The Chief of Police marched up. He was followed by several policemen. They had the man in the blue jay costume in tow.

“Let me do the gum flapping,” Sam told me. “You take that notebook or journal or whatever it is in your back pocket and draw the Werewolf. You had the best look at him. I want you to draw as many details before you forget them.”

The Chief’s dress uniform was blue. His gloves were white. His face was red. A very angry red.

“I can explain, Chief,” Sam started.

“No!” roared the Chief. “I’m going to explain something to YOU! I shouldn’t have to remind you of this, but you’re a detective in the MCU,” roared the Chief. “That stands for the Monster Crimes Unit! That means you’re supposed to investigate monster crimes. You know, crimes committed by the Mummy or the Vampire — guys like that.”

Holy crud!

Did that mean Sam had run into my dad?

Now didn’t seem like a good time to ask. Sam was too busy being yelled at by the Chief.

“Lavenza is not a monster!” the Chief shouted as he pointed at the man in the blue jay costume. “He’s just a crook in a silly bird costume. And it’s not even a monster costume! That means it’s not your job to go after him!”

Then the Chief turned to the police officers holding Lavenza. “Take him back to headquarters and put him in a cell. I’ll figure out what to do with him later.”

The policemen took Lavenza away, leaving the Chief behind.

“But this was a monster crime, sir,” Sam insisted. “Lavenza only works for criminals who are planning big crimes. And he was here to meet the Werewolf! They’re in cahoots!”

The Chief groaned. “Here we go again with the Werewolf! You’ve been talking about him for months! But you’ve never been able to find a single shred of evidence that he even exists.”

“I know, but this time I’ve got an eyewitness who got a good look at him!” Sam said. “J.D., show the Chief what you saw.”

I handed the Chief my journal, open to the page where I had drawn the Werewolf.

The Chief studied the picture. “Oh, okay, now I see,” he said. Then he roared, “I see a child’s drawing of some guy covered in fur. Which describes pretty much everyone here! You probably just saw someone in a wolf costume.

“Look, Sam,” said the Chief in a gentler voice, “I know how important it is to you to live up to your grandfather’s legend. He was a great detective. The greatest, in fact. But this isn’t your case. Because it’s not a monster crime. If Lavenza was here to meet another criminal, leave it to the regular cops to figure out who it was.”

“Actually,” said a voice from the crowd. “You don’t have to leave it to anyone. I can tell you exactly who it was.”

Oh, no — I recognized that voice. It was Fran! She smiled as she walked up to the Chief.

“Don’t listen to her!” I told the Chief.

“I give orders. I don’t take them!” scowled the Chief. “Now what are you talking about?” he asked Fran.

“That peculiar-looking boy!” said Fran, pointing at me. “He must be a criminal! I saw him with the man in the blue jay costume. They were talking together. It looked like they were plotting something!”

“Is that so?” said the Chief, turning to me.

“NO, IT’S NOT!” I said.

“I trust the boy, Chief,” Sam insisted.

“And why is that?” asked the Chief. “Do you know him?”

“Yes,” Sam said. “Well, we just met a few minutes ago. But he’s my cousin. Well, not technically. But —”

“I see,” interrupted the Chief. He turned to me. “What’s your name?” the Chief asked.

“J.D.,” I stammered.

“Last name?” he asked.

“It’s just J.D.,” I told him. “It stands for John Doe.”

“I see,” he scowled. “And what is your address?”

“Well, since I left the orphanage, I don’t exactly have one,” I admitted.

“Hmm . . . a John Doe with no known address,” the Chief said to Sam. “And that doesn’t sound at all suspicious?”

“Well, I can see how that might sound a little hinky,” Sam admitted.

The Chief turned to Fran. “Thank you for coming forward,” the Chief told her.

“Only too happy to help,” she beamed.

“Wait, you can’t believe what she says!” I said. “You don’t know who she is!”

“My name is Fran Kenstein,” Fran told the Chief.

Fran held out her wallet. “Here is my ID with my address.”

“Now I know who SHE is,” the Chief said to me, “which is more than I can say for you, John Doe with no known address.

“You see, Sam?” the Chief told Sam. “Just like I told you, this isn’t a case for the Monster Crimes Unit. Lavenza was here to meet this kid! But I’ll tell you what. Since you’re so eager to be involved, I’ll let you bring the boy back to HQ so he can be processed.”

Something bounced against the inside of my shirt. I looked down and realized it was my heart! I was going to jail!

How could the Chief believe Fran? If he only knew what she was really like . . .

But of course he didn’t. Only I did. Well, Fran did too. But she wasn’t telling.

“I would take him in myself,” the Chief continued, “but I’m late for a haircut. When I get back, I want to see him in a cell!”

“But Chief —” Sam started.

“The only thing I want to hear from you is ‘Yes, sir!’” barked the Chief. “I don’t care if your grandfather was Samuel Hammer. If you don’t follow my orders, I’ll make sure you never work as a detective in Los Angeles again!”

Sam’s face went white. “Yes, sir,” he mumbled.

“Good,” said the Chief. Then he turned to Fran. “Thank you again for your time.”

“It was my pleasure.” She smiled.

“I had been in a hurry to visit someone,” she said as she looked at Sam. Then she turned to me and added darkly: “Actually several someones. But it looks like I now have all the time in the world to do that. There won’t be anything getting in my way anymore.”

I tried to think of something to say to her. But it was kind of hard to think when Sam was CLICKING handcuffs around my wrists.

The Chief nodded to Sam, then escorted Fran out of the building.

“Okay,” I told myself. “Don’t panic. You’ll think of something.”

And, you know what, I did think of something.

I thought, “I AM SO DOOMED!”