Ten Thumb Sam (12 page)

“Everything's ready,” Harriet told Sam as he joined her at the picnic table outside the Stringbini bus the next morning. “I checked in with Mr. Pigatto. He made the phone calls we asked him to last night.”

“Did he specifically mention the fireworks display?”

“He did. He said Mr. Beaverwick sounded interested.”

“Good,” said Sam. “Now let's just hope that Beaverwick and his friends take the bait.”

“How is this plan supposed to work again?” Robbie broke in as he and Herbie hopped off the bus. “We didn't quite get it last night.”

“Simple,” said Sam. “We're setting a trap. Beaverwick wants to sabotage the circus so he can buy us out, right? So he messes with our fireworks and causes some kind of disturbance that gets us into trouble again.”

“Just think what would happen if someone stole
a big firework and lit it inside the big top,” said Harriet. “It could set the tent on fire. Or make people panic and start a stampede. Something like that would be the end of the Triple Top.”

Herbie looked confused. “We get that you want to catch these guys red-handed. But how are they supposed to steal anything when there are guards watching the fireworks tent around the clock?”

“The guards are going to get called away at the last minute,” said Sam. “But we'll still be watching the tent from hiding places nearby.”

“R-ight,” Robbie said, nodding slowly. “And that's when the bad guys will make their move. Cool!”

“That's the plan, anyway,” said Harriet. “And as soon as they leave the tent with the fireworks, we'll jump on them. Then we'll call the police. No one gets hurt and we save the circus.”

“Cool,” Robbie said again as he and Herbie took off to help Mr. Pigatto move some cases of caramel corn.

Harriet checked her watch and stood up when her brothers were gone. “Time for me to join Mary Ann on guard duty at the fireworks tent. Honestly, I can't believe how cooperative my sister is being all of a sudden.”

“Standing up to Beaverwick has made us a team, I guess,” said Sam. “Even Annabel is being nice for a change.”

Sunday's matinee went off without a hitch. But as the performers came out to take their final bows, there was still no sign of Mr. Beaverwick or any of his associates anywhere on the circus grounds.

Sam called Harriet on his cell phone as the audience filed out of the tent. “You think he's still coming?”

“Of course he is,” said Harriet. “We've been counting on him to wait for the last show of the day. He's going to try to send the Triple Top out with a bang, just wait and see.”

By seven thirty that evening, everyone was in place and ready for the last performance to begin. At seven thirty-five, Mrs. Pigatto called her husband to let him know that the show was officially sold out.

Sam was standing beside the ringmaster as he took the call. “There are still people lined up out here, and they're not going away,” Sam heard Mrs. Pigatto say. “They're setting up lawn chairs and spreading blankets on the ground to wait for the fireworks.”

Mr. Pigatto gave Sam a big thumbs-up. “Let's send out a few performers and give them some entertainment
while they're waiting,” he suggested to his wife.

“That would look good for the tv cameras,” Mrs. Pigatto agreed.

“The news crews have arrived, have they?” asked the ringmaster. “I called them, but I wasn't sure they'd be interested.”

“Well, apparently they are,” said Mrs. Pigatto. “There are no less than three crews out here at the moment.”

“Wonderful,” said Mr. Pigatto. “I'll check in with you again just before the show.”

Harriet called Sam on his cell phone a few minutes later. “He's here! I just saw Mr. Beaverwick's limo pull into the parking lot!”

“Is the man in the gray suit with him?” Sam asked.

“Hang on. No, it's just Beaverwick—and some guy I don't recognize.”

“Maybe he's coming separately,” said Sam.

“Maybe. So are you in position yet?”

“Just got here,” Sam said. “I'm looking through the peephole of the supply tent as we speak. I've got a great view of my dad and Mr. Poponopolis guarding the front of the fireworks tent.”

“What about Annabel?” Harriet asked. “Did you check in with her?”

“Yes, she's inside an empty crate behind the fireworks tent, where your dad and Tony Zuccato are on guard duty,” said Sam. “I still wish we could have had someone other than Annabel as our lookout.”

“Your sister was the only one who would fit in that tiny crate,” said Harriet. “It's perfect. No one will ever suspect there's anyone hidden in there spying on them.”

“I guess,” said Sam. “And we've got lots of other people hiding nearby, ready to jump out as soon as they get the signal.” He checked his watch. “It's quarter to eight. Time to call Mr. Pigatto and let him know we're ready for his ‘special announcement.'”

