The Further Adventures of Jack Lime by James Leck Page B

still wasn’t any closer to solving this case. I couldn’t do that without gathering some more info, and I couldn’t do that until I got out of this joint. Lucky for me, Bucky woke up, too.
    â€œVan Kramp!” he yelled, stepping out of our cell. “I need to use the john.”
    â€œFine,” Van Kramp said, “come with me. I need to get something to eat anyway.”
    Sometimes you have to be grateful for what you’ve got, even if the only thing you’ve got is Bucky King and his full bladder. I waited a few seconds and then peeked out. The main office was empty and Snit’s door was shut, which usually meant he was meeting with someone important. So, like a good little jailbird, I grabbed my opportunity, slipped outside and headed for the cafeteria.
    Thursday, October 10, 11:52 a.m.
Iona High, The Cafeteria
    I snuck in the back way and spotted KC sitting at a table with Madeleine and a couple of other kids. Van Kramp was busy ordering something to eat at the front counter, so I slunk up to KC’s table and sat down.
    â€œLime,” KC said, “I didn’t think Mr. Snit would let you out for lunch.”
    â€œHe didn’t,” I said, hunching down a little as Van Kramp turned and walked out of the cafeteria. “I don’t have much time, so we need to talk fast. Has Cain done anything suspicious?”
    â€œI don’t know,” KC said. “I haven’t monitored Cain’s every move, what with school going on and all. But we found this stuck to Madeleine’s locker,” she added, handing over a red envelope.
    I gave it a quick once-over. It was your standard envelope, except for the fact that it was red. There was a piece of tape still stuck to the top. I assumed it’d been used to stick the envelope onto Madeleine’s locker. There was another piece of tape on the back that’d been used to seal it shut.
    â€œAre you planning on dusting it for fingerprints?” KC said. “Or are you going to read what’s inside?”
    â€œThat’s what separates the amateurs from the pros, Stone,” I said, holding the envelope up so that KC could see the back. “Whoever stuck this to Madeleine’s locker doesn’t like to lick envelopes.”
    â€œWow,” KC said, “I stand corrected, Lime. The envelope is important! Now we just need to question every student at school and find out who doesn’t like licking envelopes.”
    â€œIt’s a clue,” I growled.
    â€œA lame clue,” KC said. “Why don’t you just read the letter?”
    I opened the envelope and pulled out a plain white sheet that had been folded twice. It read,
“Put $50 in this envelop. put it under the last seat on the left, on the last car of the 5 pm train into the city. If you do this I’ll call the pay phone near the restrooms at the train station at 5:15 and tell you wear you can find the painting. If you don’t, I’ll destroy the painting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
    â€œWhat do you think, Lime?” KC asked.
    â€œI think that whoever wrote this note really likes using exclamation points.”
    â€œHardee-har-har,” KC said. “What else?”
    â€œIt was printed in the library,” I said.
    â€œHow do you know that?” KC asked.
    â€œCan you see the faint ink smudge running down the left side?” I said, showing the note to everyone at the table. “The printer in the library leaves that smudge behind every time.”
    Judging by their reactions, the others were impressed by that little bit of detective work.
    â€œPlus, I’d say the perp was in a hurry.”
    â€œBecause of the spelling mistakes?” KC asked.
    â€œExactly,” I said. “KC, you’re getting better at this all the time. Pretty soon you’ll be able to solve crimes all by yourself.”
    â€œKeep talking like that, Jack, and the next big mystery at this school will be you