Three-Ring Terror by Franklin W. Dixon Page B

can help us out.” Joe waited while a student walked down the hall past them before going on. “So we’re back to where we started. We know who Rosen is, but we don’t know how to find him. We think the code may refer to people here at the circus, but we don’t know why.” Joe tried to sort out all thedetails in his mind. “Hey,” he said. “I just thought of something.”
    â€œWhat?” Frank said. “I recognize that look. You’re about to make a flying leap at deduction.”
    â€œThat’s what makes me such a good detective,” Joe said, pointing his finger at Frank’s chest. “Let’s say the code is somehow related to the sabotage.”
    â€œWe don’t know that for sure,” Frank warned.
    â€œNo, we don’t,” Joe admitted. “But let’s just say it is.”
    â€œOkay,” Frank said slowly. “What then?”
    Joe searched for a connection he just knew had to be there. “Say Rosen is connected to the sabotage,” he said. “He gets kicked out of Circus U. and decides to get even with Turner, out of revenge,” Joe explained in a rush. “Maybe the code was some kind of note he was passing to an accomplice, someone on the inside who was helping him for their own reasons. They could be working together.”
    Joe waited for his brother to respond. “Well?” Joe asked finally, when Frank had kept quiet for too long.
    â€œI see your point,” Frank said slowly. “But why would Rosen need to pass information to his accomplice? Why not just make phone calls? Remember, the sabotage started before Circus U. and the Montero Circus ever got to Bayport. Also,why would his accomplice take instructions from Rosen?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Joe said in exasperation. “That’s what we have to find out. You got a better idea?” Joe raised his eyebrows and waited for his brother’s response.
    â€œHey, don’t be so defensive,” Frank said.
    â€œI’m not defensive,” Joe said. “It’s just that when you don’t have any ideas, you want to shoot down mine.”
    â€œI’m not shooting them down,” Frank explained. “I’m just trying to see if they make sense. Let’s go meet Chet and get some lunch. We can grab a burger and go over what we know.”
    â€œSure,” Joe said, still feeling that Frank wasn’t taking his idea seriously. He decided to find some proof to back up his deduction.
    â€œYou know,” Joe said as he and Frank started walking down the hall toward the elevators, “Rosen could be working with Carl Nash. Remember last night when Carl showed up? He was wearing the same costume as Chet. What if Rosen meant to pass the message to Nash?”
    Frank turned to his brother. “Now you’re onto something. Why didn’t we think of that before?”
    â€œWhat if Nash is Rosen’s accomplice?” Joe pressed.
    â€œWhy would his initials be on the list then?” Frank asked. “It doesn’t make sense.”
    â€œIt could be a smoke screen,” Joe said, knowing he was searching for reasons again. “To divert suspicion from Nash.”
    â€œThat would only work if Rosen and Nash knew they’d be caught,” Frank pointed out, “Otherwise, there’s no reason to throw us off the track.”
    Joe had to admit that Frank had a point. “All this is starting to give me a headache,” he said finally. “Maybe the theories will come together after we eat.”
    â€œA burger certainly wouldn’t hurt,” Frank said. “And then we can talk to Bo Costello.”
    â€œRight,” Joe said. They were at the end of the hallway now. Frank pressed the elevator button. “I hope Chet’s class is over and he’s waiting for us. Now that you’ve mentioned it, I’m starving.”
    When they got to the arena, they saw Bo