Tiger by the Tail by Eric Walters

Author:Eric Walters [Walters, Eric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781443128995
Publisher: Scholastic Canada
Published: 2013-06-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

The officers came up the driveway in a column. Leading the way was an older man in a fancy uniform. I had a sinking feeling that this was the “chief.” They filed around to the driver’s side.

“You better move those cars. You’re blocking my way and I’ve got someplace to go,” Mr. McCurdy said.

“What did you say?” the older man thundered.

“I said you’re blocking my way. Are you deaf?”

“Am I what?”

“DEAF!” Mr. McCurdy yelled.

“Don’t you know who you’re talking to? I’m the Chief of Police!” he bellowed.

“Good. Now I know who’s blocking my driveway. Get those cars out of my way,” Mr. McCurdy answered.

The chief looked like he was going to scream. His nose was so big and red I thought it might explode. I looked away but noticed a couple of the officers grinning.

“Out of the car this instant!” the chief roared.

“Why?” Mr. McCurdy asked. “I’m pretty comfy right here.”

The redness from his nose spread across his whole face and down his neck until it disappeared beneath his uniform. He turned to face the officers. “Get him out of the car, by force!”

Nobody moved.

At that instant another police car rolled up the driveway. It pulled off the drive so it could pass the parked cars and it came to an abrupt stop. The door opened and I recognized the captain. Quickly he walked over to the chief’s side.

“I want this man dragged out of his car!” the chief ordered.

“Can’t do that, sir,” the captain replied calmly.

“Why not?”

“He’s in his car on his property and he’s done nothing wrong.”

“What do you mean nothing wrong? He claimed he knew me. He said he was a tiger expert! He let an animal go that is a danger to public safety! What do you mean he did nothing wrong?”

As the chief yelled, he moved closer and closer to the captain until they were nose to nose. The captain didn’t budge an inch. His expression didn’t even change although I could see little bits of spit flying out of the chief’s mouth and bouncing off the captain’s face.

“As I said earlier, sir, Mr. McCurdy has not violated any sections of the Criminal Code,” the captain said as he wiped his face with the back of his sleeve. “Can you tell me under what section you propose that I arrest him?”

The chief kicked his foot into the gravel, a spray of stones hitting the side of the car.

“Hey! Watch the paint job or I’ll have you arrested,” Mr. McCurdy barked.

All of the officers, including the captain, smiled, and two started to chuckle. The chief turned around and faced them and they all became silent and sober.

“That’s enough from you! Fan out men, and let’s find the tiger!” the chief ordered.

Nobody moved again. The captain walked up to him. “We can’t, sir.” I noticed how he spoke the word “sir.” I think he felt the same way about taking orders from the chief as I did taking orders from Erin.

“Why can’t we?” he demanded.

“No search warrant or grounds for a search,” he replied.

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