Adrian and Sharona looked on as a person in a black cloak began to take evidence from the scene of the murder of Mr. Tithers. The figure clean all the blood and fixed everything just as it might've been before Mr. Tithers' death.
"Why are they doing that?" Sharona whispered to Adrian.
"Destroy the evidence Sharona. To make it impossible for the police to find out it was them who did it."
"Shouldn't we try to figure out who it is?"
"Oh no."
"Oh no? You mean you want us to let them go?"
"No, I mean 'oh no' as in 'Oh no I just stepped in a potted plant."
"Adrian," Sharona said bending down to pull his foot out. "I can't believe-"
"Sharona he's getting away! Hurry up and get my foot out." Adrian snapped out as the figure scanned the room and then headed for the door.
"I can't. You're putting all your weight on it."
"Here, just-"
"Adrian hold still!"
"I am holding still. Don't do that - my sock with get all - all - toxicated!"
"Adrian, it's just a little bit of dirt."
"No, don't-" Adrian twisted and turned making the potted plant sway back and forth threatening to make Adrian fall.
"Adrian, he's in his boat! Just forget about your stupid foot!" Sharona said standing up. In doing so, she let go of the pot, which she was the only support of, and then it came toppling over causing Adrian's body to smash right into the dirty, squishing, nasty earth.
"Oh my God, Adrian, are you okay?"
"F - fine. Follow the murderer." Sharona started to walk away and then Adrian shouted something at her. "What'd you say?"
"Go after the - the -" he looked down. He saw a worm squirming and wiggling towards his finger. He scrunched up his face. "There's a worm! Sharona - get it!"
"What?" Adrian jumped up and pointed at it. Sharona looked down at the worm and then looked over at the figure that was now halfway across the lake in a boat.
"Adrian, look we're losing them! Come on!" She started to walk away. Adrian remained where he was staring at himself muttering, "Remain calm. Remain calm."
"Adrian, forget about the stupid worm and come ON!" She ran back towards him, grabbed his head and pulled him out to the docks.
As soon as the got out in the open Adrian headed for the boat but Sharona stopped. "Sharona come on. We got to follow the killer and - I need a wipe!"
"Oh my God, Adrian RUN!" Sharona said staring out at the boat with the figure. He pulled out a rifle and just as Adrian noticed it and ducked, the figure began to shoot at the two investigators. Adrian waddled over behind a bush and Sharona followed him. The shots went on for a few minutes and then, when Adrian was sure they were stopped, he stood up and looked around.
"This isn't good." Adrian said. Sharona stood up next to him.
"No, I'm afraid it's not." said a voice from behind them. They both turned around and met the faces of Captain Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher.
Chapter 8 Back in the Cabin
"Captain Stottlemeyer you don't understand -"
"I understand that you're out here trying to be Sherlock Holmes while the entire police force is looking for you!" Stottlemeyer snapped out before Adrian could finish.
"Captain, we saw the killer." Sharona said. Stottlemeyer looked at her doubtfully. "Yeah, where then?"
"They got away on a boat." Adrian said.
"Got away? What the hell did you let that happen for? That could've gotten you off the hook." Adrian hesitated. "Well, there was this worm and -"
"Adrian, forget it." Sharona said cutting the story short. She looked back at Stottlemeyer. " Captain, please, you know Adrian didn't do this."
"Sharona I know what kind of person Adrian is but -"
"Captain Stottlemeyer!" said Lieutenant Disher walking up to the three. "We found something else while searching the space. Everything was cleaned up but some shoeprints on the carpet made probably because the killer stepped in some patch of mud or something before entering."
"Okay, you know I wouldn't do that!" Adrian shouted. He was glad that finally some piece of evidence didn't point to him. However, Stottlemeyer asked calmly pointing at Adrian's feet.
"Then what's that on your shoes Adrian?"
Adrian looked down and sure enough there were clumps of mud all over them. Sharona handed him a wipe. He quickly snatched it from her and grabbed his left foot and making a desperate attempt to clean it. "I told you there was a worm and -"
"A likely story!" another officer shouted out. Sharona glared at him. Stottlemeyer sighed. "Adrian, I'm really sorry but everything is pointing to you."
"Captain!" Adrian said as to officers came up behind him and lead Adrian into a boat by the trees. "Captain, I can find the killer! I just need more time!" Stottlemeyer only stared at him as the boat sailed back towards the cabins.
"I really think you're making a big mistake." Sharona said to Stottlemeyer as soon as the other officers began to leave the crime scene. "I can't let him go just because he's a friend. I've already said that."
