Alexander, Spy Catcher

by Diane Stormer

  Ben saw it first. It was midway down the hallway. At this end, the tube was not hidden behind an access door. The mouthpiece was attached to the end of a pipe that was sticking out of the wall.

  “This is so cool! I wonder if it still works?” Ben said with enthusiasm.

  “I know! Go down to the kitchen and let’s try it out.”

  Ben ran back downstairs to the kitchen. I heard him whisper my name through the opening at his end, and I could understand him perfectly!

  “This is great!” I whispered back. “Just think of the fun we can have. Next time we see Savannah or Lillie headed for the kitchen at night, one of us can sneak up here and make ghost sounds through the tube!”

  “Yeah,” Ben replied. “The cover would only have to be ajar a bit for the sound to come into the room.”

  We both snickered, and then Ben whispered that Mom was coming, and I heard him close the door.

  Chapter 7

  I was surprised to see my uncle back home that afternoon. He had returned from Washington earlier than expected. He went out to Mom’s studio in the sunroom.

  When I walked into the room, it didn’t seem that they were discussing her recent work. Although her paintings were spread out before them, neither of them had been looking at them—and they fell silent when I entered the room.

  I knew something was up, but Charlie seemed determinedly cheerful. He announced that he was cooking dinner, and we should prepare ourselves for a gastronomically gourmet experience.

  “Never let it be said that Charlie Massey can’t cook,” he said with a grin.

  Lillie ran into the room and asked if she could help, and off they went to the kitchen.

  I came into the kitchen a little while later, hoping to remain unobserved while scarfing up a little pre-meal snack. I deliberately avoided looking at the wall where the speaking tube was located. I felt that if I looked there—or even thought about it too hard—somehow the others would see it too.

  Uncle Charlie had tons of stuff from the pantry scattered across the counter. He had his head in the fridge, searching through the vegetable bin.

  Lillie was sitting at the table with what had been a small sheet of shiny pink wrapping paper. She had cut it into pieces about the size of mini jellybeans and was attempting to glue the bits of paper onto her fingertips to look like long fingernails. At least that was my best guess as to what she was up to.

  There was glue on the table, her, and all over the back of the chair. I knew if I said anything, I’d probably be the lucky one that helped her clean up!

  I stood nonchalantly, avoiding looking at the wall and trying not to look in my sister’s direction either. I wanted to be looking into the refrigerator, but my uncle currently held that position. I glanced out the window over the sink—and I briefly saw a man’s face looking back in at us!

  What I did next was dumb. I knew it then, but that didn’t stop me. I slipped out the kitchen door and followed him. I could see the man ahead of me. He was still in the backyard and nearing the woods. I picked up my pace and ran after him.

  Why am I doing this? Why not go back in the house to tell Charlie? I knew if I turned around, he’d be gone for sure!

  I reached into my pocket for my phone. If we weren’t too far away from the house, there might be a signal. As I rummaged around I realized I had left it up in my room.

  Once the intruder started through the woods, he was making so much noise that I could stay fairly close to him without fear of him hearing me. He ran like he knew where he was going, but he didn’t know his way as well as I did.

  He vanished by the railroad tracks. One minute he was in sight, and the next, he had evaporated into the shadows. I cautiously continued in the direction I thought he must have gone.

  I was startled to see a black Ford pickup parked on top of the tracks. It was an old truck, with a canvas tarpaulin covering the cargo area. It was beat up looking, and the tailgate had been wrecked. I scrambled up the embankment to have a closer look.

  Not knowing which way he went made it difficult to decide the best way to check it out without being spotted.

  I hoped that the shade from the trees would camouflage me as I crept up to the passenger door and looked inside. The truck cab was empty.

  Suddenly I heard men’s voices! I ducked down and held my breath. I hoped they wouldn’t come any closer. No such luck—they were heading straight for the truck!

  Since there was no time to run, I crawled into the back of the truck and hid under the tarpaulin. There just enough space for me to squeeze through because of the smashed rear-end. Considering the short notice I had, it wasn’t such a bad hiding place.

  I crawled further from the opening of the tailgate, pulling myself forward with my elbows. There was a big coil of hose or something, or maybe it was heavy cable. Whatever it was, it was very heavy. I couldn’t budge it at all. I wedged myself between it and the wheel well.

  My heart was pounding so hard that I was sure the men could hear it. I expected the canvas to be thrown back at any moment. I could hear them talking, but I could only make out a word here and there. Then, they laughed loudly, and one of them said something in a foreign language, the other replied, and they both laughed again.

  Just then the truck’s engine roared to life, and I knew I had a decision to make. I could jump out and chance being seen—or I could go for a ride. I chose the ride.

  Okay, I thought, if this were a movie, the kid hiding in the back of the truck would have the presence of mind to memorize every turn so that when he escaped, he’d be able to find his way back home. Also, knowing the license plate number wouldn’t be such a bad idea either!

  I had approached the truck from the side, however, and there had definitely not been time to read it on my way in. The kid in the movie would have gotten the number though.

