Shadows at Predator Reef Read Online Free PDF Page B

now. Letting him know we were onto him had been a calculated risk. Some criminals get jumpy when they know you’re onto them; they get sloppy or force their hands, unintentionally exposing themselves or theiraccomplices. Others keep their cool and just grow more cautious or lie low until the heat dies down. I had a feeling Bishop wasn’t the type to scare easily.
    â€œMaybe giving up the element of surprise wasn’t the best idea after all,” I said to my brother as Bishop walked off, clutching his briefcase.
    â€œIf he’s involved, whatever’s in that briefcase could be crucial to solving the crime,” Frank said.
    I watched Bishop and the briefcase disappear around the corner. “Hopefully we didn’t just blow our only chance to find out.”

SHARK!
6
FRANK
    J OE AND I WENT FROM one type of shark encounter to another. Bishop may not have had a dorsal fin, but he was just as dangerous. The zebra sharks and blacktips we were going to be diving with at the aquarium were cuddly water bunnies compared to old Dirk.
    Right after our watery run-in with Mr. Bishop, we’d received a call from Ron Burris saying Chief Olaf’s forensic divers were done in the reef exhibit. They hadn’t turned up any new evidence, so now it was our turn to investigate Predator Reef.
    We met Ron in front of the aquarium. He was still in his fancy suit, but his tie was loosened at the collar, and it looked like he’d been doing a lot of running around since we’d last seen him.
    â€œLet’s walk and talk, guys,” he said, leading the way inside toward Predator Reef, speaking rapid-fire the whole way. “I don’t have much time. The firm already had a zillion things going on, and this whole missing turtle business has blown my schedule to pieces. A disaster like that at an exhibit we designed is a public-relations nightmare. Not that it’s anything I can’t handle.”
    Ron kept on talking as we approached the exhibit.
    â€œI don’t know what you two did to the police chief, by the way, but he wasn’t very happy when he called to let us know it was your turn to take a dip into the exhibit. Don’t worry, though, we’ve got your backs. Mr. Valledor says to tell you that you have our absolute support in this investigation. He’s got his hands full today, so he wants you to call me with a detailed report as soon as you’re out of the water.”
    With his accent, “water” came out “wataah.” But with his confident demeanor and ability to talk, I could totally see how he’d make a good PR guy. He’d been public relating so fast, we hadn’t been able to get a word in.
    â€œDid the police find anything at all?” I blurted before Ron could utter another sentence.
    â€œNah, nada. Nothing they told us about anyway. As of now, they don’t know any more than we do. What about you boys? What have the detectives detected?” he asked, flipping the question back to us.
    â€œNothing solid yet,” I said cautiously. Sure, we’d ID’ed a couple of suspects in Eric the Ecoterrorist and Bishop, andwe had Murph’s tip about the poachers, but it didn’t help to go broadcasting your hunches this early in an investigation.
    â€œCome on, you can do better than that,” Ron said. “Give me something I can take back to Mr. Valledor.”
    â€œWe’re investigating a couple of possible leads not directly linked to the aquarium,” Joe said, giving Ron just a little taste of what we’d found. “We’ll be able to give you details as soon as we know more.”
    â€œNot connected to the aquarium, huh?” He nodded. “Okay, okay, that’s a start. It’ll have to do for now at least.”
    Ron handed Joe his card, so now we each had one. “I’ve got to get on over to see Mr. Valledor, but call me the second you know something. And if you need anything at all,