"I'm gonna help Adrian with this case whether it's legal or not. Unlike some I consider my friends more important then a job." And with that she walked away into the (slightly damaged) paddle boat and splashed back to her cabin to talk to Adrian. If he couldn't investigate, then she would.
_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_
Later that night, Sharona was sitting on a couch in the cabin that she had originally rented for a fun vacation. She watched Adrian paced back and forth in front of her. He had his hands out in front of him gesturing and mumbling to himself.
"Adrian - Adrian!"
"What?"
"Could you please tell me what you're doing?" Sharona asked as Adrian stopped pacing.
"Okay, first of all, the killer had to have had a motive. At this point I'm thinking Daniel made Calvin mad when he punched him and said the engine was in wrong. So, he decided to murder Mr. Tithers and frame me for it to get back at Daniel."
"Do you think a punch would be that big a deal for him to kill someone?" Sharona asked.
"Well, Daniel also said Calvin had already become enemies with Mr. Tithers. He might've thought he was killing two birds with one stone." Adrian said. He walked over to the kitchen counter and opened the cabinets. "Oh no. Sharona, you don't put the square plates on top of the round ones!"
Sharona got up from the couch as Adrian started to adjust the dishes in their 'correct order'.
"I don't think Calvin did it either." Adrian looked over his shoulder and said, "Well, that's because you like him."
"What?"
"Oh come on Sharona. You of all people should know I'm not stupid."
"Adrian, don't even ruin this. Don't. You always ruin it. Always!"
"Ruin what?"
"My love life. Every time I get a really nice boyfriend, you find out he's already married or he's a drug dealer or -"
"And you know it's a good thing I do." Adrian said shutting the cabinet. Sharona put her hands on here hips. "I mean it Adrian. Don't."
Just then an officer came into the room. "Uh - the captain says you have to leave now. He's rented another cabin for you and your kid to stay in."
Sharona started to walk away. "Pssst! Sharona!"
"What?" Sharona turned back around and saw Adrian mouthing the words, "Go to the crime scene and investigate." she nodded her head agreement.
"Ey, lady - let's go." the officer said rudely. Sharona then walked out of the cabin leaving Adrian to fix the silverware and put them in their 'correct order'.
Chapter 9 Another Clue
Adrian sighed and turned back around to face the counter. He noticed a patch of dust resting on top of the microwave and quickly grabbed a wipe from his pocket to use on it. He smiled as the scrum was totally wiped away but noticed something behind the microwave. A note of some sort.
Being Adrian, he curiously picked up the piece of paper with his wipe, making sure he didn't physically touch it. He looked the paper over. It was a note made on a napkin. It read:
Jupar -
Please remember to clean the showers in this cabin. I have recently found paint streaks on the walls and
Mr. Holmes surely would like all his customers to be clean and comfortable. I would rather notify you this
way because otherwise I might report it to Mr. Holmes. Please also remember to come to my house tomorrow
to install the new engine in my boat. It won't take you to long if you do it right.
-Mr. Arnold Tithers
"Arnold Tithers?" Adrian said to himself. "Why would Mr. Tithers stay in this cabin?"
_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_:o)_
The next day, Sharona came to visit Adrian. It was around twelve in the afternoon and Benjy was about splashing happily in the lake.
"Adrian, I checked the crime scene." Sharona said just as she had gotten in the door. Adrian got up from his spot on the couch. "It was spotless. Nothing, no evidence. You would've been in heaven."
"Sharona, I think I have an idea of who did it." He pulled out the note he'd found. "This note was written by Mr. Tithers complaining about the poor cleaning that Jupar did in the bathroom."
"So?"
"So, I wondered why Mr. Tithers would stay over here if he was enemies with Calvin and he already lived by the lake. I talked to Calvin earlier today and he said that Mr. Tithers stayed over here until his house was done being painted because he was having his whole house repainted and was allergic to paint. He also told me Jupar had been doing some of the painting for him and anything else he needed him to do at his house. Obviously, Jupar was being a little over worked. That's probably why he didn't put the engine in right in Daniel's boat and he did such a bad job of cleaning the shower."
"Why would that drive him into killing someone and then blaming you for it?" Sharona asked.
