The Director

By John Paulits

The Director invites nine-year-old Tommy Whitaker to be a character in a book set in 1957. When their friend Smitty's bike is stolen and then Smitty himself mysteriously disappears, Tommy and his two friends Mouse and Royal vow to solve the mysteries of their missing friend, his missing bike…and a murder.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wings ePress, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9781613090213

Book preview

Dedication

We were lads that thought there was no more behind

But such a day tomorrow as today,

And to be boy eternal

To Lou Monturo and the Sanger/Anchor lads

Jim Paulits, Tom Lancaster , Doug Logan, Billy Franz, David Schmitzer, Eddie Frederick, Billy Smith, Charley Hegh, Jeff Braun, Tommy Kelly, Greg Dykan, Wilson Whitekettle, Joey Maurer, Billy and Ricky Shull, Skipper Syer, Bobby Ewing, Tommy Smith

One

Tommy Whitaker signed off his computer and stared unhappily at the blank screen. Fifth grade ended a week ago, and since then he’d been outside his house just once and only because his mother made him go and get a haircut. He hated summer haircuts. He liked having his straight brown hair hang over his forehead and ears, especially his ears since he thought his left ear bigger than his right. Now he felt bald, like his father, and big-eared besides.

Tommy rolled his desk chair to his bedroom window and looked out. Aside from one small blue car driving by, the sunny street stood empty. As he watched the blue car, he saw a white paper shoot out of its window and float on the mild summer breeze. Left and right, like a slow ride on a lazy swing, the paper dipped and rose. It sailed over his lawn and disappeared behind the high bushes his next door neighbor Mrs. Syer grew along the sidewalk.

In his mind he could already hear his mother’s voice.

It’s a beautiful day. Go outside and play. It’s summer. If you think you’re going to spend two solid months in front of that machine, you have another think coming. What can be so fascinating about your computer... and on and on. Last night his father started in on him with When I was your age...

Worst of all they threatened to send him to camp. Tommy put up a big fuss when his parents raised the issue of camp to him. No, sir. No thank you! He knew the camp had no computers, no televisions, no bikes. Nothing but fresh air and canoes. The air outside his window smelled fresh enough for him. And canoes? What did he want with a canoe?

His father explained to him how he and his brother, Uncle Jimmy, spent every summer at camp and had lots of fun. Now they’d invited Uncle Jimmy over this morning to talk to him about it.

If you can’t convince him, maybe your brother can, his mother argued to his father.

Even though he didn’t see Uncle Jimmy a lot because he traveled so much, he and Aunt Gloria had taken him lots of places, even New York City once for three days, and Uncle Jimmy had bought him lots of great presents. Tommy really liked his Uncle Jimmy but not enough to go to camp for him.

Tommy, came his mother’s voice from downstairs.

Tommy looked out his window again and saw Uncle Jimmy’s car parked in front of the house. His mother’s footsteps came up the stairs, and a moment later she stood in his bedroom doorway.

Oh, the computer’s off. Hallelujah! Or is there an electricity failure? Uncle Jimmy’s here. Come downstairs.

His mother shooed him toward the bedroom door. He trudged down the carpeted staircase, his mother right behind him.

Hi, slugger.

Hi, unc. His uncle sat on the sofa dressed in a sport coat. Why are you all dressed up?

On my way to the airport, but I wanted to talk to you first. Something very important.

He’s all yours, said Tommy’s mother.

Let’s take a walk, said Uncle Jimmy.

Tommy and his uncle walked slowly down the stone pathway toward the sidewalk, Tommy kicking at the dark, sharp-edged stones as he moved. The only sounds were the skritch of the stones and the tweeter of a few birds. Tommy heaved a sigh. He didn’t want to argue with his uncle, but if Uncle Jimmy thought he could talk him into going to camp, he had another think coming.

Tommy, boy, I have a plane to catch so I don’t have a lot of time. You know what I do, right?

I know.

Go on.

What did this have to do with camp, Tommy wondered? You help people who write books to get their books published.

That’s right, I’m an agent. Do you know how much work it is to write a book? I mean a good book?

I don’t know. You just write it.

No. The author has to figure out what’s going to happen next. It might be funny. It might be serious. It might be anything, but it has to be interesting. And even then some editor will want him to change things around because something in the book’s not right or not interesting enough. You wouldn’t want to read an uninteresting book, would you?

Of course not. Are editors always right?

Uncle Jimmy lifted his eyebrows and sighed. I’m afraid most of the time they are. So you can see why it’s best to get the story right the first time, eh?

Tommy nodded. I guess.

Good, I’m glad you do. I’m in a pickle at the moment, and I thought about talking to you about it. When your dad called me last night, I knew right away you’d be the one.

Tommy’s interest perked up.

The one for what?

Your mom and dad want you to go to camp, right?

Tommy’s interest dropped to the ground, and he didn’t answer.

If I promise to give you a first half of the summer that is the most interesting time you’ve ever had in your life, would you agree to go to camp for the second half of the summer? It’ll only be four weeks, you know, and your mom tells me your best friend is spending the whole summer at camp.

Billy Logan actually liked camp and tried to get Tommy to join him, but Tommy wanted no part of camp even at his best friend’s request.

