The chief of police of Springville—the proper name of Spooksville—was alone in the station when they arrived. There wasn’t even a secretary around, never mind other officers. There was just the chief sitting behind his big oak desk, reading a comic book and eating a box of chocolates. From his wide belly, it appeared he often ate lots of them.
They knocked before entering but nevertheless startled him. He glanced up and nervously set aside his comic book. He smoothed his blue tie, which was stained with chocolate, and blinked behind his gold-rimmed glasses. He was probably only fifty years old, but his hair was snow-white.
“Yes,” he said. “Can I help you?”
“Yes,” Adam said. “The two of us and two other friends were hiking in the hills behind Spooks—Springville this morning when we came across these huge blocks of ice. We thawed one out and this creature—like a cold man—jumped out and grabbed our friend, Watch. He dragged Watch into the woods, and we haven’t seen Watch since.” Adam paused. “We need your help to rescue him.”
The chief just stared at him for minute. Then he offered each of them his box of chocolates. “Would you like one?” he asked.
“No thanks, we’re not hungry,” Cindy said. “We’re too worried about our friend. Can you help us?”
The chief helped himself to another chocolate. He ate it slowly—chewing seemed to take all his concentration.
“I don’t know,” he said. “What do you want me to help you with?”
Adam felt exasperated. “We just told you. One of the Cold People kidnapped our friend. We want you to help us get him back.”
The chief took off his glasses and cleaned them with a handkerchief. “I’m alone here today. Do you really expect me to leave the station unattended?”
Cindy gestured to the empty building. “Where are all the other police?”
The chief seemed puzzled by the question. “Well, I don’t very well know where they are. I can’t keep track of everything. But years ago, when I started here, we had many fine officers. But their numbers have dwindled over time. Actually, I haven’t seen another officer in the last few months.” He paused to think. “It may have been in the last year.”
“But what do you do if there’s an emergency?” Cindy asked.
“What am I supposed to do? I have problems of my own. I have to run this whole station all by myself. If I leave, what will become of it?”
“But you can’t help anyone if you’re sitting in here,” Cindy said, annoyed. “You just grow fat eating chocolates all day.”
The chief was insulted. “Watch your tongue, young lady. I offered you a chocolate fair and square and you turned it down. Why shouldn’t I eat it? If I don’t, it will go to waste. I don’t just throw away chocolates and pretend it’s not wrong.”
“We’re not talking about chocolates,” Adam said, trying once more, although he was beginning to see that it was hopeless. “We’re talking about our friend. His life may be in danger. Can’t you do anything to help him?”
The chief leaned over and peered at them. “Does he have life insurance?”
“What?” Adam said. “I don’t know. What does that have to do with anything?”
The chief smiled in a condescending manner. “Young man, if he has insurance, and he is killed, his family will stand to gain financially. And in these troubled times, extra income is nothing to be taken lightly. In other words, you view this as an emergency, but this might be a blessing in disguise. Certainly I would be doing your friend’s family a disservice if I prevented them from receiving a large amount of money. So you see my hands are tied by my responsibilities to this station and my moral duty to this young man’s family.”
“How can you talk about moral duty?” Cindy asked. “When you’re too much of a coward to lift a finger to save him?”
The chief lost his smile. “You call me a coward? You have a lot of nerve. Have I ever come to you for help to find one of my friends? Of course not. I attend to my own problems. You should do likewise, and quit bothering good people who just want to be left alone.”
“But you’re a police officer,” Cindy said bitterly. “It’s your job to help people.”
That took the chief back a step. He had to think for a moment before answering. Before he did, however, he helped himself to another chocolate.
“There was nothing in my contract with the city that specified that I was to have to deal with mysterious Cold People,” he said. “If there was, I would have had my lawyer strike it from my list of responsibilities. I don’t even like the cold. That’s another reason why I don’t want to go outside today. I might catch cold, and then where would this fine city be?”
“Probably no worse off,” Adam muttered. He turned toward the exit. “Come on, Cindy. Sally was right. We’re wasting our time here.”
But Cindy was too frustrated to walk away. Stepping up to the chiefs desk, she suddenly reached out and grabbed his box of chocolates. Before he could stop her, she dropped it upside-down on the dusty floor, ruining the candies. The chief stared at her in shock, but Cindy smiled sweetly.
“We have an emergency situation,” she said. “Now you do too. How does it feel?”
Adam grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the door before the chief could react. Adam was worried the man would throw her in jail.
“I think you’ve been hanging out with Sally too long,” Adam told her.