When we entered the building, I shouldn’t have been surprised that we were met by a welcoming committee. Evidently curiosity got the best of them and they had to see my new guest for themselves.

  After making introductions, I heard Bernice whisper to Dad, “My goodness! He is big for an eight-year-old!”

  Well into her dotage with hearing aids in both ears, Bernice isn’t always on the same page as the rest of us.

  Dad whispered back. “He isn’t eight! I’ll explain later.”

  As we headed up the stairs, Jerry, who fancies himself a stand-up comic, is always looking for a new audience. Apparently, he had dug into his seemingly endless supply of gags and found several suitable for youngsters.

  “Billy, do you know what to call a dog with no legs?”

  The question took Billy by surprise. “Uhhh, no, I guess not.”

  “It doesn’t matter what you call him. He won’t come anyway.”

  Billy looked confused, then his face broke into a big smile.

  Encouraged, Jerry continued, “What do you call a cow on a trampoline?”

  Billy shook his head.

  “A milkshake!”

  Billy giggled. “He’s funny.”

  By that time, we had reached the third floor.

  “Okay, enough with the jokes. Billy and I are hungry, so the rest of you --- get lost.”

  Jerry couldn’t let it go. “Billy, do you like video games?”

  He nodded.

  “Have you ever played Mario Cart?”

  Billy’s face lit up. “I love Mario Cart.”

  Jerry gave me a pleading look. “Maybe after supper Billy could come to my place and we’ll have a race or two.”

  “Could I?” Billy asked, expectantly.

  “I don’t see why not.”

  The moment we stepped into the apartment, Billy’s eyes lit up. “Ummm, something smells good.”

  “Tuna casserole. My favorite.”

  “I never had that. Meals at the Center are pretty plain.”

  That one statement made me realize how much in our lives we take for granted. What was commonplace for me was a special treat for Billy.

  During supper, Maggie and I tried to put Billy at ease.

  “What do you like to do with your free time?” Maggie asked.

  “Oh, I watch TV and play video games. I like to read if I can find books I understand. There’s a small library at the Center, but they don’t have many kids’ books.”

  That was the opening I had been waiting for.

  Once we decided to have Billy over for the evening, I made a call to an author friend, Robert Thornhill. In addition to his mystery series, he had written a series of children’s chapter books. I had recently bought a set for Marty, Jerry’s nephew. He loved them.

  “Hang on a minute. I have something for you.”

  His eyes lit up when I returned with the books.

  “Wow! There’s seven! What are they about?”

  “An eight-year-old boy. He and his six-year-old sister follow a rainbow. It takes them to the home of Lucky Leprechaun.”

  Billy giggled, “I love leprechauns. They’re funny.”

  “Lucky has a pot of gold coins that give the kids super powers. In each book, he gives the kids a new super power and they’re off on a new adventure.”

  “Puff and I do that sometimes,” he said, “Go off on adventures. I don’t have super powers, but I really don’t need them as long as I have Puff. No one messes with a dragon.”

  At that moment, there was a knock on the door. It was Jerry.

  “Are you guys through with supper yet? I’ve got Mario warmed up and ready to go.”

  “May I be excused?” Billy asked, obviously anxious to play with Jerry.

  “Sure, go ahead.”

  “Thanks for the books,” he said, getting up from the table. “Look what Walt gave me,” he said proudly as they headed to Jerry’s apartment.

  As soon as they were gone, I called Kevin.

  “Can you come over? There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

  It had been several days since I’d talked to Kevin. He knew nothing about Billy and his connection to the Santa muggings.

  “Where’s this mysterious stranger?” he asked, looking around. “I don’t see anybody.”

  “He’s at Jerry’s playing Mario Cart.”

  “So, it’s a kid.”

  “Not exactly,” I replied. “It’s an eight-year-old boy in a twenty-eight-year-old body, and he needs our help.”

  That got his attention.

