Free The Desert Thieves by Franklin W. Dixon Page A

accomplices, he might have discovered some important clues. But they couldn’t assume that. He might have made up the winch story to throw suspicion away from himself and onto the professor. Still, all the way back to the campground, they found themselves watching the sides of the road for little rock piles.
    When they arrived at the campground, it was midafternoon. “I’m thirsty,” Perez said. “You guys want some iced tea?”
    â€œI think we’ll just drop you off,” Joe said. “I’m kind of curious about what our father’s been doing all day.”
    â€œOkay,” Perez said. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
    Perez got out, and Joe drove to the Hardys’ campsite. Fenton wasn’t there. “Probably somewhere with Grish,” Joe said. They drove to theoffice, where they found Grish at his desk, talking to Fenton, as they’d expected.
    Fenton was in a good mood. “We’ve been having a great time, catching up on the old days,” he said. “I also ran a check of David Kidwell. It turns out that he may have been indirectly involved in cactus rustling up in Phoenix. Some of his workers used his company’s equipment to steal some plants. Kidwell wasn’t charged, but his company’s reputation was destroyed, and he was ruined.”
    â€œI was right, wasn’t I?” Grish said. “He sounds more and more like our boy.”
    â€œHow about you guys?” Fenton asked. “Did you come up with anything?”
    â€œYeah,” Joe said. “It’s been quite a day.” He and Frank related the events of the day to Fenton and Grish.
    Grish took careful notes for his reports, and he seemed concerned to hear that someone had cut the Hardys’ fuel line. “Why would anyone do such a thing?” he asked.
    â€œMy theory is they wanted to tell us there’d be trouble if we kept on investigating the case,” Frank said.
    â€œDo you really think so?” Grish said. “Maybe it was only pranksters or kids doing some vandalism.”
    â€œI doubt it,” Joe said. “The timing was too coincidental with what we were doing, keeping an eye on Kidwell.” He told Fenton and Grish about Perez’s pretending to sneak up on Kidwell and instead meeting with him.
    Grish’s eyes grew wide at that. “You’re kidding,” he said, a smile beginning to form. “Do you think Raymond Perez might be one of Kidwell’s accomplices?”
    â€œWe’re not sure,” Frank told him. “They seem to know each other, but we don’t know what that means. There’s another connection, though. Perez pointed out that the theft sites seem to be marked the same way hikers mark trails, with little piles of flat rocks.”
    Grish looked thoughtful. “That’s true,” he said. “I’ve got that somewhere in my notes, but I guess I forgot to mention it. What about it?”
    â€œThere was a marker like that at the spot where Professor Townsend was working today,” Joe said.
    â€œAnd?” Grish said.
    â€œAnd,” Joe continued, “that could mean there is going to be a theft there soon. And Townsend could be involved.”
    Grish’s eyebrows shot upward. “Good work!” he exclaimed, smiling broadly. To Fenton he said, “These boys of yours are really something, aren’t they?”
    â€œThe apples don’t fall far from the tree,” Fenton joked, and they all laughed.
    Grish picked up a pencil and tapped it on his desk. “It’s something to consider, about Townsend being involved,” he said. “But I’m still thinking the real culprit is Kidwell, and now maybe Raymond Perez, too. I think that’s where we should focus.”
    â€œThere’s a way to find out whether Townsend isinvolved,” Joe said. “How about if Frank and I stake out the area where he was working today? A good-size