TAKING THEIR LIST, CHECKING IT TWICE
Melvin and Candace met at the public library after school, as usual. The math went smoothly. But Melvin’s mind wasn’t on it. He had a bad guy to catch, plus a human life to save. And not just any life—this one belonged to his all-time favorite rock and roller.
“Who’s first on the list?” Candace asked, putting away her math book.
“Max the Wonder Thug.”
They went to the address listed on the sales receipt and knocked on the door. Max opened it. His neck was almost as wide as his shoulders. Melvin asked Max where he was the night of the concert.
“Let me see,” Max said, scratching his oversized neck. “Oh yeah, I was robbing the bank on Fifth and Wilshire.”
“You were nowhere near The Grateful Fred concert?”
“Nope. Just robbing a bank.”
“Well, that’s okay then,” Melvin said, “as long as you were just robbing a bank. Thank you for your time.”
Max closed the door, and Melvin and Candace moved on.
“Next?” Candace asked.
Melvin checked the list. “Stinky Gillespie.” He made a face. “Not another smelly bad guy.”
Smelly bad guys were Melvin’s least favorite type of bad guy. He didn’t know if there were any sweet-smelling bad guys, but he could always hope.
They went to Stinky’s lair and knocked on the door. The smell greeted them first. When the door opened it grew worse—much worse. Melvin and Candace pinched their noses.
“Are you Stinky Gillespie?” Melvin asked in a high voice.
“In the flesh. If you’re collecting for the Bad-Guy Retirement Fund, I’ve already donated.”
“We aren’t collecting anything,” Melvin assured him. “Just one quick question.”
“A real quick question,” Candace blurted as her eyes began to water.
“Where were you on the night of the Grateful Fred Concert?”
Stinky paused to think about it. “Let’s see. Was I on a jewelry heist that night? No, that’s not it. Liquor store robbery? No, that was Monday night. Oh, right, I believe I was stealing TVs that night. Hey, that reminds me. Can I make either of you a deal on a thirty-two-inch Zenith?”
“No, that’s okay,” Melvin answered. He and Candace turned to leave.
“If you know anyone, send them my way,” Stinky said. “The TVs may be hot, but the price is right. I also sell jewelry and … uh … pretty much anything I can get my hands on.”
“Thanks anyway,” Melvin said.
“Yeah, thanks.” Candace tugged on Melvin’s cape to get them downwind as soon as possible. “I’m glad he wasn’t the one we’re looking for,” she said.
Melvin looked at her and nodded. “I know what you mean. How do you capture a bad guy while holding your nose at the same time?”
“Exactly. So who’s next on the list?”
“Calamity Wayne.”
And so it went—all day long. Calamity Wayne, the McNasty Sisters—every bad guy they talked to had been committing other crimes the night of the concert.
But there were still more names on the list. Was one of them out to get The Grateful Fred?