Encyclopedia Brown Gets His Man by Donald J. Sobol

Author:Donald J. Sobol [Sobol, Donald J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781101007099
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 1967-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

IN THE WHAT?

The Case of the Coffee Smoker

Roscoe Kerr laid twenty-five cents on the gasoline can. His hand was trembling.

“I’ve got big problems,” he said.

“Are you sure you want a detective, not a doctor?” said Encyclopedia. “You’re shaking like a grass curtain.”

Sally hurried over with an empty box. “Sit down before you drop,” she said.

“I’ll be all right,” said Roscoe. “I’ve been smoking too many dried coffee grounds.”

“You ought to change your brand,” said Encyclopedia.

“I’d give up smoking, but it’s too late,” said Roscoe. “An hour ago I got a telephone call. The caller threatened to tell my mother I’ve been smoking—unless I paid him a dollar a week.”

“That’s blackmail!” gasped Encyclopedia.

“Who threatened you?” asked Sally.

“It sounded like Harry Hallahan,” said Roscoe. “I wish I’d never seen him smoking behind the old library building!”

Harry Hallahan and the old library building had made news the month before. Harry had admitted to the police that he had been secretly smoking cigarettes behind the building. His carelessness had set it afire.

“He’s been after me for reporting him,” said Roscoe. “Whenever we meet, he strikes me.”

“He walks up and socks you?” said Encyclopedia.

“No, he strikes me,” said Roscoe, “on the seat with a wooden kitchen match and lights his pipe.”

“You ought to wear your corduroy pants,” said Encyclopedia.

“If I do,” said Roscoe, “Harry makes me do a headstand. Then he strikes a match off the bottom of my shoe. He’ll never forgive me for reporting him.”

“It was your duty,” said Sally.

“I know,” said Roscoe. “But I forgot Harry is older than he looks. His seventeenth birthday was last week. His mother gave him permission to smoke a pipe with real tobacco anywhere he likes. He’s been using me to light up ever since!”

“This is awful,” said Sally. “Can’t we do something, Encyclopedia?”

“Let’s deal with the blackmail first,” answered Encyclopedia. “Were you smoking today, Roscoe?”

“On and off all morning,” said Roscoe. “I kept getting dizzy. I had to stop a lot for air.”

“Puffing coffee in an old corncob pipe will do that to you,” said Encyclopedia. “Where were you burning your lungs?”

“In the trees,behind my house,” said Roscoe.

Encyclopedia decided to examine the spot. On the way, Roscoe called himself every kind of a fool.

“Smoking always turns me green, but I thought I was being smart,” he said. “If you get me out of this mess, Encyclopedia, I’ll swear off smoking for life.”

The three children went down the slope behind Roscoe’s house. Roscoe stopped in a group of trees.

“Usually I steal a smoke in my lean-to,” he said. “Nobody can see me. But this morning I smoked under that oak tree.”

Encyclopedia sat in Roscoe’s lean-to. He could see nothing but the trees growing thickly in front. He moved to the oak. Now he could see one window of a neighboring house.

“The Hallahans live there,” said Roscoe. “That window is Harry’s room. But he isn’t home.”

“How do you know?” asked Sally.

“His parents went to Stuart Beach for the day,” said Roscoe. “Mr. Hallahan is a fisherman. When he’s away, Harry has to go out early in the morning to inspect the nets.

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