started exchanging e-mails using this address.
âFrank!â said Joe urgently. âHeâs coming back!â
Perfect. I started frantically paging through the e-mails, skimming each one for contact details.
âHow much time do I have?â I asked.
âAbout a minute, I think,â he replied.
I frowned and sped up my search even more. Nothing, nothing. Boring. Nothing.
âThirty seconds!â said Joe. âWe gotta go.â
âJust a bit longer . . .â There had to be something. Some clue, someâ
There.
Trethaway had met up with Kruger/Brody at his place of work.
I noted the address, exited the e-mail program, then closed the laptop. As Joe and I rushed back to the bathroom and were climbing out the window, I noticed a pile of old magazines in the room across the hallway. At that moment I heard Trethawayâs keys in the door, and I sprinted around the side of the house, joining Joe as we ran for our car.
CONFUSION
8
JOE
F RANK AND I DECIDED OUR best move would be to track down âStephen Brodyâ and turn him over to the police. That way, this whole thing could end without anyone getting hurt. We considered telling the police first, but if anything went wrong, the Phantom would be free to carry out his threats against our friends and family. We didnât want to risk that.
His place of business, an auto repair shop and salvage yard, was in an industrial area on the outskirts of town. It was filled with old, rusted car frames and piles of worn tires strewn amid weeds and metal barrels. A heavy pounding came from inside the garage itself. Flashes of blue light illuminated the dim interior as somebody used an arc welder.
Frank nudged me and pointed. Off to the right was a little office partition with glass walls.
Seated behind the desk was Jack Kruger. He looked just like the guy from the article weâd read about Dad catching him; this guy was just a bit grayer around the temples.
Adrenaline rushed through me. Here was the guy whoâd been giving us such a hard timeâthe guy whoâd set fire to a priceless painting, who had almost killed me with a sword. The office was the perfect place to confront him; there was nowhere for him to go.
Frank knocked on the door. I tensed, waiting for him to see us and launch into an attack. But all he did was put down the magazine heâd been reading and smile.
âHi, there. What can I do for you?â
Frank and I glanced at each other uncertainly. This was the right guy, wasnât it? It certainly looked like the picture of Kruger from the newspaper.
âMr. Brody?â said Frank.
Kruger got up and came around the desk. He lifted his hand. I tensed, but all he did was hold it out for Frank to shake.
âHow can I help you? You got a car that needs fixing?â
âNo,â I said. âNo car. Actually, weâre not looking for Mr. Brody.â
Kruger looked slightly puzzled. âThen who are you looking for?â
âJack Kruger,â I said.
I watched Kruger carefully as I said his name. I expected anger, fury, a sudden attack. But all I saw was sorrow.
Kruger turned away from us and went back to his desk. âWhat do you want?â he asked heavily.
âIsnât it obvious?â said Frank.
He nodded. âMoney, I suppose. How much?â
Frank shook his head in confusion. âWe donât want money.â
âThen what? What will it take for you to leave me alone?â
âHey. Weâre here to make you leave us alone,â I said.
Kruger stared at us blankly. Finally he shrugged. âSorry. I have no idea what youâre talking about.â
I took out the riddle about the samurai swords and dropped it on the table. He leaned forward and studied it, then looked at us quizzically.
âItâs a riddle,â he said.
âUh . . . yeah ,â I said. âYou sent it to us.â
âNo, I
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