Flippen-grizzlesnaps! This is exciting! What do you think we should do?"
"I'm not sure, Son, but let's pray that, if we're right, He would open an opportunity to prove it beyond any doubt."
Chapter Fourteen: Suspicions
A Character story about discernment.
"Trans! Trans! Wake up!" His dad was shaking the boy.
"What's the matter? What's up?" he stammered, rubbing his eyes. "Did we get a call from headquarters?"
"No, but I have an idea. Listen, have you noticed anything suspicious about the Inspector?"
"No, just that the Lord is working in his heart." Trans was beginning to wake up now.
"Maybe it is the Lord, and maybe not. I've been thinking. Every time Nick hits, Inspector Homston is with us."
"Well, that's not unusual. After all, he is with us most of the time."
"Yes, that's true, but listen to this. Remember last Thursday while we were eating? The Inspector made a phone call and soon after that Nick hit. The same thing happened Friday and Monday. Then his comments were designed to lead us off the idea that anyone within the force is a suspect. It may be that the reason he wants to be with us in church is so that he knows you're not out watching Nick pull a job. Since he designs all the secret codes he could inform his partners immediately after a change."
"And maybe that's why he felt so uneasy the first night in church when the preacher talked about rewards. Maybe he doesn't want to get his!" Trans added excitedly.
"But this is only an idea, Trans. There is nothing proven about it. And I don't want to accuse an innocent man. Somehow we must find out if Inspector Homston is working with Nick the Knife without the Inspector thinking that we suspect anything."
"Flippen-grizzlesnaps! This is exciting! What do you think we should do?"
"I'm not sure, Son, but let's pray that, if we're right, He would open an opportunity to prove it beyond any doubt."
The next morning, after again reading Joshua chapter one together, the two met the Inspector for breakfast in the lobby. At the table the Inspector announced, "Special word from the Captain. Captain Pickwin said you both need a day off. Maybe you can do some sight-seeing or just relax. But don't forget your radios, just in case of an emergency."
"Hey, that's great," remarked Mr. Gringle. "I do have some office work to do."
"And what will you be doing, Trans?" The Inspector asked.
Trans immediately suspected his motive for asking but tried hard not to show it. "Oh, I'll probably go for a walk or something. Any toy stores around here?"
"I'm not sure," the Inspector answered. "Just remember to check in regularly. And you better be careful about going out in the city alone. You're too valuable to us to have you in any danger."
"Don't worry about Trans," Mr. Gringle replied. "I'll make sure he has good protection wherever he is."
"That's good to hear. We'll, I better go. Have a good day."
The Gringles returned to the elevator and to their delight, no one else was in the car. "Listen Trans," his father said intently when the door closed. "When we get to the second floor you get off, take the stairs back down and follow the Inspector. You can't keep in touch with me by radio because he will hear you. If you need help, use the morse code but spell all the words backwards. Make sure to notice addresses and streets. Now quickly scream before the door opens. And remember the promise we read last night and this morning. I'm praying for you."
When the door opened one person as waiting to enter but Trans was able to slip by them invisible. He quickly descended the stairs and scanned for the Inspector, finally spotting him at a phone booth. Trans hurried over in time to hear his final words, "I'll meet you at Grandmother's at 8:30." Trans remembered the code word "Grandmother." It meant a rendezvous. The Inspector was going to meet someone at 8:30. Could it be-? A chill went up the boy's spine.
Trans followed the Inspector to the street and dodged people as he tried to keep up with him. The Inspector glanced back regularly as he walked and Trans felt more and more that his Dad's suspicions were right. Once they crossed the Chicago River, the traffic was not as heavy so it was not as difficult for Trans to keep up with the brisk pace of the Inspector. Finally, the Inspector stopped in front of a plain block building. Noticing no one around, he knocked on the steel door, using a special rhythm. A loud click followed and the door opened, revealing a well-dressed man of medium height. Trans was now only three feet from the Inspector, and, holding his breath, he slipped unnoticed past the closing door.