"That's what I wondered, too." Adrian said turning around and walking towards the window and looking out. "But I'll bet that Jupar realized that Mr. Tithers was a little hard on him and he wasn't getting paid for helping him out. He couldn't not help him because Calvin would most definitely fire him. He had to find another way. "
"So you're saying Jupar murdered Mr. Tithers so he didn't have to help him with his painting? Sounds kinda weird Adrian." Sharona said sitting down on the couch.
"Sharona, why would Calvin want to kill Mr. Tithers? Didn't Daniel tell us that Jupar and Huleo were the ones that got yelled at by Mr. Tithers? There the ones that put in the engines, not Calvin. Don't you see? It all fits. Except for me. Why would they frame me?"
"Maybe Jupar just wanted to frame it on the person that came up for a vacation." Sharona suggested. Adrian shook his head. "No, no I think it has something to do with Daniel. I need you to talk to him again."
Chapter 10 Crazy Man Solves it Again
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this." Sharona said into her walkie-talkie as she paddled her way towards the house of Daniel Monk.
"You have to do this, Sharona. You're my only hope. Just - just don't drop the walkie-talkie in the water or anything." Adrian said as he stirred the spaghetti noodles on his stove in his comfortable, warm cabin.
Sharona, however, was far from being comfortable or warm. "I'm not stupid, Adrian. I know the walkie-talkie won't work if it's in water."
"No, no that's not it. It - It's just then I'd have the sanitize it. That water is so - ugh." Adrian said disgusted just by thinking about the lake water.
"Listen, Adrian, I can't stay over here long. I have a kid to watch you know."
"I know, I know. But you have to stay until I can figure out why Jupar would want to frame Daniel. Then we've got him."
"I hope you're right."
"When am I not?" Adrian asked happily adding a few spices to his spaghetti sauce.
@*@*@*@*@*@*@
"Sharona! What a pleasant surprise! Come in! Come in! What's that you've got there?" Daniel greeted as he lead Sharona into his house.
The night was falling in and Sharona reluctantly followed Daniel into the house and sat down hoping Benjy was alright. She explained to Daniel about the walkie-talkie and then asked if Jupar would've had any reason to want to get revenge on him.
"Well, I'm not sure..." Daniel said, thinking as he talked. "Is he the skinny one with the big ears?"
Sharona thought. Then she turned on her walkie-talkie. "Adrian? Yeah, Daniel wants to know if Jupar is the skinny one with the big ears."
Adrian stirred his noodles some more. "No. No, he's has a round head and flat feet."
"He said Jupar is the one with a round head and flat feet."
"Give me that." Daniel said. Sharona handed him the walkie-talkie. "You mean he has round feet and a flat head right?"
"No, Daniel, he - Jupar is the one with a pierced ear."
"They both have a pierced ear!"
"His right ear is pierced."
"Both of their right ears are pierced!" Daniel said almost shouting. "What are you trying to find anyway? What do you want from me?"
Adrian tasted his sauce and said, "Hmm - more salt."
Daniel became confused, "More salt? You want more salt from me? Very funny, Adrian."
"No, I was talking about my dinner."
"Sure."
"Daniel, you - you have to help me here. I have to solve this case or I go to jail." Adrian said pleading.
"Well, okay. I'll tell you about what happened to me last month. I'll be a good brother to you."
Adrian tasted his spaghetti again. "Oh - yuck! That is disgusting! Ugh!"
"What?!" Daniel said angrily not realizing Adrian was referring to the sauce.
"No, not - not you, Daniel. I wasn't talking to you." Adrian said giving up on his dinner. "What happened last month?"
"Well, I was out riding in my boat and I saw either Jupar or Huleo coming over to my house to check on my boat engine. So I tried to stir back to my dock. I guess he was going a little faster than I thought because we crashed together and he had to make a whole new engine for me. Plus, he was the one who caused the crash so he had to pay for it."
"Well, that would've made me a little mad." Adrian said. "Which one was that - Jupar or Huleo?"
"Now how am I suppose to know that? They're like twins."
"No, Jupar always has scruff marks on his shoes and is slightly tanner then Huelo who always wears over-alls with two holes in the top pocket."
"Oh, like anyone else would know that, Mr. Clean."
"Daniel - I -" Adrian stopped. He heard voices outside of his cabin. It was mumbled, but Adrian could hear the thick Spanish accent and knew instantly who it was. "Daniel? Daniel, you need to do something for me."
"Well, what'd you want me to do?" Daniel asked curiously.
"Tell Sharona to come back here as soon as possible. Make sure she brings Captain Stottlemeyer with her."
"Captain who? What are doing? What's going on?"
