate in school,” Polly reflected as they piled into Beamishes’ car. Karen was wearing a green wool coat she had won at a women’s store for guessing the number of jawbreakers in a jar in their window.

  “At least we don’t have any tests,” Mandy laughed. “The teachers wouldn’t dare. Our dance class is going out for treats instead of rehearsing this afternoon.”

  Polly gave her a long look.

  “And I’m going to indulge in my love of salt and vinegar chips,” added Mandy. “What about the case of the conscience-filled crook?”

  Polly glued her lips together. She looked over at Kyle who was chewing sunflower seeds and had the videotape and the envelope with the shopping list in a bag in his lap on top of his Math text.

  “We’re handing all our evidence over to the police. They can take it from here.” Kyle stared at Polly. She could tell that he didn’t want her bringing Mandy up to date. There were too many unresolved issues.

  “I’m glad to hear that,” said Karen Beamish. “You don’t know how angry people get when they get caught doing something bad. I was watching an Investigative Reports program about crime detection on A&E. The narrator said that all the time that crook’s criminal activity goes undetected builds up their confidence. They think they are smarter than everyone. They begin to believe they are invincible. It becomes a game and human beings love a good game. I know I do myself. That’s why I enter all these contests, for the fun of it. Criminals see committing a crime like mail theft as putting one over on people. They gamble with people’s lives and property. They don't look at how it hurts others.”

  “But you are saying they might get violent if they get caught,” said Mandy. She paused. “When someone figures out what game you’ve been playing and calls you on it, your first response is anger. I know that only too well.” Mandy turned in her seat and looked back at Polly and grinned. “But then if you’re really smart you say thanks. Thanks for taking me and my problems seriously.”

  Polly blushed.

  “You’re incredible, Polly,” said Mandy.

  The car pulled up to the school. Polly rummaged in her backpack until she found the large brown envelope she had been going to use to mail an entry to a poster contest. But she had decided that mailing entries to contests was a game she didn’t want to play anymore. She had enough to do with her art, her school, and her friends. “Put the tape in here along with your notes, Kyle. We’ll leave it at the office for safekeeping.”

  Kyle dropped the tape into the envelope. The kids piled out of the car. The Dell boys were sitting at the bus stop.

  “About that envelope?” Darrell shouted.

  Mandy headed into the school and Kyle led the way to where the boys were sitting. “I told them to meet us here and take a look at that torn envelope that Mandy found by the bus shelter.”

  Polly dug the envelope out from beside the video and passed it to the boys.

  “Dad said he sent us a letter congratulating us on going back to school. He sent a cheque in it. We never saw it or the letter.”

  The boys passed the envelope back and forth. “Dad and Uncle Bob both use this fancy writing. That’s our mail all right.” Darrell held out a sheet of foolscap with some old school notes on it. “See, that’s my writing style, not as neat as my dad. And Sydney’s is even worse.” Polly and Kyle stared at the paper.

  “Neither one of us write like this.” Sydney took the envelope and stared at the list. “Did you guys think we were the crooks?”

  “What would they need a file for?” asked Darrell. “Why the word ‘Homework’—it’s got to be a student or a teacher wrote this.” The bus pulled up and the boys turned away.

  Kyle threw a wad of used tissues in the full garbage tin. Polly handed him the brown envelope with the tape and the torn envelope in it.

  The first bell rang. Polly and Kyle headed towards the door.

  “I’ll be s
o glad to get rid of this. It feels too hot to hold.” Kyle clasped the brown envelope with the videotape to his chest.

  Polly phoned the Student Crime Stoppers while Kyle explained to the secretary that someone would be coming by to pick up the envelope. He placed it carefully into the school secretary’s in-basket with “Student Crime Stoppers” scrawled in his sloppy handwriting. He had put both his and Polly’s name in the top left-hand corner so whoever picked it up would know who it came from. The secretary smiled at him and returned to her keyboarding. Another student burst into the office and demanded her attention. She shook her head and listened to his complaint about a missing book.

  “This day is never going to pass.” Polly whispered to Tommie Lee as they sat reading in Language Arts.