Nothing could be that interesting, Tommy said.

Oh, you are dead wrong. I have a writer who’s getting ready to start on a book, and he needs help. There’s a fellow who helps writers write their stories, but he needs help, too, and I want you to help him.

Who is he?

You can call him...the Director.

The Director?

Yes and I really need a kid like you to get both the Director and my author out of their difficulties.

What can I do?

You can do me this big favor. Meet the Director. Talk to him. He’ll explain what he wants you to do. I guarantee you’ll have the time of your life. It’ll be an experience you’ll never forget.

Tommy looked doubtfully at his uncle as they walked.

His uncle went on. I’ll get your mom and dad to let up on you and tell them you’re thinking about going to camp for the second four-week session. If you don’t agree with me you’ve had the most amazing experience of your life helping out the Director, I’ll talk them out of making you go. If you agree, though, you promise to go to camp.

What’s the Director want me to do?

I don’t have time to explain. Do me this favor. You don’t have anything else much to do this summer do you?

No.

So?

You sure you can get me out of camp if I say?

I guarantee it. I really need your help now, though.

Tommy found it impossible to say no to his uncle after his uncle had said yes to him so many times for so many things.

I’ll try.

Great. Uncle Jimmy clapped Tommy on the back. One thing.

Well?

The Director is kind of a private fellow. I don’t think we should mention him to your mom and dad.

This surprised Tommy.

I see you’re surprised, but the Director is a special person, sort of a secret agent, believe it or not.

I’ll be working with a secret agent? Tommy’s interest rose again.

Exactly. I’ll clear the first half of the summer with your parents, and I fully expect the second half will turn out as I explained.

With me at camp.

Only if you agree with what I said about the Director and you.

Are you going to introduce me to this guy?

I don’t have time. Where can you meet him?

Tommy considered. Outside school?

Okay. I’ll tell him to meet you outside your school at... Uncle Jimmy checked his watch. In an hour? At eleven?

Okay. How will I know him?

He’ll be wearing a red cap. Let’s go back home, and I’ll tell your mother what we decided, and then I’m off to Atlanta.

Two

Fels Elementary School was a one-story brick building full of windows built like a plus sign. Near the street in one of the empty squares made by the arms of the building was an asphalt playground with an elaborate wooden maze to climb on and wander through. Swings, a slide, a few seesaws, and some baby climbing toys for little kids were off to the side. Where the asphalt ended, a grassy field stretched away to the local high school in the distance. A chain link fence separated the playground from the sidewalk. Parents liked to stand along the fence and watch the smaller children play in the morning before class began.

A few kids lay on the grass near the playground. Tommy recognized Willy Whitekettle from his class and walked over to him. Whenever a teacher organized the class in alphabetical order, he and Willy sat next to each other, so he got to see a lot of him during the year. Two other boys were with him, neither of whom Tommy knew. All three boys stared intently at something.

The two schoolmates nodded a greeting. What’s going on, Willy?

Nothing.

What are you looking at?

That guy. See him?

Tommy turned. A short, thin man in a red baseball cap, wearing dungarees, black sneakers, and a gray Tee-shirt paced the sidewalk across the street from the school. Tommy knew the man immediately but figured he’d better play along. Who’s he?

Don’t know, Billy shrugged. Been there since we got here. Weirdo, probably.

Tommy studied the man, who paced a short distance, stopped, stared at the boys, drooped his head as if in deep thought, and paced again.

He’s really creeping us out, Willy said with a grimace. We’re leaving. The three boys got to their feet. Coming with us?

Tommy got to his feet, knowing he had to stay right there.

Nah, I’m on my way.

Luckily, Billy didn’t ask Tommy on his way where, and silently the three boys walked off around the side of the school away from the street and away from the strange man.

Tommy turned back to the man in the red cap but didn’t see him. Suddenly, a flash of red across the street caught his eye.

Hmmmm.

He walked toward where he’d seen the flash of red, wondering what in the world was going on. As he crossed the street a second flash of red came from behind the drugstore. He walked quicker. When he reached the corner he looked down the street along the side wall of the drugstore. He saw nothing red, only an old man approaching from far down the block. Tommy continued down the sidewalk.

Suddenly, another flash of red came from the next corner.

What the heck’s going on, Tommy wondered? He ran to the next corner, where a deserted Blockbuster store stood. Tommy looked around the corner but saw nothing.

Tommy scratched his head. This is getting weird.

He walked past the Blockbuster and up the block past a cell phone store and a Radio Shack.

He saw it again—a flash of red from behind some trees on the next corner! Tommy took off running, but by the time he reached the trees the only thing he saw was a young lady walking a big dog. Where had the man in the red cap gotten to? He stood across the street from the school again. He’d gone in a big circle chasing...chasing what?

He walked down the sidewalk and scanned the area. Suddenly, the same glint of red came from the wooden maze on the asphalt part of the playground. The red bounced a little across the top of the maze, and out into the open stepped the thin man with the red cap. Had he been following the man’s cap? Why did this guy run around the block?

The strange man walked across the asphalt and stepped up to the fence. He linked his fingers through the empty spaces and stared across the street at Tommy. Suddenly,