One False Step Read online

  “No, I’m not,” Mario said. “Come on, boys,” he said to Frank and Joe. “We have some plans to make.”

  When they reached the lobby they passed the owner of the apartment, who was demanding that the police let him and his wife in immediately.

  “It won’t be long, sir,” one of the officers was saying. “It’s important that we look for evidence to help solve this crime spree.”

  The front doors closed on Frank and Joe before they could hear what the apartment owner said.

  After they climbed back into the van and started heading out of downtown Philadelphia toward Mario’s house, he said, “I have an idea. It could be dangerous, but my officers and I will be with you all the way, and I think it’s the only way we’re going to catch these guys.”

  “Let’s hear it,” Joe said. “We’ve been in dangerous situations before.”

  “Yeah, it’s nothing new,” Frank agreed.

  “Tomorrow night is Aérocirque’s last performance,” Mario said. “There’s only one troupe that has performed every night: the Masked High-Wire Troupe. Something tells me they’ll be the ones to rob an apartment building tomorrow night.”

  “Oh, yeah!” Frank said. “They’re the guys who never take off their masks when they’re around the other acrobats.”

  “Right. They belong to some sort of cult that makes them use masks,” Mario said. “None of the other acrobats have ever seen their faces.”

  “Where do we fit in?” Joe asked.

  “Well, every troupe is at the stadium until right before the circus begins,” Mario said. “The one troupe that doesn’t perform leaves just after it’s announced that someone has taken ill.”

  Frank and Joe nodded.

  “So, if my officers and I can slip you boys into the troupe as they’re leaving, then you can be in on the robbery,” Mario said. “We’ll have you wired, so we’ll know where you are every minute.”

  “You expect us to walk one of the wires?” Joe asked.

  Mario shook his head. “Absolutely not, Joe,” he said. “Two of the acrobats are always the anchors during the performance. They never walk the wire.”

  “You’re sure?” Frank said.

  “I’m sure,” Mario said. “They’re there to help the walkers back onto the platform.”

  “So you think these two anchor acrobats stay on the roof of the building opposite the apartment being robbed, sort of like lookouts for the guys walking the rope?” Joe said.

  Mario sighed. “I guess it does sound kind of farfetched,” he finally said. “Let’s just forget it and see if we can think of a more sensible solution.”

  “No, Mario, this doesn’t sound far-fetched at all,” Frank said. “In fact, it sounds brilliant. And Joe and I could certainly handle the detective work required.”

  They were nearing Mario’s neighborhood.

  “I’m thinking that tomorrow morning—early—the three of us should head out to the stadium, where I’ll make it known that it’s very important to the Philadelphia Police Department that some important visitors practice with the masked troupe,” Mario said. “They may not want it, but I don’t think they’ll say anything, because if they’re really behind all these robberies, they won’t want to irritate me.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Frank said. He turned to Joe. “We need to go to bed right when we get home,” he added. “Circus performers need their sleep!”

  • • •

  The next morning, bright and early, before Chet, Matt, or Tony was awake, Mario took Frank and Joe to the stadium. When they arrived, all of the Aérocirque acrobats were unloading from two charter buses.

  “I hadn’t even thought about this,” Joe said, “but where do they stay at night?”

  “Baron von Battenberg has rented an entire motel just a couple of miles from here,” Mario said.

  “They’re probably too smart to stash any of the stolen items there,” Frank said.

  “Probably,” Mario agreed. “Of course, we’re not sure they’re behind these robberies,” he added. “It could just be a coincidence. Somebody could be setting them up.”

  Joe shook his head. “The people behind these high-rise apartment robberies are trained acrobats, Mario,” he said, “and I’m assuming that the only trained acrobats in Philadelphia are the ones from Aérocirque.”

  Mario nodded.

  “So we should proceed as planned,” Frank said.

  Mario pulled the police van up behind the last bus, and the three of them got out. They headed toward the smaller practice tent. “The Masked High-Wire Troupe is the only one that practices here,” he said. “They’re completely separate from the others.”

