Free Jacob Two-Two-'s First Spy Case by Mordecai Richler Page B

Mickey, Chris, and Robby, all of whom would be ready to report for duty when called.
    â€œBravo,” said Mr. Dinglebat. “Well done. And now, while we are waiting, let us look at the evidence we have gathered so far.”
    First of all, Mr. Dinglebat removed the tape recorder, the size of a small bar of soap, from the hollow heel in his shoe, and played back the interview wherein they had been offered a bribe by the dreaded Mr. I.M. Greedyguts. Then he led Jacob Two-Two into another room, where enormous enlargements of the photographs Jacob had taken of Mr. I.M. Greedyguts’ desk hung from a clothesline. “Take a gander at this,
amigo
,” said Mr. Dinglebat.
    It was an enlargement of a cheque for $1,500 made out to Perfectly Loathsome Leo Louse! “Don’t you think that’s a bit much for one week’s nourishment,” asked Mr. Dinglebat, “considering the kind of slop you kids have been eating?”
    â€œI don’t understand,” said Jacob Two-Two. “I don’t understand.”
    â€œLet me explain, then. It is my suspicion that once a week Perfectly Loathsome Leo meets with Greedyguts and returns five hundred dollars of that money in cash to your crooked headmaster.”
    â€œBut why would he do that?”
    â€œIt’s what’s called a bribe,
mon vieux
. It’s the price Perfectly Loathsome Leo Louse has to pay for having been awarded the Privilege House food contract in thefirst place. However, my suspicions are one thing. We require proof. Lots of proof. For starters, we have to catch those two villains in the act. We have to see the money change hands. And then, in good time, we will make them tremble and shake. Meanwhile, feast your eyes on this.”
    Another enlargement showed that the cheque for $1,500 was clipped to a piece of stationery on which Mr. I.M. Greedyguts had scrawled, MEET YOU AT THE USUAL PLACE, AT THE USUAL TIME, FOR THE USUAL REASONS .
    â€œBut where is the usual place?” asked Jacob Two-Two twice.
    â€œI’m glad you asked me that question,” said Mr. Dinglebat. “Look at this.” The next enlargement revealed Mr. I.M. Greedyguts’ open diary with the notation: MCDONALD ’ S , CORNER OF ATWATER , 6.30 P.M., WEDNESDAY. MEET WITH PLLL. “Which stands for?”
    â€œPerfectly Loathsome Leo Louse,” said Jacob Two-Two.
    At that very moment the intrepid Shapiro and the fearless O’Toole arrived.
    â€œHiya, Noah. Hiya, Emma,” said Jacob Two-Two.
    â€œThose are not our names today,” said Noah.
    â€œSorry. Forgot,” said Jacob, even as they were joined by Chris, Mickey, and Robby, all of whom had already received permission to play at Jacob Two-Two’s house after school.
    â€œGentlemen,” said Mr. Dinglebat, “before we proceed with our mission, and let me warn you in advance that it is a dangerous one, you must phone Jacob Two-Two’s mother to say I’m treating all of you to dinner at McDonald’s tonight.”
    Jacob Two-Two did as he was asked, adding that they wouldn’t be home late.
    â€œNow, Jacob,” said Mr. Dinglebat, “explain to your watchers what the procedure is for spies if any of them falls into enemy hands.”
    â€œYou were never here,” said Jacob Two-Two, “and Mr. Dinglebat doesn’t know you.”
    Then Mr. Dinglebat led the watchers into the room where he stored his many disguises, pulled out a long clothing rack, and quickly outfitted all of them with fedoras, dark glasses, trenchcoats, and cellular phones.
    â€œYour assignment, Shapiro and O’Toole, will be Mr. I.M. Greedyguts,” said Mr. Dinglebat. “You can pick him up as he leaves Privilege House and, whateveryou do, don’t lose him.” Then he turned to Chris, Mickey, and Robby. “And your man will be Perfectly Loathsome Leo Louse, who can now be found at the Guaranteed Stale Bread Company, on Grub Street, settling