The sound of her own footsteps are all that Janet can hear

as she makes her way to the Whitemanor Hotel.  She did not think

that perhaps there would be a crowd there just waiting to see

him also!

"How am I going to get to him if everyone in this one horse town

is trying to do the same? I have to be clever!"

Janet reaches in her pocket and realizes that the robbers dropped

the ruby in her pocket! Now she really has to find Poirot!

She continues to run around the building away from the crowd and

soon finds a service entrance.  The door is unlocked and she opens

the door and makes her way to the top floor, where she is sure

Poirot is staying. 

Walking cautiously down the hall, she is stopped suddenly

by a police officer.

"What are you doing here? This floor is off limits to the public! There

is a famous detective staying here!"

"Yes, I know. I am the girl who wrote the essay to bring him here!

I think perhaps you can make a little exception for me, please!"

The police officer frowns a moment, then knocks on Poirots

hotel door. 

A few moments later, Poirot opens the door. He looks around

and is suprised to see Janet.

"Monsieur Poirot, do you know this young girl ?She claims she

won your essay contest!

"But of course! I know Janet! She has the mind of brilliance! And

she is welcome! Come on in Janet! "

Janet is relieved that she is able to see Poirot, as she walks

inside.

Poirot shows her to a seat .

"Now, young Janet, what is on your mind? You seem to be bursting

with some news to tell me!  Go on, Poirot loves a good mystery!"

Janet catches her breath .

"Remember when I said that I would be okay walking home? "

"Yes, I remember. I still wish you would have let my driver take you."

"Let me finish, please. Well, I walked a few blocks when I noticed

this black dog jumping out of the bushes. It scared me to death!"

"I can imagine. I hate dogs!", Poirot replies..."Go on, Janet."

"I kept walking and it was eerie outside. Even the streetlights seemed

dim and spooky. The dog frightened me but I noticed a black van

with the license plate covered with mud. I thought that was odd

but I kept walking cautiously. Then, suddenly out of nowhere a

group of thugs came from behind me and tried to get me into that

van!! I kicked and screamed and got away. They told me that

while the whole town was at the Science Fair,  they somehow got

into the museum and took Ruby of the Spanish Princess!!

Janet put her hands over her face and started to cry.

" For some wierd reason, they dropped the ruby in my pocket. Look,

here it is!!", Janet explains as she hands him the ruby.

"Ah, yes!! The Ruby of the Spanish Princess!! What is it doing in

a museum in an obscure little town in the middle of America? How

odd!! It really belongs in someplace like the Smithsonian or some

European museum. This ruby is famous!!"

Janet's lips trembled as she spoke, "I ran away as fast as I could

but they were just as fast and kept screaming, "You're going to

jail. I didn't understand until I was almost at the Whitemanor. Then

I happen to reach inside my pocket and I felt the ruby inside. What

are we going to do ? "

"First of all, let me take a good look at this ruby and then we will

call the museum curator and the police. Do not worry

Janet., Poirot is on the case! We will nab those robbers

toute de suite!"

to be continued....