  “I just thought of something, Mario. This is the most acrobatic team in Aérocirque,” Joe said. “I have a feeling that they’re saving the best for last. Whoever they’re going to rob tonight must be somebody really special.”

  “I guess we’ll find out tonight,” Mario whispered.

  As they approached the entrance to the tent, Frank reviewed the plans he and Joe had made before they went to bed last night.

  Mario would tell Baron von Battenberg that Frank and Joe were so enthralled by what they had seen in Aérocirque that they were planning a mini act at Bayport High School to raise money for charity. Of course, their circus wouldn’t have helicopters, but it would have high-wire acts, and Frank and Joe wanted to train with some of the acrobats to learn what they could. Mario would tell Baronvon Battenberg that the group Frank and Joe most admired was the masked troupe. If the baron refused to let the boys shadow that troupe, Mario had told them, he would explain that he wasn’t above not only pulling their permit for tonight’s performance in Philadelphia but contacting his network of police officer friends along Aérocirque’s tour and suggesting they do the same thing. Mario assured the Hardy boys that the baron would come through.

  As it turned out, Mario was right on the money. The baron didn’t hesitate when Mario suggested that Frank and Joe practice with the masked troupe.

  “Of course, you’ll have to wear costumes and masks too,” Baron von Battenberg told them. “The acrobats in this troupe never practice without their costumes and masks. They won’t work with anyone who isn’t wearing them.”

  “We were counting on that,” Joe told him. “Weren’t we, Frank?”

  Frank smiled and nodded. “Yes, we were,” he said.

  The baron clapped his hands. One of the masked troupe members looked up and the baron motioned him over to where they were standing. Instead of speaking to the acrobat, he mimed that he wanted Frank and Joe to put on costumes and masks and practice with the troupe.

  The acrobat nodded, then he motioned for Frank and Joe to follow them.

  Joe followed, but Frank turned to the baron. “What language do they speak?” he asked.

  “They don’t,” the baron replied. “They’re all deaf.”

  Suddenly, Frank wondered if their plan was going to work. “Were you using sign language?” he asked.

  The baron shook his head. “They don’t know that, either,” he replied. “They just act out what they want people to do, and that seems to work.”

  “So what you’re saying is that none of them use the same signs to let the others know what they want?” Frank asked.

  “That’s about it,” the baron said. “They’re a peculiar lot, but they’re the most exciting of the acrobats. They have nerves of steel. I think that comes with not being able to hear the crowd noise. Nothing throws them off.”

  Joe and the masked acrobat were now on the other side of the tent. They had stopped, and the acrobat was motioning for Frank to hurry.

  “Thanks very much again,” Frank said. He turned and started running toward them.

  The acrobat showed the Hardy boys to the dressing room. He mimed that he would be by in a few minutes to pick them up.

  Frank and Joe quickly found costumes and masks exactly like the ones the rest of the masked troupe were wearing.

  When they were
dressed, the boys went outside the tent to the practice ring used by the masked troupe. The first acrobat had already communicated why Frank and Joe were there, and the Hardy boys were pleasantly surprised that all of the acrobats were willing to show them what they did on the high wire.

  For the rest of the morning, Frank and Joe practiced their “act.” They started just two feet off the ground, so that when they fell, they usually landed on their feet. Gradually, the wires were raised, and by the time the wires were ten feet high, the Hardy boys were almost gliding from platform to platform.

  The anchors mimed that the Hardy boys should join their troupe. Frank and Joe did their best to tell them that they’d have to think about it.

  • • •

  At lunch the Hardy boys ate alone. Each member of the troupe went off by himself, possibly so they could remove their masks to eat without anyone seeing their faces.

  During the afternoon Frank and Joe stayed on the platform, and the wires got higher and higher. Around four o’clock, when the day’s practice concluded, the Hardy boys felt that they would be able to implement their plan.

