The Mystery of the Rogues' Reunion - Marc Brandel [35]
The First Investigator pretended to hesitate. He knew the answer, of course. It was a strawberry milk shake.
“Gee, I thought it was chocolate too,” Jupe said. The crowd groaned. He had lost five points. He went on losing them. When it was his own turn to answer a question and he was asked what Bloodhound had used as a bandage for Footsie’s head, he pretended to hesitate again.
“A tissue?” he suggested. There were whispers in the audience.
By the beginning of the fifth and final round, Bonehead was way ahead with sixty-five points. He came up with the right answer on his next turn. Bloodhound and Footsie missed. It was Jupe’s last turn.
“Well, here’s an easy one for you,” Glass told him in his friendly way. “What did Flapjack steal for Mr. Trouble?”
Jupe glanced at the scoreboard again before answering. By volunteering the wrong answer three times he had managed to lose fifteen points without gaining a single one. He was five points behind Peggy now.
“A pussycat,” he said. There were loud groans from the crowd.
“No, I’m afraid not. It was a dog.”
The questioning was over.
Milton Glass went into his big production of reading the final scores for the cameras. There was applause from the audience.
Bonehead had won with seventy points. By volunteering and giving the wrong answer three times, Jupiter Jones had managed to reduce his own score to thirty. So even though she had missed this second quiz show altogether, Peggy was now second with thirty-five points.
All three cameras moved in on the smiling Bonehead as he was handed a cheque for twenty thousand dollars. The First Investigator didn’t even bother to watch. He was staring out over the audience, waiting for Bob.
At last Jupe saw him hurrying down the aisle, followed by Pete. Bob nipped up the stairs on to the stage. He was holding a large manila envelope, which he handed to Jupe.
“It turned out fine,” he whispered. “Clear as a full moon.”
As Bob returned to his seat, Jupe opened the envelope and slid out the large glossy print inside. It had turned out even better than he had dared to hope. A superb photograph of Bonehead, his hair streaming back in the wind.
His exposed left ear was in perfect focus.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” chirped Milton Glass. “I now have the great privilege of presenting” — there was a drum roll from offstage — “the valuable presents all the contestants have won.”
The audience whispered in excited anticipation. Jupe put the photograph back in its envelope and prepared to be on camera again.
“To show our appreciation to the Wee Rogues for making these quiz shows possible,” Glass ran on. “Trixie, if you please.”
The same scantily-clad young woman who had appeared on the talk show walked onstage. She was carrying another gold-wrapped box. Jupe raised an eyebrow. This time
she and the box were accompanied by a uniformed security guard.
Glass unwrapped the box again, chattering non-stop. At last he said, “… a valuable sterling-silver loving cup for each contestant.” The crowd oohed and aahed while each of the four Rogues went up to receive his cup.
“Peggy’s cup,” continued Glass, “will be mailed to her home. Thanks again, Peggy, if you’re watching. And now it’s time to say to the Rogues, to our studio audience, and to you folks at home … so long for now.”
Milton Glass waved to the camera, his teeth shining as if they would short-circuit themselves. A round of applause, and the show was over.
The cameras stopped rolling. The contestants moved off. Bonehead was standing on the other side of the stage. Milton Glass, Bloodhound, Footsie, the camera crews, and several members of the audience were grouped around him, congratulating him on his victory.
With the other two Investigators close behind him, Jupiter pushed his way through the group until he was facing the young blond man in the leather jacket. He held out the photograph.
“Is this you?” he asked.
“Why?” Bonehead glanced at the picture in an uneasy, puzzled way. But it was impossible for him to pretend that it wasn’t his face