  The truck lurched into gear, and we were off!

  We followed the tracks for quite a while. Then the truck tilted sharply to the left, and we went down a steep incline. I tried to hold onto the cable, but I could not get a good grip. I braced my knees against it, and my back was against the wheel well. It didn’t feel like we were even following a road. We hit a big bump, which sent me sliding, and I landed against the front part of the cargo hold with a thump. Did they feel it? How could they not!

  Then the ride became much smoother, and I could hear other traffic around us. We made two left turns, then swung right and slowed to a stop.

  The fear that the men knew I was stowed away consumed me! I zipped my sweatshirt all the way up—somehow feeling like it could make me be safer.

  The truck creaked and shifted a little as the men got out, and I heard both doors close. I waited with trepidation for the tarp to be ripped back, but nothing happened.

  As their voices faded, I cautiously peered out. A wave of relief washed over me. I totally knew where I was! I was in the parking lot of a shopping center on the outskirts of town. Most of the stores had closed, and the parking lot was deserted.

  My next problem was how to get back home. I pulled myself through the opening in the tailgate and started for the road. After a few steps, I realized I still needed to get the license plate information, and I turned back around.

  The plate had a short number that would be easy for me to remember.

  Daylight had faded to night. I’d been walking for around fifteen minutes and was crossing a small bridge, when the headlights of a vehicle came up behind me. I didn’t want to turn to look, fearing that it could be them! I pulled my hood forward to help hide my face.

  Whoever was at the wheel suddenly turned the high beams on and slowed down, rather than driving past me. There was nowhere for me to go—unless I wanted to climb over the railing and jump into the water below!

  “Alex,” a familiar voice called. “What are you doing way out h
ere?”

  It was Will and Caitlin’s mom. What a relief!

  “Hey,” I said. “I missed my ride home—and I’m late for dinner!”

  She smiled and told me to hop in.

  We started talking about what we kids were planning on dressing as for Halloween, and thankfully, the question of exactly where I’d been and what ride I had missed never came up.

  Home had never looked so inviting to me. I ran around to the back and came in the kitchen door.

  Chapter 8

  Mom was headed toward the dining room, carrying a bread basket piled high with rolls.

  “Oh, there you are,” she said. “I was just going to call you. Wash up. It’s time to eat.”

  Wash up and eat? I had just completed the most exciting adventure of my entire life, and that’s all she could say!

  Mom stepped back to the kitchen to let me know that Major Davis, who worked with Charlie in Washington, had dropped in unexpectedly and would be having dinner with us.

  In the bright light of the kitchen I could see that my clothes were really grimy looking. I quickly pulled off my sweatshirt and tossed it down the laundry chute. I stood at the kitchen sink, letting the water flow over my cold fingers, mulling over the best way to tell my uncle about my escapade. Now that I was home again, I realized I could be in for a reprimand, especially if I didn’t word it right. I picked up a dish towel from the counter, and scrubbed at my face, then pitched that into the chute as well.

  I burst into the dining room. “Charlie! You’ll never believe where I’ve been!”

  Charlie looked up. The man he was talking with looked at me too. I froze. The man at our dining room table was the same man who had been peering in the kitchen window earlier.

  “What’s going on, Alex?” my uncle asked.

  “It… it can wait till later,” I replied.

  Ben came into the room and sat down across from me. “Where were you, Alex? I was looking everywhere for you.”

  I gave him a nudge under the table with my foot.

  “I’ll tell you later,” I answered, and then shot him my most meaningful ‘shut up’ look. He looked at me quizzically but said nothing more.

  By now the rest of the family was seated around the table, and we proceeded to eat dinner.

  Major Davis didn’t seem to have much to say during the meal. He did do one thing that was odd. Right before dessert, he made a point of looking at his watch, and then he asked if he could make a quick phone call. My uncle told him that he could use the phone in the parlor if he wanted to make the call in private.

  No one paid any attention to him as he left the room. No one but me, that is. I heard the parlor door close quietly. What I didn’t hear was the little beep that the phone in the dining room makes when the phone in the parlor is being dialed.

  You see, both of these phones are a reproduction antique style—and one will make little beeps with each number entered on the other phone.

  Sure, he could have been using his own phone, but there was something else suspicious.

  Perhaps I imagined it, but I thought I heard the basement steps creaking. The second and seventh steps have a very audible squeak, and I heard two distinct squeaks. Once right after the parlor door closed, and then again, a few minutes later.

  Someone had gone down—and then come back up—our basement steps!

  Moments later, the parlor door opened, and Major Davis reentered the dining room, taking his seat at the table.

  Once he was seated, Mom took A plate stacked with brownies from off of the sideboard, and we began to pass it around the table.

  “M-m-m” Ben said as he reached for the largest one.

  Even the Major accepted seconds when they were offered.

  My uncle pushed back his chair and tossed his napkin onto his empty plate. With a huge grin, he patted his stomach with both hands. “See, I told you guys I can cook. I may be known as just Charlie around here—and as Dad to you, Savannah. I even answer to ‘Dr. Massey’ when I’m at work. But tonight, wouldn’t you all agree I would best be described as the Super-Duper Top Chef?”