  I told him the whole story, from finding Billy on the curb, to the foiled abduction.

  He shook his head in disbelief. “Let me get this straight. Some skel whacks a Santa and this guy with arrested development is the only one who’s seen his face. Now the perps are dead set on making the guy disappear.”

  I nodded.

  “I guess that’s where we come into the picture. What do you have in mind?”

  “I think Billy is safe at the Mayview Center and the sheltered workshop. He’s most vulnerable when he’s on the bus going back and forth. I was hoping we could take him and pick him up. I know you’re not a morning person, so I could take him to work if you’ll pick him up.”

  “Do the cops have any leads?” he asked.

  “Only an artist’s sketch of the perp’s face.”

  “Not much to go on,” he replied. “If I was the perp and saw my mug in the paper, I’d do a quick makeover.”

  He thought for a minute. “Sure, I’ll help chauffer the guy around, but that could go on for months. I have a better idea.”

  “Really? What’s that?”

  “Let’s catch the creep.”

  CHAPTER 5

  The next morning, Sid and Loren were watching the Mayview Center from their car. Billy came out, right on time, but instead of walking to the bus stop, he climbed into a car.

  “Hey,” Loren said, squinting at the driver. “Isn’t that the old guy with the gun?”

  “Sure as hell is!” Sid replied, smacking the steering wheel. “Looks like the kid has an escort. The guy’s too old to be a cop. Must be some kind of a P.I.”

  “Somethin’ doesn’t smell right. How can a rehab center afford a gumshoe?”

  “I dunno, but this is gonna complicate things. Let’s follow them and see where the old guy goes after he drops off the kid.”

  Once Billy was safely at the sheltered workshop, they followed the old guy to an apartment building on Armour Boulevard.

  They watched as he climbed out of his car, stretched, rubbed the small of his back, and walked slowly up the steps and into the building.

  “Jesus! He must be at least seventy!” Sid muttered. “How did we let an old coot like that get the drop on us?”

  “He took us by surprise, that’s how. But now we know what we’re dealing with. Let’s watch him pick up the kid this afternoon. We’ll figure a way to take them both.”

  “Who the hell is that?” Sid exclaimed as he watched Billy climb into a different car.

  “Beats me,” Loren replied. “Never seen the guy before. He’s another old dude. Maybe he’s a partner with the other guy.”

  “Well that’s just great! Now the kid’s got two armed escorts!”

  “We’re in deep shit, Sid!” Loren moaned. “What are we gonna do?”

  “One way or the other we’re gonna ice that kid --- even if we have to take out all three of them!”

  That evening, after dropping Billy at the Mayview Center, Kevin came by the apartment.

  “Any problems?” I asked.

  “Nope, slick as a whistle, but I had a feeling that we were being watched.”

  “I’m not surprised,” I replied. “Think about it from the perp’s perspective. The chances of getting to Billy at Mayview or the sheltered workshop are slim and none. Their best chance is on the trip to and from. I have no doubt they were watching and trying to figure the best place to make their play.”

  I could see the wheels turning in Kevin’s head.

  “Maybe we should help them out. Give ‘em a good spot to make that play.”

  I could see where this was going.

  “Hold on a minute. Surely you’re not thinking of using Billy as bait.”

  “Let’s look at the situation realistically,” he replied. “A guy whacks Santa and the only witness who can identify the perp is an eight-year-old living in a grown man’s body. Other than that, the cops have squat. You were a cop. You know how the system works. Unless something breaks right away, the police will be on to the next homicide. There are 150 so far this year, half of which are unsolved. The perp knows that if Billy disappears, he’s off scot-free. We can keep driving the guy back and forth to work, but for how long? Time is on the perp’s side and he won’t quit until the threat is eliminated. Instead of waiting for the perp to find the right time and place, I say we hand it to him, but on our own terms.”

  What Kevin was saying made sense.

  “I suppose you have a plan.”

