Free Tiger by the Tail by Eric Walters

see, that’s very interesting. Again, I’m sorry for the delay. Please proceed,” Officer Sinopoli said.
    Mr. McCurdy put the car in gear and steered into the empty oncoming lane of traffic to move around the patrol car. As we passed by, Calvin stood up on the back seat and blew another kiss, this time at the officer. I didn’t dare look at the officer’s reaction.
    I leaned over the front seat. “I didn’t know you were a professor?”
    “Ah, Sarah. He was lying,” Nick said.
    “I don’t like to think of it as lying. I just think we’re putting on a little performance. That’s all a circus is, a performance. I need you two to just play along with whatever I say. Just like Nicholas did. Do you think you can do that, Sarah?”
    “I’m not sure.”
    “Let’s play it safe. Sarah, just smile and nod,” Nick said.
    “Could I make one suggestion?” I asked.
    “Sure thing, Sarah.”
    “Before we start talking to any more police officers, you should take off your glasses.”
    “Oh, that’s a good point,” Mr. McCurdy replied. He started to take them off.
    “NO!” I yelled. “Wait until we stop driving!”
    “Another good point,” he agreed.
    We didn’t have to drive much farther before we came to the house where Buddha was hiding. There were two more patrol cars angled on the road, one partly up on the sidewalk, and three more on the lawn, all with their lights flashing. As we pulled up to a stop, two more officers moved to our vehicle. They were both carrying shotguns. Mr. McCurdy turned the car off, pulled off his glasses, put them in his pocket, and opened his door before they had a chance to move too far forward.
    “Stop! You can’t come in here!” one of the officers bellowed.
    “I don’t have time to explain this to every blue uniform around here. Radio Sinopoli and he’ll explain it. Any more delays and I’ll make sure you two are directly responsible for anything that happens here!”
    “But …” one of the officers started to say.
    “I’ll go and radio,” the other offered and walked back toward his car.
    “Good, good. Now while he’s calling, I need you to lead me to where the tiger is hiding,” Mr. McCurdy said to the other officer.
    The officer didn’t move.
    “Do you want us to bring all the equipment, Professor?” Nick asked.
    “Yes, please bring the special harness. Sarah, bring along the extra medication and I’ll carry the tranquilizer gun.” He then turned back to the officer. “And you, turn those darn lights off.”
    “I can’t do that,” he protested.
    “I’m telling you that you better turn off those lights or you might get that tiger all nervous and edgy and then he might just jump you.”
    “You can’t tell me what to do,” he said firmly.
    “Do what he says,” said the other officer, emerging from his squad car. “He’s a world famous authority on tigers. He’s been called in by the chief. Do what he says.”
    “Says who?” the first officer questioned.
    “Sinopoli gave me the lowdown. He must’ve beentalking to the chief. You turn off the lights on the cars and I’ll lead them to the captain.”
    We trailed after him up the driveway.
    “They’re lucky you just got back from your tiger study in Africa,” Nick said so the policeman could overhear him.
    “Africa?” the officer questioned.
    “He meant India,” I said quickly. “My brother isn’t very good at geography.”
    “Oh,” the officer responded.
    We continued to walk. The house was separated from the road by a rolling green lawn with a smattering of trees and shrubs. There was a swing set, where the kids probably had been playing, a clothesline and an overturned laundry basket. We walked beside the house and I could see the barn. All around it, there were a dozen or so officers. They all had shotguns or revolvers in their hands, and they were crouched behind trees or bushes. Their eyes were focused on the barn and we approached unnoticed. As we got closer the officer