Encyclopedia Brown Keeps the Peace Read Online Free PDF

said. “Clumsy of you, kid.”
    Mr. Link turned to Encyclopedia worriedly.
    “That could have happened while we both looked at my wife,” he said to Encyclopedia. “It will be Red’s word against Hector’s. Without using force to search Red, we can’t prove he stole the seven dollars and nineteen cents.”
    “Oh, yes we can! ” said Encyclopedia.
     
    HOW?
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    (Turn to page 94 for the solution to The Case of the Money-Changer.)

The Case of the Falling Woman
    Encyclopedia was sitting in the Kimball living room after dinner when Sally suddenly clutched his arm.
    “Listen,” she whispered. “Someone is outside the house.”
    Encyclopedia also had heard the noise. He looked at the window. Since it was dark outside and light inside, the glass of the window acted as a mirror. He saw only the reflection of the living room.
    “It could be one of those peeping Toms! ” said Sally. “I’ll fix him.” She reached for a heavy floor lamp.
    “Don’t try it,” warned Encyclopedia. “He may be dangerous. Make believe you’re going to the bookcase. Switch off the lights as you pass the door.”
    Sally did not understand. Nevertheless, she got up and switched off the lights.
    Now the room was darker than the moonlit outdoors. Encyclopedia could see through the window.
    A boy was standing under a sycamore tree. He held a camera.
    “It’s Scott Curtis,” said Encyclopedia, opening the window.
    Sally was horrified. “I nearly crowned him with a floor lamp!”
    “You can catch a terrible headache snooping under the sycamores, Scott,” called Encyclopedia. “Come inside.”
    “I wasn’t snooping,” said Scott as he entered the house. “I saw you two sitting on the sofa. I thought you’d make a nice picture. I was going to call it ‘Sitting at Sally’s.’ ”
    “You mean lying at Sally’s!” snapped Sally. “What were you really doing in the back yard with a camera?”
    “I was looking for things to photograph,” said Scott. “Wednesday is the Junior Photography Show. First prize is a three-speed bicycle.”
    “Gosh, I forgot about the show. I’m sorry for what I said,” Sally apologized. “I hope you win the bicycle.” .
    “The best I can do is the lady’s folding umbrella,” said Scott. “That’s second prize. Winthrop Ledbetter will win the bicycle.”
    “Winthrop always wins,” grumbled Sally.
    “By hook or by crook,” added Scott.
    “Every kid in the neighborhood knows how Winthrop won the boys’ championships at tennis, golf, and riflery last year,” said Sally. “He cheated.”
    “I’m sorry I didn’t report him,” said Encyclopedia, remembering. Whenever Winthrop had fallen behind in a match, a friend had come to the rescue. The friend had screamed bird calls from hiding just as Winthrop’s opponent was serving, putting, or shooting.
    “It was cuckoos at the courts, goshawks at the greens, and road runners at the range,” recalled Encyclopedia. “The friend had style.”
    “Winthrop will try anything to win,” said Scott. “I want to hire you on Wednesday to be ... well, to be a kind of watchdog.”
    “Bird dog, you mean,” said Encyclopedia, and agreed to take the case.
    On Wednesday, Encyclopedia and Sally biked to the American Legion Hall. The walls were hung with photographs taken by the young cameramen of Idaville.
    Scott Curtis had four pictures in the show. Encyclopedia was thinking that Scott would be hard to beat when Sally tugged at his sleeve.
    “Winthrop has only one picture,” she said. “But wait till you see it!”
    Encyclopedia blinked as he gazed upon Winthrop’s photograph.
    It showed a teenage girl touching a flaming match to a Christmas candle. Beside the candle stood a pile of gifts which was lighted by two table lamps.
    What made the picture amazing, however, was the second figure. It was a woman. She could be seen falling outside the large window behind the teenage girl.
    The picture was titled