Free Ghost of a Chance by Franklin W. Dixon Page A

puma’s chest to double-check its heartbeat. Then he touched the puma’s left ear. “This is how I knew it wasn’t Omar.” Joe looked at the edge of the ear. There was a piece missing, as if something had bitten out a small hunk.
    â€œIt’s a good thing—” Lloyd started to say.
    â€œLloyd, Omar is missing,” Gene interrupted, racing onto the set. “When I went to pick him up for the scene, he and his cage were missing. I turned to yell at you and someone punched me.”
    â€œAre you all right?” Joe asked.
    â€œYeah, it was a body blow right to the gut,” Gene said. “It took all my wind. By the time I could get back here, it was too late. This puma was leaping straight at you, Joe.”
    â€œAnd the chicken in your pocket,” Lloyd pointedout. “That’s probably what attracted him.” He stood up as he spoke. “We’ve got to get this cat locked up for now and then find Omar!”
    â€œThe trained animal’s missing, and a wild animal shows up for the shoot,” Joe said. “Way too much coincidence. Someone had to set the whole thing into motion—just another way to disrupt the filming.”
    â€œBut this time it was dangerous and could have been deadly,” Gene pointed out. “Although this couldn’t be an entirely wild puma,” he added.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Joe asked.
    â€œA really wild puma would never wander into an area with people standing around,” Gene said while Lloyd checked the lion’s pulse and examined its eyes. He wanted to make sure it wasn’t having a bad reaction to the tranquilizer.
    â€œHe would have stayed hidden or run away,” Lloyd added.
    â€œAre you saying it’s someone’s pet?” Joe asked.
    â€œNot necessarily a pet,” Gene said. “But it’s definitely used to being around people or it never would have walked out here in the first place.”
    Joe, Lloyd, and Gene dragged the tranquilized cat to the wranglers’ trailer. The animal was heavy, but they finally managed to secure it in one of the cages. Lloyd put a pan of water in the cage and locked the trailer.
    â€œWe’ve got to find Omar!” Lloyd said. Joe couldhear the worry in his voice. “Who knows where he’s been taken.”
    â€œI’m worried about Gus now, too,” Gene said. “What if they’ve gone to the compound and taken him? We’ve got to get back there.”
    â€œLook, if the catnapping was just a prank, they might let Omar loose,” Joe said. “What would he do? Where would he go?”
    â€œHe won’t run away,” Gene said.
    â€œHe’ll try to follow our scent or the scent of his trailer,” Lloyd said. “If we drive back to the compound, that’s where he’ll go if he can.”
    â€œSo it’s not necessary for one of you to stay here in case he comes back?” Joe asked.
    â€œNot if we move the trailer down the mountain,” Lloyd answered.
    â€œAll his feed is in the barn down there, too,” Gene pointed out. “That will also be a draw. I’ll check in with Dustin, and then let’s go,” he said, running off toward Dustin’s RV.
    Lloyd showed Joe the part of the mountain forest where the puma had made its entrance. The two explored the woods, but found only a red bandanna, which Joe stuffed into his jacket pocket.
    Joe and Lloyd also checked the area around the trailer very carefully. But they didn’t find anything that might tell them who had taken Omar.
    The sun had warmed the mountainside, and Joe peeled off his jacket. One pocket held the red bandannahe’d found in the woods. He pulled the stillcool chicken pieces out of the other pocket and returned them to the cooler. Then he threw the jacket into the wrangler truck and locked the door.
    â€œWait a minute, there’s only one truck here,” Joe said. “Did one of you