Ghost of a Chance by Franklin W. Dixon Page B

“Remote control,” he said softly, as he noticed the telltale tiny red light.
    Hanging from the harness was one of Jumper’scostumes, stuffed with plastic foam. Sitting on the shoulders was a molded head of Jumper Herman. “A great illusion,” Frank said aloud. “I wonder what Cleo would have done if I hadn’t been there.”
    Using a rag from the kitchen to protect the rigging from his fingerprints, he carefully removed the harness from the dummy’s body. Then he laid the body across the dining table. He stuffed the harness and the cable rigging into a paper bag he found in a cupboard. Then he carried the whole illusion outside and explained it to Cleo.
    â€œThat’s the artist’s model they use in the makeup trailer,” Cleo said. “I’ve seen it there. I can’t believe this. The ghost seemed so real.”
    â€œIt was definitely done by a pro,” Frank agreed. “I’m going to return the costume and head.”
    â€œI’ll go with you,” Cleo said. “I’m not ready to go back in that RV yet.”
    Frank piled the Jumper dummy and the paper bag into the back of the golf cart. Cleo held the head in her lap as Frank drove them to the wardrobe trailer.
    The wardrobe mistress was surprised when Frank turned over the Jumper costume. “So, someone’s been playing games, hmmm?” the costumer said, removing the foam filling from the Jumper costume. “There’s way too much weirdness around for me.”
    â€œSo this is the Bigfoot costume,” Frank said, pushing the hangers aside to get a better look. “How did you do your research on this?”
    â€œThe usual,” the woman said. “You’d be surprised how many books and articles there are on the subject. We also talked to some of the locals before we made our final costumes.”
    â€œCool,” Frank said. “Anyone from Crosscrook?”
    â€œHave you met Sassy Leigh?” she asked. “She’s working on the film as a story consultant—a real expert on the folklore of this area. She was a lot of help.”
    â€œYes, I met her,” Frank said, lifting the feet of the Bigfoot costume. “Wow, look at these,” he said, continuing his interrogation. “How big are these feet?”
    â€œWell, the legend says the feet are supposed to be up to twenty-five inches long by about ten inches wide,” the costumer answered. “And we made the first pair of feet to those dimensions. The actor who plays Bigfoot is pretty tall, but he said he felt like he was wearing clown shoes, so we made this pair smaller. They work great.”
    â€œThey’ve got tread on them like running shoes,” Frank observed.
    â€œYeah,” the costumer said. “He’s gotta move pretty fast across that mountain.”
    These sure aren’t as big as those prints I saw outside the abandoned cabin, Frank thought. Andmine didn’t have any tread marks. He rubbed the hair of the costume between his fingers. This doesn’t feel like those clumps I found, either.
    Next, Cleo led Frank to the makeup trailer. Frank carried the head inside and was greeted with a round of cheers.
    â€œThank you, thank you,” one of the makeup artists cried, cradling the head in her arm. “We thought we’d have to make another one. We use this for reference when we make up Berk, and sometimes they use it for stunts. Where did you find it?”
    â€œIt was on top of a dummy dressed in a Jumper costume, Hilda,” Cleo answered quickly. “ Someone tried to pull a practical joke.”
    â€œIf they only knew how much time and effort it takes to make one of these models,” Hilda said with a sigh.
    â€œYou have no idea who might have taken it?” Frank asked, looking around.
    â€œNo,” Hilda answered. “People are in and out of here all the time. We have studio security, but no one’s actually posted