Dunc and Amos and the Red Tattoos Read Free Page B

desk and stuffed it into his pocket.”
    “Is that all? Here I am on my deathbed, and all you can do is talk about Mexico and evidence. Can’t you see I need to get some rest?”
    “Amos, stop that! You’re not sick. We made it up. Remember?”
    “I ought to know if I’m sick or not. And I’m sick. Help me make it to the cabin.”
    “Okay, okay. Lean on me. I’ll take you to the cabin. But you’re not really sick—it’s just
psychosomatic
.”
    “I knew it probably had a big name. If I don’t live through the night, I leave all my personal belongings to you. Take extra good care of my goldfish.”
    Dunc started to explain that
psychosomatic
was a word, not a disease. That Amos’s sickness was all in his head. But he changed his mind. Instead, he led Amos up the hill to the cabin and tucked him in.

• 7
    “Has he left yet?” Dunc whispered.
    “Not yet.”
    “Keep watching.”
    They were lying flat on their stomachs under the caretaker’s small cabin. Dunc was watching the back steps while Amos kept an eye on the front.
    “I’m not so sure I should be under here,” Amos said. “I might get sick again.”
    “You’ll be fine. Trust me.”
    “You keep saying that. And I keep winding up doing weird things.”
    Dunc turned and looked at Amos. “We’re here because we have to narrow down our list ofsuspects. The only time Mr. Phillips is sure to be gone is during mealtime. As soon as he leaves we’ll take a look around. Simple.”
    “So simple, I’m getting cramps in my elbows.”
    “Every good detective has to learn to deal with adversity.”
    “And that’s another thing. Stop using words that are bigger than you are.” Amos scooted back. “There he goes! Amazing. I can’t believe anybody would hurry to eat in this place. This guy is actually running.”
    They inched out from under the back of the cabin. Dunc brushed the dirt off his clothes. “We’ll do it just as we planned. You keep watch, and I’ll take a look around.”
    The inside of the cabin made World War II look good. Clothes were thrown everywhere. Trash was all over the floor. It was hard to walk across the room without stepping on something.
    Amos closed the door behind them. “Ugh! Something smells like it had a bad time in here.”
    “Get over to the window and watch. We don’t want to get caught.”
    “Now he thinks of this.”
    “Amos.”
    “I’m watching. I’m watching.”
    Dunc picked up one piece of trash after another. “This is going to be harder than I thought. This guy is a pig.”
    Amos glanced out the window. “Uh-oh. He’s coming back. Quick—hide.”
    Dunc dived under the bed without seeing where Amos went.
    The front door opened. Mr. Phillips walked to his dresser and put something in a drawer. He looked in the mirror. Picked at his teeth. Then he turned and went back out the front door.
    Dunc crawled out from under the bed. “All clear. You can come out now.”
    “Amos?”
    “Amos? Where are you?”
    A muffled noise came from the closet.
    “Humm-mee.”
    “Amos, are you in there?” Dunc jerked open the closet door.
    “Help me.”
    Amos was sticking headfirst in a narrow, dirty clothes hamper. His feet were waving wildly in the air.
    “How did you manage?… Never mind. I’ll have you out in a minute.”
    He pushed on the hamper until it tipped over. Then he held on while Amos crawled out backward.
    Amos peeled some dirty clothes off his head. “At least I know where that awful smell is coming from.” He pointed at the hamper. “Year-old socks. Gross.”
    “I think we may be getting somewhere, Amos. I saw Mr. Phillips put something in the dresser.”
    Dunc pulled open the drawer. Inside was an ink pad and stamp. It was in the shape of a strange red flower.
    “Great,” Amos said. “I get gassed by socks that can stand on their own, for a stamp that makes a red flower.”
    “That’s not all. Look at this.”
    Under the ink stamp was a photograph ofsome guys in army uniform standing in