فصل پنجاه و سوم

chapter-53

Back in the Art & Artifacts Room, Kyle felt confident they were pretty close to figuring out, well, whatever it was they were supposed to figure out.

How it would help them escape from the library was still anybody’s guess.

“It’s ten-forty-four,” said Akimi. “The last clue should pop up on the Wonder Dome in sixteen minutes.” “Okay, you guys,” said Kyle. “Spread out. We need a new rhyme for ‘Andy.’ ” “This model of the bank building came in handy,” added Miguel.

“The Dandy Bandits!” shouted Akimi, once again studying the display of hats.

“Yes!” said Haley, pulling off her shoe so she could show everybody her clue card.

“Bandits! I found this in the three hundreds room.” “That’s the room clue we’re waiting for,” said Kyle.

“Because the Dewey decimal number for True Crime books always starts with the number three,” said Miguel. “When we find that book, it’ll tell us how and where the ‘bandits crawled in in 1968.’ ” “Listen to this, you guys,” said Akimi. She read a placard in the display case: “ ‘This plaid fedora from 1968 was worn by bank robber Leopold Loblolly, one of the notorious Dandy Bandits.’ ” “Loblolly!” Miguel shouted.

“The smell-a-vision clue,” said Kyle. “That’s why everything kept smelling like pine trees.” “Loblolly was one of the pine trees in the answer Mr. Lemoncello gave you guys!” said Haley.

“Whoop-whoop-whoop,” said Mr. Lemoncello as, banana shoes squeaking, he stepped into the room. “Well done, Miss Daley … and Miss Hughes.” “See?” said Akimi. “I was right the first time we came in here. I said ‘dandy’ and everybody else said, ‘Noooo, candy. Willy Wonka …’ ” “Yes, it’s all coming back to me,” said Mr. Lemoncello. “Nineteen sixty-eight. I was pondering an idea for a game at the old public library.” “And,” said Kyle, “you were so totally focused, you didn’t hear the police sirens screaming past the library as they raced to the Gold Leaf Bank.…” “The blackbird was from Alexandriaville,” said Sierra. “The police siren wail was from that day.” Miguel finished that thought: “When the Dandy Bandits tried to crawl into the bank!” “My goodness,” said Mr. Lemoncello. “How could you kids know all that?” “From the game clues,” said Kyle, “and from the story Dr. Zinchenko told us on Friday night when somebody asked her why a library building needed a bank vault door.” “She was already feeding us clues!” said Akimi.

“The time is now ELEVEN a.m.,” announced the ceiling lady. “This game will end in ONE hour.” “Come on,” said Kyle, heading for the door. “It’s the eleventh hour. We need to go check out the Wonder Dome again.” They raced to the balcony.

“There it is!” said Sierra.

“364 point 1092!” shouted Miguel.

“Whoo-hoo!” cried Akimi. “We’re gonna win!”