  Frank and Joe managed to slip away from the rest of the acrobats as they headed for the dressing room. They met Mario at the police van.

  “We’re set,” Joe said. “We’ll point out the two anchors to your men.”

  “If they can hold them until Joe and I have left in the helicopters with the rest of the team,” Frank said, “we should be able to pull this off.”

  “Actually, I’m still wondering if this is a good idea,” Mario said. “It’s dangerous.”

  Joe shook his head. “Frank and I really got to know these guys today, Mario,” he said. “We especially studied the mannerisms of the anchors, and since they don’t talk to each other, there’s nothing to give us away.”

  Frank nodded. “Don’t worry, Mario,” he said. “We can pull this off. Tonight, this crime spree will be over.”

  10 High-wire Act

  * * *

  Frank and Joe quickly jumped into the police van unobserved.

  “What now?” Joe asked.

  “We wait,” Mario said. “One of my officers will radio me when they abduct the two anchors, and that’ll be your signal to slip back into the tent to join the troupe.”

  Mario left the van running, which allowed cooler air to circulate. Because of the tinted windows, it was possible for the Hardy boys to move around inside, unnoticed by anyone who walked by.

  “I need to put this wire on you, Frank,” Mario said. He took a small black object out of a box. “The latest thing,” he said.

  “It looks like a light-switch plate,” Joe said.

  Mario nodded. “You wear it on your leg,” he said. “It has an adhesive that sticks to the skin but pulls off easily.”

  “Good,” Frank said. “I can’t stand those bandages that hurt more coming off than what they were healing!”

  “You won’t feel a thing when this is removed,” Mario said, “and there’s very little chance that it’ll be discovered.”

  “That’s important,” Joe said.

  Mario nodded. “This will be our only communication with you,” he said, “and you’ll have to figure out a way to tell us where you are without the other acrobats seeing you.”

  Frank nodded. “They might wonder why we start talking to ourselves all of a sudden,” he said. “The masks won’t hide the movement of our mouths.”

  “Exactly,” Mario said. “I have men stationed all along the routes downtown, so we should be able to keep the helicopter in sight, but once downtown, I don’t want my officers to be so visible that we’ll scare the acrobats off. It’ll be up to you, Frank, to guide us to the right apartment building.”

  Suddenly, Mario’s radio crackled. “I’m listening,” he said.

  Mario nodded, then added, “They’re going in.” To Frank and Joe, he said, “It’s time.” He opened the van door, stuck his head out, and pronounced the coast clear. Frank and Joe jumped out and quickly entered the tent.

  Frank could see that the rest of the troupe was over near the opposite entrance. One of the masked acrobats saw them and motioned angrily for them to hurry up.

  “Uh-oh, I hope we’re not going to have to explain our absence in sign language,” Joe whispered. “I’m not quite sure how far I can get.”

  Fortunately, they didn’t have to worry. When they finally reached the rest of the masked troupe, Baron von Battenberg entered the tent, and all the acrobats turned their attention to him.

  Just then, on the opposite side of the building, a speaker begin to play loud music.

  Frank and Joe looked at each other. There was no way Mario would be able to pick up any of this conversation.

  “The Philadelphia Arms is our target building,” Baron von Battenberg said. “It opened last year and is home to some of the city’s wealthiest residents.”

  One of the acrobats mimed something to the baron which Frank didn’t understand, but which the baron obviously did.

  “There will only be four of you tonight, Piet,” the baron said. “You and Serge and the two anchors.”

  The Hardy boys looked at each other. These mimes must be able to read lips.

  Another acrobat mimed a question which Joe thought he understood.

  “I’ve decided that we’re not going to cancel any of the acts tonight, because I think the police are getting suspicious,” Baron von Battenberg said. “No one will notice that four of you are gone. The rest of the troupe will take up the slack, I’m sure.”

  The acrobats all nodded.

  “Good,” Baron von Battenberg said.

