Free Crown Park by Des Hunt Page A

places in here, along with a clue to the treasure
they’ll find.”
    “What sort of clue?”
    “Here’s the first. ‘Collect five
black things that come in pods. What’ll happen if you crush them in
water? They’ll stink, that’s what’ll happen.’ OK, Jack, what do you
think that might be?”
    Jack thought for a time. “Seeds
of some sort. Aren’t there some seeds you can make stink bombs
from?”
    “Exactly. Do you know what type
of seeds?”
    Jack shook his head.
    “Wattle seeds. And there’s a
tree right by where this GPS will take them.”
    Jack was puzzled. “So they pick
some wattle seeds. So what?”
    “Ah,” replied Fluoro. “I don’t
think they’ll be clever enough to get wattle seeds from that clue.
You see, also at that location is a rubbish transfer station. There
are lots of black rubbish bags in containers called pods. They’ll
get five of those and take them away.”
    “Then what?” asked Jack.
    In reply Fluoro put a finger to
his lips. “Shush. Here they come.”
    A moment later Brian and Liam
Bennett appeared out of the steam. They stood in front of Fluoro
with their legs apart and arms hanging wide.
    “Where’s the treasure?” asked
Brian.
    “Right here,” said Fluoro,
holding out the GPS.
    Brian grabbed it. “What’s
this?”
    “Your guide to fame and
fortune,” replied Fluoro. “It’s a GPS. You have to follow the route
I’ve put in there and collect things from each place.”
    “GPS?” said Brian. “But we don’t
have a car.”
    “You don’t need one. All of them
are within walking distance.” Fluoro leant over and picked up a
box. He held it out to Liam. “The instructions and battery charger
are in here.”
    Liam took the box. “What do we
do with the things we collect? Are they the treasure?”
    Fluoro shook his head. “They’re
all jewels in a way, but they’re not the treasure. You must take
them to the last place to swap them for treasure.”
    “What’s in this treasure?” asked
Brian.
    “Ah,” said Fluoro, smiling.
“You’ll have to wait and see. But it’s worth a lot more than
gold.”
    For a time, the Bennett boys
stood in silence. They were suspicious. But they also liked the
talk of treasure, jewels, and gold. Liam, in particular, had greed
written all over him. Brian was more wary. Fluoro must’ve seen it,
for he chose that moment to close his eyes and start mumbling.
    “Om mani padme hum. Om mani
padme hum…”
    It did the job. Brian was back
to thinking crazy man again. No wonder the scheme sounded a little
nuts.
    He turned to Liam. “C’mon, let’s
get started.” Then to Jack. “Tell Freakhead we’ll be back if
anything goes wrong.”
    “You’d better hope that it
doesn’t, Spewit,” added Liam as he followed his brother into the
steam. “Or we’ll have to take it out on you.”
    As soon as they’d gone Fluoro
stopped chanting. “That seemed to work.”
    “What are the other things
they’re meant to collect?” asked Jack.
    “Oh, just things that are around
this time of the year. Red maple leaves from down at the shore;
sycamore seeds at the cemetery; blackberries near the spa; cricket
eggs around the golf course. That sort of thing. They’re all
natural, of course. Each is one of Nature’s little jewels.”
    “But each could be something
else,” said Jack.
    “Precisely! And if they’re
stupid and choose the wrong thing, then they’ll be in trouble at
the final location.”
    “Which is?”
    “Melissa’s house.”
    Jack nodded slowly. Now he
understood. “Whose father is a policeman?”
    “Yes!” said Fluoro with a
satisfied grin.
    “Won’t they get suspicious when
they find out where they’re going?”
    “Melissa says that neither of
them know where she lives.” Fluoro leaned forward. “Believe me,
Jack. This will work. Those brothers are greedy, and greedy people
will do anything for money. Especially if it comes from a crazy
person.” He climbed out of the La-Z-Boy. “Now,” he said,