  “Did you give your dad his cologne?”

  “He loved it.”

  “I wonder what happened to Mr. Stone,” Tommie Lee said. “Wasn’t this his last day? Weren’t we going to give him a crazy gift?”

  “I bought him a buzzer to put in his hand so when he shook hands with anyone he could zap them,” Harvey Newhouse said. “I was going to present it to him today.”

  “I wanted to get him a fashion magazine for men,” laughed Tommie Lee.

  “Quiet, class,” said the substitute teacher from the back of the class. She looked like a retired drill sergeant with eyes like an eagle.

  “Boring,” mouthed Polly as she doodled squirrels on a sheet of foolscap.

  “That reminds me,” said Tommie Lee. “I found something for you in the San Francisco Store.” She handed Polly a small bag with something wrapped in gold paper inside.

  Polly put the bag on her lap. She glanced around to check that the teacher was busy patrolling on the far side of the class before gingerly opening the bag, trying not to rustle the tissue paper. The sweet smell of sandalwood escaped as she unwrapped the crinkly covering. Inside was a honey brown squirrel candle clutching a nut in his tiny paws. Quickly she slid the gift back into the bag.

  “Kyle said you collect little things, little mementoes. I thought because you liked squirrels…”

  “I love it,” said Polly. “But you…”

  “Oh, don’t get gooey on me. It’s just because I liked it and you were the only one I could think of to give it to.” Tommie Lee blushed. The bell rang and the whole class surged for the door like salmon in a river.

  Polly had a two-period art class at the end of the day. She went over to the bookstore and finished the last of her window painting. Then she joined the gang putting up streamers and scary wall hangings in the gymnasium. Most of the kids were from the Grade Nine Art class. Kyle was practicing spooky music with the band on the stage. He was playing the keyboard. Still no word from the police. What was going on?

  Mrs. Specchio brought in cookies and black punch with orange ice cubes. Everyone loaded up on food. The vice principal’s voice came over the loudspeaker. “Could Kyle Clay and Polly McDougall come to the office please?”

  Their eyes met and they both shivered. This might be it.

  18. The Missing Videotape

  “Polly, Kyle, I’m Detective Black,” the blond young woman held out her hand. “Didn’t I meet you last year?”

  “Yes,” both kids answered.

  “So you’re at it again, are you?” She grinned and motioned them to chairs in the small office off the reception area, one usually used by the school counsellor.

  There was a pause as everyone got settled. “I’ve come for the tape.”

  “But you have it, don’t you?” Polly asked.

  “We left it for you,” added Kyle.

  “Right in the office.” Polly ran into the reception area and pointed at the secretary’s in-basket. “Right here.”

  Just then the secretary came out of the staff room with a fresh cup of herbal tea. The aroma of orange spice floated around the office.

  “Where’s the videotape we left here?” Polly asked.

  “This morning,” added Kyle.

  The secretary shook her salt and pepper curls. “I don’t know. I’ve been in and out of the office all day. There’s been enough going on to keep a flea hopping on a hound dog. Must be the Halloween excitement in the air.”

  “Could someone else have come for it?” Kyle asked Detective Black.

  She shook her head “no”. Her silver earrings glittered. “We’ve been busy all day too. This was the first opportunity I had to get over this way.”

  Polly’s head was throbbing. She clutched the edge of the counter. She didn’t know how to open her mouth without blowing a fuse. She glanced over in desperation at Kyle. He looked her right in the eye and nodded.

  “So you didn’t give the envelope with the tape to anyone?” he asked the secretary very politely.

  “No, I knew it was for the police.”

  “You were in and out of the office a lot today?”

  She nodded. By the look on her face Polly could see she was beginning to realize she had a problem.

  “Does the public have access to this office?”

  “What’s all this then?” the vice-principal joined the group. The secretary explained the situation.

  “Well, as you can see this office is open. Volunteer parents, staff and delivery people drop in here. Usually Ms. Udell is here.”

  Polly took a deep breath. “Did you notice anyone unfamiliar in here today?” she asked, keeping her voice quiet.

  “They’d need a long arm to reach across the counter to the desktop,” Kyle said.

