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this case, if we can get the information we need, we can call on the sheriff.”
    Jennifer nodded and looked impressed. “When you said perpetrator, you sounded just like the private eyes on TV.”
    “We—investigators and the police, that is—call them ‘perps’ for short,” Brian told her.
    Sean made a face. “There you go again. If Dad heard you bragging …” He stopped, listened a moment, then said, “There’s that weird noise again, like somebody panting, and I’m not trying to be funny. Didn’t you hear it?”
    Jennifer frowned and said to Brian, “I don’t think Martha would do anything that would be dangerous to us. She’s worked for Dad since before I was born, and she’s awfully nice.”
    “She’s just one of the suspects,” Brian said. “Don’t forget Edna, Caesar, and also Palmer.”
    “And Robert Hopkins,” said Sean.
    “Right,” said Brian. Then he told Jennifer about his conversation with Palmer in the restaurant.
    “But Robert doesn’t work here anymore, so what does Palmer being friends with Robert mean?” Jennifer asked.
    “That’s our job as investigators. We try to find out.”
    A ruffle of cool air caused Sean to shiver. He reached for a towel to wrap around his shoulders and glanced toward the Hamburger Hut.
    “What the—” He jumped. Something had moved in the darkness beyond the circle of lights around the pool.
    “Brian!” said Sean. “Somebody is spying on us!”
    “Who?” Jennifer gasped.
    “Where?” Brian asked, jumping up.
    “I saw someone step back behind the Hamburger Hut, but I don’t know who it was. It’s too dark back there to tell.”
    The three of them stared at the Hamburger Hut.
    “I don’t see anybody,” Jennifer said.
    “Look.” Brian pointed at the trees near the Hut. “Those branches are moving in the wind. Could that be what you saw?”
    “I don’t know,” Sean said. “Maybe.”
    It was Jennifer’s turn to shiver. “Why don’t we go inside?” she suggested.
    “In a minute,” Brian said as he jotted down a few sentences in his notebook. “I’m writing what you’ve told me about Martha to add to what I’ve written about Palmer. Sometimes just going over the information helps an investigator think of a new line to follow.”
    He put his notebook and pen on the table and stood up. He looked carefully around the pool area. “I don’t see anyone here but us. Come on!” he said, grinning. “Let’s go swimming before it gets too cold. Race you to the other side!”
    Brian dove into the water. Sean and Jennifer followed. But before any of them reached the middle of the pool, the underwater lights had suddenly gone out, and the pool was plunged into darkness.
    “What happened?” Sean yelled. It was so dark he couldn’t even see his hand in front of his face.
    “I don’t know!” said Jennifer. “It’s way too early to turn off the outside lights.”
    “It’s probably just a power failure,” said Brian. Then, from the far end of the pool, came what sounded like muffled whispering, then a low growl and a deep chuckle.
    “What was that?” asked Sean.
    There was a loud splash. Then more heavy splashing.
    “Something just jumped into the water with us!” Brian said.
    “Something like what?” shouted Jennifer.
    “I don’t know!” Brian shouted back.
    “Yikes!” Sean cried. “Whatever it is it’s swimming right toward us!”
    “Oh, Brian,” whimpered Jennifer. “What are we going to do?”
    “Swim!” yelled Brian. “Swim as fast as you can!

7

    N ONE OF THEM STOPPED running until they had reached the back porch of the hotel.
    Sean took two deep breaths before he tried to talk. “Brian,” he said, “that was close!”
    “It sure was,” answered Brian. Then he turned to Jennifer. “Has anything like this ever happened before?”
    Jennifer’s eyes went wide with alarm. “You mean have guests ever been attacked before in the pool? No! Never!”
    Brian shook his head. “No. I meant, is it uncommon