Five Have Grown Up ~ ...

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Back at Mr. Goop's house, Larrie called out to Vern asking him to make his way back to the house. Vern's mouth dropped open when he saw Fattie's cheerful face, "You! What are you doing here?"

"All shall be revealed soon," Fattie said mysteriously. "Come right in and make yourselves at home!"

"Since when are you on such chummy terms with Goop, anyway?" Larrie asked suspiciously.

Fattie was frustratingly silent and so Larrie and Vern had no choice but to walk into the cottage their many questions unanswered. Besides his tousled hair, he looked none worse for the wear.

They passed by Goop's study. Vern gaped at his uncle, "Coo, he's still fast asleep! And he's normally a light sleeper, too."

"Never mind Goop," Fatty said as casually as you please. "He'll be awake soon after the sleeping draught wears out."

"You drugged him??" Larrie asked accusingly.

"No, your Mysterious Whistler did," Fattie finally offered some helpful information. He had led them to the backdoor of Goop's house and they were facing the toolshed.

Larrie and Vern gaped at him, "How... how did you know about the Whistler? What's going on, Fattie?" Vern looked at Fattie with a most serious expression.

Fattie gave a deep sigh, "I guess it's time to tell you what I actually do for a living. I'm no venture capitalist expert, guys." Then he briefly told them that he was actually doing Secret Service work since he completed his studies. In the espionage cases that he handled, they detected a similar crime pattern and now, they have conclusive proof that they were masterminded by the same person.

"The Whistler?" Larrie said as he slowly shook his head. "I can't imagine him being a hot-shot mastermind of international espionages though!"

Fattie nodded grimly, "That's exactly the cover he wanted. He's more than just a two-bit bank robber, Larrie. He's been selling our country's secrets to our enemies. He's a traitor!"

"I've been following his trail closely these past few months," Fattie continued. "He's been known to hide out on remote countrysides to do his secret documents exchange. So I wasn't suprised to hear him coming down the road by Phil's house."

"But where is he now? And why did he come to Uncle Goop's house?" Vern asked.

Fattie replied, "He's been eyeing Goop's house as the perfect place to conduct document exchanges. It's in a quiet corner of town and he couldn't resist doing the dastardly deed under the very nose of the local police constable. The Whistler thrives on ironies. When I came by, Goop was already in dreamland and the traitor was nowhere to be seen."

"He couldn't have disappeared into thin air, could he?" Larrie tightened his grip on his gun. "Whatever the Whistler is, he's not a ghost. He must be here somewhere."

Fattie grinned, "Fret not, Larrie. I heard some movements at the tool shed at the back of Goop's house, peeked in and saw the guy walking about there as bold as brass. We had a short tussle and I've tied him up nicely like a turkey just waiting to be carted off to prison by you."

Larrie and Vern turned pale at that. "Did... did you say that you tied him up with a rope?" Vern finally asked.

Fattie nodded slowly. He did not like the look on their faces and wondered if he had done something terrible. He did not have long to wonder for the two had already dashed off towards the tool shed, and he quickly followed suit.

When Larrie flung open the door, Fattie was not very surprised to see his worse suspicions coming true.

The Whistler was gone.