  “Either that or time to walk around the counter and into the secretary’s private area,” said Detective Black.

  “Only staff and teachers are allowed behind the counter,” said the vice-principal. His voice sounded harsh. “We run a tight ship here.”

  “We’re not disputing that, sir,” said Detective Black.

  “Did Mr. Stone drop in today?” asked Polly. “He wasn’t in class.”

  “He came in to clean out his mail cubby and pick up shows, a jacket, and lunch box he’d forgotten. He left a forwarding address in Saskatchewan so he could have his pay cheque sent on.”

  “Did you help him with anything?” asked Kyle her.

  “No.”

  “What happened while he was here?”

  “The vice-principal had a meeting with him.”

  “What about?”

  There were some irregularities…” the vice-principal paused.

  “What is this, an interrogation?” asked the secretary.

  “Nothing definite, but this could be important,” said Detective Black.

  “I did do one thing for him,” the secretary said.

  “What was that?” asked Detective Black.

  “He asked me to rescue his shoes from under the teacher’s desk in his home room. He didn’t want to interrupt the class. So I left him here and went to get them. They were right where he said they were, under the desk, black sneakers with worn heels and broken laces. The odour eaters weren’t working.” The secretary laughed nervously.

  “Thanks,” said Detective Black. “That helps a lot. Now Polly and Kyle, let’s go for a walk.”

  The detective and the two kids left the school together. Kyle was nearly as tall as the detective. But she was dressed smartly in a plum suede suit. Polly and Kyle filled her in about what they’d seen on the tape last night, and what they thought had happened.

  “The tape would have been good evidence from what you have said. Too bad it was taken.”

  Kyle chuckled. He had a funny way of laughing like an extended snort. “No problem. I made a copy late last night. It’s at home. I can call my mom to go and get it off my desk, if you want. She’s working at home today.”

  “Kyle, you’re a genius. How did you manage that?”

  “It’s simple. You just connect two VCRs, play the tape on one, and record a copy on the other.”

  “It’s better to be safe than sorry, that’s what my mom taught me,” Detective Black said. Polly handed her the
sketchbook with the latest map of the neighbourhood and the sketches of all the suspects. The detective asked to keep it for a while.

  “Is that where Mr. Stone and his sister live?” She pointed to the second floor of the stucco building. “All right kids, thanks for all your help. I’m expecting my partner to arrive and help me pick up these guys for questioning.”

  Polly and Kyle stood in the lane, arms loose by their sides.

  “It’s kind of a letdown, isn’t it?” Polly sighed.

  Kyle kicked a stone and it clattered across the pebbles on the laneway.

  “We’ll need you to come in tomorrow and make a full report, okay? I’ll send someone by your apartment later, Kyle, to pick up the tape.” Detective Black clutched the railing of the staircase leading up to the second floor. A police cruiser turned in at the end of the block. “Have a great Halloween.”

  “But …”

  “Leave it Polly,” said Kyle. “We’ll have fun at the party tonight and let the police worry about the crooks. Let’s go home and get on our outfits. It sounds like all our parents are coming to the Spookarama after all. We won’t have anyone to give out candies at Beamish’s, your place, or mine.”

  “Why don’t we bring the dogs too? That way they won’t bark at the spooks and goblins in the apartment. We can feed them nuts or crackers and keep them in the back seat of your four-by-four. We could even put reindeer antlers on them to dress them up.”

  “Oh, Polly, give it a break.”

  Polly’s mom insisted on Polly eating a good supper of meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and green peas. She made sure that each item was by itself on the plate. Polly hated her food run together.

  Kyle’s parents fed him chicken and dumplings. Karen made one of her vegetarian lasagnas. None of the tweenagers were hungry after supper.

  “We won’t even want to pig out on sweets,” sighed Polly rubbing her stomach. “I’m too full.”

  “The satisfied and satiated McDoodle,” laughed Kyle in his snorty laugh. They climbed in the back seat of Clay’s SUV. Mr. Clay drove. The rest of the adults were coming in an hour or so to help with the dance and the costume contest. The dogs jumped around in the back, restless and ready for a run.