  “Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?”

  “I’m guessing that means yes.”

  “We need a semi-secluded, but believable place --- I’m thinking the parking lot at a shopping mall. We know there are at least two of them, so we need reinforcements. Ox and Judy. Two cops and two P.I.’s against two perps ought to do the trick.”

  I had no doubt Ox and his wife would jump at the chance.

  “I’m with you so far.”

  “We pick the spot where you’ll park in advance. Ox, Judy and I will be parked close by on either side. No doubt the perps will be following you. When the two of you get out of your car, they’ll pull up in their van and make their move. The three of us will converge and have them surrounded. Piece of cake.”

  I let his plan sink in for a moment.

  “That might actually work, but Billy can’t know we’re setting him up. He’d be scared to death.”

  “I’m good with that. Let’s call Ox and get the ball rolling.”

  The next morning, before meeting Billy, I spoke with Miss Coe.

  “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to take Billy out to supper and maybe do some shopping. I wanted to check with you before I said anything to Billy.”

  “Certainly. That’s very sweet of you. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it. Just make sure he’s home in time for light’s out.”

  “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

  She probably wouldn’t think it was so sweet if she knew we were staking the poor guy out like a sacrificial lamb.

  “I’ve got an idea if you’re interested,” I said, pulling away from the curb.

  “Really? What kind of idea?”

  “How about I pick you up from work and we go out to the big shopping mall in Independence? We can have a bite to eat, look at some cool stuff, and maybe get a Christmas gift for Miss Coe.”

  “Wow! That would be great, but I’d have to get permission. I don’t want to get in trouble”

  “I’ve already cleared it with Miss Coe. She said to have a good time.”

  “That’s super!” he replied, his eyes sparkling. “Any chance we could get one of those big, hot, pretzels?”

  “I don’t see why not.”

  “Somethin’s up,” Loren said as they watched the old man pull into traffic. “That’s not the same guy that took him home last night.”

  “You’re right,” Sid replied, “and they’re not heading to the Mayview Center. We’ll tag along. Maybe this is our chance.”

  They followed at a safe distance as the car made its way to the I-70 freeway, then headed east toward Independence.

  Evening traffic was heavy, but thirty minutes later the car exited onto 291 North, then onto 39th Street.

  “Looks like they’re going to the mall,” Loren said, keeping a few car-lengths away.

  “I like it!” Sid said, pulling a .357 Magnum from his pocket. “This is what we’ve been waiting for.”

  “Jesus, Sid!” Loren wailed. “Where did you get that gun?”

  “Got it from Morey at the pawn shop. Figured it would come in handy.”

  “But Sid ---!”

  “Don’t get wimpy on me. We knew all along we were gonna have to get rid of the dude. How did you think that was gonna happen?”

  “I --- I dunno. It’s just ---!”

  “Look, all you have to do is follow them. When they park and get out of their car, pull the van right up beside them. I’ll hop out, and when they see this little baby, they’ll have no choice but to get in the van. Then we got ‘em.”

  Traffic was horrible. With the evening commuters added to the Christmas shoppers, it took a half hour to get to the Independence Center shopping mall.

  The huge covered mall is surrounded by parking lots on all four sides. We had chosen the south lot because it is the least used and it leads to the lowest level of the mall.

  As I anticipated, Ox and Judy were delighted to give us a hand. The two of them, along with Kevin, had been awaiting my call. I let them know when I was five minutes out. Ox had put a ‘No parking’ sign in my designated slot just to make sure it wasn’t purloined by some innocent shopper.

  I pulled into the slot, and fussed around a few minutes to give the perps, if they were indeed following us, time to catch up.

  “Ready to have some fun?” I asked.

  “You bet I am. Can we go to the food court first? I’m hungry.”

  “Absolutely! I’m hungry too.”

  The moment we stepped out of the car, a van rolled up beside us, the side cargo door flew open, and a man emerged, holding a .357 Magnum.