  Joe shot Frank a quick glance. He was actually stunned that they had been right all along about who the crooks were.

  Frank breathed a sigh of relief when Piet and Serge motioned for the Hardy boys to follow them. It’s working! he thought. They think we’re the regular anchors!

  Just outside the entrance to the tent, a black helicopter was waiting for them. They all bent over to avoid the whirling blades and quickly ran for the chopper.

  At the door, Piet and Serge stopped so Frank and Joe could get into the back seat, then the two acrobats climbed in after them.

  “Good! We won’t be the first ones out,” Joe whispered to Frank. “As long as we just do whatever Piet and Serge do, we should be okay.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Frank said.

  The helicopter lifted off and headed toward downtown Philadelphia.

  Frank was astounded at how noisy it was inside the helicopter. Once again, he was sure that Mario wouldn’t be able to hear anything he tried to tell him. He’d just have to wait until they landed to check in.

  Out one of the small rear windows, Frank thought he recognized some of the landmarks he remembered seeing when they were driving back and forth with Mario. He was sure they were following Highway 611 toward downtown Philadelphia. That was good, he knew, since Mario had his officers stationed along the route.

  Frank only hoped they knew which helicopter the Hardy boys were in. Just in the few minutes they had been in the air, Frank had already counted six other helicopters crowding the night sky. It’s clear why nobody would be suspicious of a helicopter flying over their apartment building, Frank thought. Most people have probably tuned them out.

  Up ahead through the front windshield Joe could see the skyscrapers of downtown Philadelphia. He thought he recognized the two apartment buildings that had already been burgled. He didn’t know which one of the remaining buildings was the Philadelphia Arms. Joe knew that many American cities had worked hard to revitalize their downtown areas, and that bringing people back there to live was a major part of what city leaders hoped to accomplish. If he and Frank could do their part to help put an end to these high-rise burglaries, then that migration would continue.

  Frank leaned forward. They had reached the first skyscraper at the edge of the city’s downtown area, and the pilot slowed down. As they passed over the other buildings, it seemed they we
re only a few feet from their tops. Frank was sure they’d be landing soon.

  • • •

  Below, Joe could see some of the historical landmarks they had visited the day before. He shook his head in amazement. When they had taken their tour of Philadelphia’s historical district, he remembered looking up once and seeing a police helicopter flying over. Little did he know that within twenty-four hours, he himself would be in a helicopter with a couple of acrobatic criminals flying over the same area.

  Suddenly, the helicopter wasn’t moving but was instead hovering just a few feet over a building.

  Frank nudged Joe. “This is the one,” he whispered. “From here on out, we have to play everything by ear.”

  “I know,” Joe whispered back. “Be careful.”

  “You be careful too,” Frank whispered.

  The pilot signaled that he was lowering ropes.

  Out his side window, Frank saw a rope fall. He looked over and saw Joe peering out his window. Frank was sure that another rope was being lowered on that side too.

  Serge turned and motioned for Frank to follow his lead. Piet did the same to Joe.

  Within seconds, Serge was out of the helicopter and sliding down the rope. Frank was right behind him. He now knew the reason why all of the masked acrobats also wore heavy gloves. Even with them on, he could feel the heat of the friction.

  As Joe slid down the rope on his side, he saw Frank reach the end of the other rope and jump the few remaining feet. He did the same, but as he landed, he saw Piet lying on the roof, holding his ankle. Joe didn’t know what to do now. It was obvious that Piet was in a lot of pain.

  Serge hurried over to Piet, but Frank stayed where he was a few feet away. What’s he doing? Joe wondered. He wanted to find out, but he was sure that might make Serge suspicious. He stayed where he was, so that if Serge mimed for him to help with Piet, he’d be right there.

  Above them, the helicopter was flying away into the night sky. Serge looked up at Joe and mimed that he needed help to carry Piet across the roof. Quickly, Joe made himself available. He grabbed Piet under one arm, and Serge grabbed him under the other.