"Shush! Just - just do what I said alright?" Adrian said peeking out of the window. He saw what he figured he'd see - Jupar dressed in black getting ready to break into Adrian's cabin.
"Okay, Adrian. Whatever you say."
@*@*@*@*@*@*@
Jupar stood quietly on the doorstop. As soon as Adrian was done talking on his walkie-talkie, he'd be completely unguarded. He'd told the guard earlier that he'd be watching Adrian that night. It was all planned. All he had to do was get into the cabin and elminate the loose end....
He heard the click off the walkie-talkie. Adrian had turned it off. This was his chance. He reached for the door handle....
"Ahhhh!"
Jupar tripped backward. He fell on his tail bone and looked up amazed at what he saw. Adrian looked insane. He was shaking a pan in his right hand and holding a bug-swatter in the other. He immediately started to swat Jupar, shouting at the top off his lungs.
"What the - what's your problem? You crazy? Crazy man! Crazy man stay away from me! Crazy man!" Jupar yelled in his Spanish accent. He tried a number of attempts to stand up and run but each time he was forced back down by Adrian's mighty thwacks.
"You thought you'd get away with it didn't you? Killing an old man just because you didn't want to do his work for free. And framing my brother because you were angry about paying his bill to fix his engine. And you call yourself a U.S. citizen!"
"Please! Crazy man stay away! Crazy man!"
Just then a speed boat arrived occupying Captain Stottlemeyer, Lieutenant Disher, Sharona, Daniel, and a few police officers. They took Jupar away after Adrian explained that he'd murdered Mr. Tithers and framed him all because of revenge.
Jupar was stilled babbling on about 'Crazy Man' as helped him into the car. "They deserved it! No one treats us Mexicans like equals! Think we can't understand. We do understand. Crazy man!"
"Save it for court, Mr. Garcia." Captain Stottlemeyer said as an officer got into the car and drove away.
Sharona turned to Adrian, "That was bravery, Adrian. It took guts to do that to a murderer. You remained unflinching in your fight to put Jupar behind bars. He might've even had a gun but you stayed on the side of justice. I'm really proud of you Adrian."
"You want to know the truth?" Adrian asked quietly.
"What?"
"I was scared to death." Adrian said straitening his collar and walking back into his cabin to hang up his pan and bug-swatter.
Chapter 11 On the Road Again
The killer was put in jail and all was right with the world once again. After a few more days, Adrian, Sharona, and Benji were ready to start their drive home.
" I can't thank you enough, Mr. Monk." Calvin said holding out his hand to Adrian.
" Oh, it - it was nothing." Adrian said quickly grabbing his suit case so he avoid shaking Calvin's hand.
Calvin reluctantly understood.
" Have you got everything, Benji?" Sharona asked her son as he ran out of the cabin towards the car assurding her that he'd gotten everything. She was about to follow him when she noticed Calvin.
" I hope you had a good stay here. With the exception of the murder and rusty old paddle boat." Calvin stated smiling.
" It was great. Better than I thought it would be considering I had Adrian with me."
They both shared a little laugh. After the laugh died down, Calvin spoke up, " So, I - uh - do you live far from here?"
" Yeah, it actually took us a while to get here. I live in San Francisco (that is where she lives right? and that is how it's spelled right?)."
Instead of looking discouraged, Calvin smiled even more. " So do I!"
" Really?" Sharona asked unbelievably.
" Yeah, maybe we could get together some time. I know this really nice Italian resturant that -"
BEEP! BEEP!
The car horn issued an annoying blow which was followed by Adrian in the car yelling, " Sharona! Come on! We need to leave!" A short pause. Then, " And there's a spider on the dash board!"
" I'll be right there Adrian!" Sharona shouted back. She turned to Calvin, " The resturant sounds great. You should call me some time. You got my number, right?"
" Yeah, you gave it to me when you reserved the cabin." Calvin answered. " So, I guess I'll see ya around."
" Yeah," Sharona said smiling brightly.
" SHARONA! It's moving!" Adrian shrieked.
Benji added, " Come on, Mom!"
" Bye," Sharona said as she walked towards the car.
" Bye, Sharona." Calvin repied.
Minutes later, after the spider was ejected from the interior of the car, Sharona started up the car and slowly drove out onto the road.
Calvin waved to them as they disappeared behind the forest.
" Sharona, could - could we please stop?"
" Why?"
" That farmer's fence - please, can we just - just leave him a note or something?"
" Adrian," Sharona said turning to look at him, "We're going home."
ThE ENd*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*