  We all laughed, and Savannah gave him a kiss on the cheek. “It was really good, Daddy,” she said.

  After dinner, Mom had a meeting she had to go to, and the rest of us began to clear the table. The major came into the kitchen with us. He and Charlie leaned against the table and began discussing an upcoming football game.

  Who is this man? I thought. First he’s skulking around outside, looking in the window at us. Then, he leaves the dinner table to do who knows what in our basement, and now he’s here in our kitchen being all buddy–buddy, talking football with my uncle!

  The dishes were loaded in the washer, the counters and stovetop wiped clean, and the floor was swept up. Savannah had taken Lillie up for her bath, and Ben was off to his video game. Still Charlie and the major talked.

  I wondered if I could make it up the back staircase without being observed. If I could go upstairs to the speaking tube, I could listen to what they discussed after they thought they were alone.

  The entrance to the stair was right behind the kitchen table, but the door to the staircase was closed. I concluded that for me to spring open the cover of the speaking tube in the kitchen, squeeze behind the table where Charlie and his visitor were now sitting, and open the door to a stairway that no one used could not be accomplished without being noticed. Noticed would be an understatement.

  With a sigh of resignation, I picked up the bag of trash from under the sink and headed to the garbage cans out back.

  Once back inside the house, I went over to the table and took a seat next to my uncle. For a while I didn’t say anything. I was not sure if Major Davis knew I’d followed him earlier that evening—and I didn’t want to say anything that would make him suspicious of me.

  He didn’t seem to notice I was sitting there. Just like when I had first been introduced to him at dinner, he made no effort to engage me in conversation. It didn’t seem like he was onto me. But then again, he hardly would give it away if he suspected I’d seen him earlier.

  When there was a break in the conversation, I tried to make my voice sound only politely interested when I asked the major how he knew my uncle. He replied that he had just been assigned to the Pentagon after several tours overseas. He was now working with my uncle on a special project.

  One part of me was thinking that I wasn’t getting anywhere fast. The other part kept urging caution.

  I got a break when they drifted back into conversation. They began talking about the difficult time Major Davis had using a particular interpreter during a meeting they’d both attended.

  “Do you speak any other languages?” I asked innocently.

  “No, I don’t always do that well with just English,” he said with a little chuckle. “But I sure wish I did. It would certainly make my life easier at times.”

  Gotcha! I thought.

  With that, the major rose to his feet and said that it was time he got going. Charlie offered to see him to his car and they left the room.

  He’s the same man, I thought. I’m certain of it!

  I needed to talk to someone. If I confided in Mom or Charlie, I was sure that although they would believe me, they would not let me investigate any further. Savannah was a possibility, but she might tell Mom.

  I decided on Ben. For one thing, he was very observant of details. That could come in handy. Secondly, he wouldn’t tell anyone if I made him swear not to. Lastly, he’s my brother.

  Chapter 9

  I found Ben up in his room.

  “Ben, I need to talk,” I said. Ben was so intent on his game that he didn’t even bother to look up. “Benjamin, I’ll tell you where I was this evening before dinner.”

  “So,” he said as he continued blasting alie
ns, “where were you?”

  “There were two intruders in the woods out back, and I stowed away in their truck. It was parked on the old railroad tracks and I hid in the back before they could drive away.”

  He put down the controls. “Okay, Alex, you have my attention. Now tell me where you were for real.”

  “No kidding, Ben. I really did. What’s more—Major Davis was one of them.”

  “Very funny, Alex, you’re so funny I almost forgot to laugh.”

  “Ben, this is important! I need your help. I think someone is after Uncle Charlie—or at least the secret project he’s working on.”

  I could see comprehension begin to dawn on Ben’s face. Finally, he said to tell him everything that had happened.

  I sat on the floor and began with the face in the window. I told him all that had happened right up to when I came upstairs.

  When I was done, Ben sat and didn’t say anything for a long time. Then he suggested that if Davis had felt visiting our basement was important enough to risk going down there during dinner, that we should have a look at it ourselves.

  “Maybe he showed up at our house right when we should be having dinner for that very reason. He may have wanted us gathered together in one place, and out of his way! That way, the coast would be clear for him to do something down in the basement without us knowing.”

  Ben nodded in agreement. “The question is what that something was.”

  Just then, I heard Charlie calling me. Ben said he’d go down to the basement while I talked with our uncle. So we left his room and headed down the stairs.

  Charlie was bent over, placing some papers into the bottom drawer of his file cabinet in the study. He’d just powered off his computer. I came in and leaned against the desk, waiting for him to be free.

  In a moment, he looked up. “Alex, what did you want to tell me before dinner?”

  My mind was in turmoil. What was I going to say? I shouldn’t lie to him, and, the more I thought about the situation, the more I realized that Charlie himself could be in danger. It was pretty stupid to keep it to myself if those men really were spies trying to steal government secrets.