Jane and the Fire – Part XXIII

In 1958, young Jane has just moved to the city of Chicago, Illinois with her parents and cousins Billy. While exploring the abandoned house, Jane and her friends are discovered and chased away. The Thugs almost find out who the intruders are… but Jane and her friends escape just in time. While they are catching their breath at the park, they meet a surprising individual.

The Thugs reached the adjoining corridor just as they heard the door slam. Mr. Bennet wrenched the door open, and the Thugs hurried to the edge of the porch.

The kids had disappeared among the crowd. Mr. Peele, out of breath and furious, spat bitterly on the ground.

“There was more than one in there! I heard many running feet!”

“Well, there isn’t any way to find out who it is now,” said Mr. McCawley. “And even if it was Wallace Joyce, what can he do with the knowledge that we dug a deep hole in the kitchen?”

Jane and the twins ran a full two blocks before collapsing on park benches.

“That was too close. Almost got caught.”

They whipped their heads around and gasped. “Uncle Wallace?!”

For Wallace Joyce stood frowning a mere three feet away the bench. He took a step forward and dropped onto an adjoining bench.

“You know, Jane,” he began, “I had an interesting morning. And who are

your wheezing friends?”

Jane looked nervously at Paige and Don. “Don,” she said. “And Paige.”

“Don, and Paige,” Uncle Wallace said conversationally. “I sat this morning in my car. I was parked outside a building, waiting and observing. Finally, I saw the gang – whom I’ve been keeping an eye out for – pull up to the house. They didn’t enter the front door, because it was stuck – it can be difficult owning an old house, you know – and so, one of the went to the back door. Suddenly he called the other two to join him. About 15 minutes later, three children came running out of the backyard into the busy road. Moments after, the gang members I’m observing came pelting after them.”

The children in question tried to look innocent.

“Now,” continued Uncle Wallace, “why might that be?”

“I don’t know,” said Jane, “Why might you be observing a house? Don’t you work as an accountant?”

Uncle Wallace nodded suavely. “Of course. Certain individuals have accounts that need some following up.”

Jane looked suspiciously at him.

“Anyway,” Uncle Wallace began again, “Can you tell me why you were at that house?” The children exchanged guilty looks.

“Just exploring,” Don said.

“Right,” agreed Paige. “Exploring. It looked pretty old, and…”

“Interesting,” supplemented Jane. They all nodded. Uncle Wallace looked at them carefully. Then he shrugged.

“Be cautious,” he warned. “Don’t be foolish. Explore outdoors where it is safe. Exploring in rickety old houses can be dangerous. Especially…”

“Especially when?” asked Paige curiously. “Especially in houses owned by tax evaders,” Uncle Wallace said quickly. None of them believed him.

“All right,” he said, “run along now! Enough dawdling!”

The kids got up to leave. “Just one question,” Don said, as he stood, stretching, “How did you know the house belonged to them? That day, at The Hungry Eagle, you let them go! When they dropped the fake newspaper, you didn’t…” Paige slapped a hand to her forehead.

Uncle Wallace blinked. “How did you know about that?”

🌳 The story will continue next month!