One False Step by Franklin W. Dixon Page A

I think it’s the only way we’re going to catch these guys.”
    â€œLet’s hear it,” Joe said. “We’ve been in dangerous situations before.”
    â€œYeah, it’s nothing new,” Frank agreed.
    â€œTomorrow 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.”
    â€œOh, yeah!” Frank said. “They’re the guys who never take off their masks when they’re around the other acrobats.”
    â€œRight. They belong to some sort of cult that makes them use masks,” Mario said. “None of the other acrobats have ever seen their faces.”
    â€œWhere do we fit in?” Joe asked.
    â€œWell, 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.
    â€œSo, 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.”
    â€œYou 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.”
    â€œYou’re sure?” Frank said.
    â€œI’m sure,” Mario said. “They’re there to help the walkers back onto the platform.”
    â€œSo 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.”
    â€œNo, 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.
    â€œI’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.”
    â€œSounds 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!”
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    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.
    â€œI hadn’t even thought about this,” Joe said, “but where do they stay at night?”
    â€œBaron von Battenberg has rented an entire motel just a couple of miles from here,” Mario said.
    â€œThey’re probably too smart to stash any of the stolen items there,” Frank said.
    â€œProbably,” 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 thesehigh-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.
    â€œSo we