  “Into the van! Both of you!” he ordered.

  “I don’t think so.” It was Ox’s booming voice. “Drop your weapon and get on your knees! You! In the van! Hands off the steering wheel!”

  I smiled. Our little caper was going just like we’d planned.

  The guy with the gun looked around and spotted my three compatriots advancing with their weapons drawn. He was about to lay his gun on the ground when an enormous set of head lights blinded us. I could hear a chorus of voices as the head lights came nearer.

  “Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Fa la la la la, la la la la.”

  It was a busload of high school kids heading to the mall to serenade the Christmas shoppers.

  As the bus passed, it momentarily blocked Ox and Judy’s view. Kevin was approaching from the opposite side of the van.

  The man, seeing his opportunity, shoved his gun into my ribs. “Get into the van now, or the two of you will be bleeding out in this dirty parking lot.”

  I thought about trying to disarm him, but that’s not my forte, and I didn’t want to risk getting Billy shot.

  He shoved us into the van and slammed the door. “Step on it, Loren!”

  Tires squealed as the van lurched forward, passing, and barely missing, the school bus.

  Through the rear door window, I could see my three friends helplessly watching us speed away.

  CHAPTER 6

  Billy and I were thrown from side-to-side as the van swerved through the crowded parking lot. Once we were on the freeway heading back to Kansas City, the lurching ceased.

  I helped Billy into a seat. He immediately began rocking back and forth, clutching his dragon. He looked past me as if I weren’t there. He was undoubtedly scared half to death and had retreated into the safe place he had created in his mind.

  The perp pointed his .357 at my head. “I know you’re some kind of P.I., so you must be carrying. Hand over your piece.”

  Under the circumstances, I had no choice, and reluctantly surrendered my .22 revolver.

  He looked at my gun and scoffed, “Loren! Get a load of this! A gray-haired, old gumshoe packin’ a pea shooter. What a joke!”

  “Really, Sid? That old gumshoe and his buddies almost had us. If it hadn’t been for that bus, we’d be in cuffs right now. So what happens next?”

  “I don’t know. It wasn’t supposed to go down like this. Gimme a minute to think.”

  “Well think quick. Those three back there have seen our faces and undoubtedly have our license number. Before long, every cop in town will be lookin’ for us.”

  “You’re right. Head for our place. We’ll lay low until I get this figured out.”

  Twenty minutes later, the van turned into a driveway and pulled into an attached garage.

  The perp, whose name I gathered was Sid, waved his gun at us. “Out of the van --- and no funny stuff. I’ll drop you both right here if I have to.”

  Billy was still rocking back and forth and unresponsive. I grabbed him by the arm, helped him out of the van, and led him up the steps into the house.

  “Loren! Find some rope and tie the old guy’s hands,” Sid said, shoving us into a mud room just off the kitchen.

  “What about the other one?” Loren asked. “Should I tie him up too?”

  Sid looked at Billy who was still rocking back and forth. “Naw, the retard’s out of it. He’s not going anywhere.”

  As soon as Loren had my hands bound, he returned to the kitchen. He had closed the door, but I could overhear their conversation, and it wasn’t comforting.

  “What have you come up with?” Loren asked. “I hope you’ve got a plan.”

  “Only one thing to do,” Sid replied, “we have to get rid of those two and get out of town. You were right. Every cop in the city will be looking for us.”

  “But where will we go?”

  “Anyplace but here. Maybe south --- Arkansas. We can hide out in the hills until things cool down.”

  “What about them?”

  “Like I said, we get rid of them, and I know just the place. There’s a loading dock on the Missouri River. Nobody uses it in December. We can put a bullet in them there, dump their bodies in the river, and nobody will be the wiser.”

  “You --- you mean just kill them in cold blood?”

  “You got a better idea?”

  Hearing no reply, I had to assume Loren was willing to go along with Sid’s nefarious plan.

 

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