The Dragon in the Ghetto Caper by E.L. Konigsburg Page A

was a sure thing that he would catch no crooks with her staying inside the house. She was the bait, and the crooks were the prey, and he would be the trap. He liked that thought, so he repeated it to himself. Sister was thebait, the crooks were the prey, and he was the trap. He didn’t exactly know how the trap would work, but first he had to give his prey the scent of his bait. He liked that thought, too.
    He looked back out the window and said to Sister Henderson, “You say that the gray Plymouth is gray evil, then I say that the Devil is driving. He’s trying to undo the good church work you do. That’s the Devil, Sister, and I say that the Devil is driving a gray Plymouth today.”
    Sister Henderson looked up at Andy with interest. Andy could hardly control the excitement in his voice. But he was determined to stay cool. And he felt that he had to talk very slowly to her. He had been brilliant so far. “Mrs. Yakots understands the work of the Devil. She is quite familiar with dragons, and I am known as the dragon master of Emerson Country Day School. Now, let us, you and me, go out to the car, and challenge that Devil.”
    â€˜There’s two in that car,” Sister said.
    Andy looked out the window again. He had been so busy thinking about traps and bait that he had allowed his powers of observation to slip. “Yes, well, those two Devils.”
    Sister Henderson gathered together her purse and her first bag. Andy was surprised that he had been as persuasive as he had hoped to be. It made him a little nervous to think about it, and that wasn’t helping his cool.
    â€œMiz Yakots, thass a lady Ah c’n count on,” Sister Henderson said as she closed and locked the door behind her.
    â€œWhat took so long?” Edie asked when they got to the car.
    â€œJust get this heap moving, Yakots. We’ll discuss it later.”
    â€œSure, boss,” Edie said, and she pulled away from the curb, into Rutgers Avenue.
    Andy tried to keep his eyes front, but he could not resist. He looked behind and saw that the gray Plymouth had pulled out when they had. He tried to keep his eyes forward, but he could not.
    â€œWhat do you keep looking back for?” Edie asked.
    Sister Henderson did not give him a chance to answer. “We might catch some trouble today, Miz Yakots. There’s always the Devils to pay, and today they ‘pears to be ridin’ in that ole gray Plymouth.”
    Andy would have liked to pull the steering wheel out from the front and give it to Sister as a hat. A hard hat. He was furious. Couldn’t she keep her mouth shut, for God’s sake? Now Edie wouldn’t stay cool, and now his big chance to catch some crooks would be all messed up even before he had a chance to think of how he would set the trap. “Listen, Yakots,” Andy said, “just stay on Rutgers until you have to turn off at the hospital. We’ll take our regular route to Sister Coolidge’s. Our regular route, do you hear, Yakots? Now stay cool and take our regular route. Our regular route right to Sister Coolidge’s. You’re not telling me if you’re hearing me, Yakots.”
    â€œYou don’t give me a chance, boss. I can hear you.”
    â€œNow, what did I say that you were supposed to do? Let’s hear it, Yakots.”
    â€œI’m
supposed to stay on Rutgers until the detour and take our regular route to Sister Coolidge’s.”
    â€œAha! See, Yakots? I said stay on Rutgers until the hospital.”
    â€˜That’s where the detour is, boss.”
    â€œWell, yes. But I was just checking your listening. Now, stay cool, Yakots, and drive.”
    When they stopped at the red light just before the detour, Andy saw a van carrying eight portable toilets start to pull out. It straightened out and took its place in the line of traffic, just in back of them. There was now the van and one other car blocking a clear view of the Plymouth.