“Hey, Sam?” said Harriet.

“Yeah?”

“It's showtime—break a leg!”

Sam grinned. “You too!”

As Sam peered through the hole in the supply tent, he heard Mr. Pigatto's voice come over the circus loudspeaker. “Attention, this is not a drill. Would all performers please report to the performers' tent for an emergency meeting. I repeat, all performers to the performers' tent.”

Sam watched his father and Mr. Poponopolis pretend to argue at the entrance to the fireworks tent. They left a moment later, looking back over their shoulders a few times before they were out of sight.

Sam held his breath as he continued to watch the tent. A minute passed, and then a minute more, but there was no activity. At the five-minute mark, Sam punched Annabel's number into his cell phone.

“Hello?” said Annabel.

“Have you seen anyone yet?” Sam asked.

“Not yet. I'm squished in here!”

“You haven't taken your eyes off the tent, not even for a second, have you?” Sam checked.

“No,” said Annabel. “I'm not stupid, you know.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “All right,” he said. “Don't forget, you have to call Mr. Pigatto the second you see something.”

“I know, I know,” said Annabel. “Bye.”

Sam checked his watch. It was almost eight o'clock. “C'mon,” he whispered. “Where are the bad guys? They've got to take the bait!”

The circus loudspeaker crackled to life outside the tent. Sam's heart skipped a beat as he waited for the signal to jump out and help catch the fireworks thief. Instead he heard Mr. Pigatto announce that the evening's show was about to begin.

“No,” Sam groaned. “We're running out of time!”

He punched his little sister's number into his phone a second time. “Where are you, Annabel?” he asked when the phone kept ringing. “Pick up!” He hung up and tried again. When Annabel still didn't answer on the third try, he called his dad.

“Sam? Is everything all right?” his father asked.

Sam had already left the supply tent. “It's Annabel,” he whispered as he edged around the fireworks tent. “She's not answering her cell. I'm on my way to look
for her.” He let out a yelp when he spied the open crate a few yards away. “The crate is empty—she's gone!”

“Hang on,” said his father. “I'm on my way.”

As the news of Annabel's disappearance spread, all the performers who'd been waiting to catch Beaverwick's men came out of hiding.

Tony Zuccato was the first on the scene. “Maybe she left to use the washroom,” he suggested.

“Annabel wouldn't abandon her post,” said Sam. “Even
she
would know better than that. And look, I found her phone inside the crate!”

Mr. Poponopolis arrived, out of breath. “Any sign of her?”

“Just her cell phone,” Tony said as more performers appeared.

“Oh dear,” said Erma Fritzi, wringing her hands. “They must have kidnapped her. This is terrible!”

“Hold on,” Sam heard his father call behind him. “Look who I found on my way here.”

“Annabel!” everyone cried as they turned and saw the little girl holding Max's hand. Sam's sister was crying. Her ringlets were tangled, and there was a grass stain on her knee.

“Oh my goodness. What happened, dear?” asked Erma Fritzi.

“I saw someone sneaking in under the back of the tent,” Annabel said through her tears. “A man in a gray suit with a big mustache.”

“That's him—Beaverwick's man!” Sam interrupted. “Why didn't you call Mr. Pigatto?”

“I tried!” Annabel sobbed. “But it was dark and I pushed the wrong buttons, and a lady answered.”

“There, there,” said Erma Fritzi.

“And then the man came out again with a box under his arm,” said Annabel. “I got confused, and I couldn't make the phone work. So I followed him. But I tripped, and now I don't know where he went. I'm sorry!” she wailed.

Sam was about to tell Annabel off for letting the bad guy get away, but then he saw the misery in her eyes. She knew she'd let everyone down. Sam knew what that felt like. “It's all right,” he said. He gave his sister an awkward pat on the shoulder. “You tried your best.”

Max released Annabel's hand. “Do you think you can you find your way back to Mom?”

Annabel wiped her eyes and nodded.

“Good,” said Max. “The rest of us need to get moving. We've got to recover those fireworks. If Beaverwick's
man tries to sabotage the show, there's no telling what could happen. He could burn the big top down. People could be trampled or burned.”

“We've got to tell Mr. Pigatto,” said Erma Fritzi. “We've got to stop the show before it's too late!”

“No,” said Max, shaking his head. “If we stop the show now, he could set off the fireworks while we're getting the audience out of the big top. People could still get hurt. We have no choice. We have to find him as quickly as possible, before he lights the first fuse.”