A dark van pulls into the parking lot of a diner

in town. Two men get out of the van and go inside to a

window booth. They watch cautiously out the window at

the park across the street.

"Do you see what I see?"

"It's Janet and that Hercule Poirot!! What are they doing

at the park at this time of night? "

The waitress walks over and places a menu down on

the table.

"What'll ya have fellas?", she says loudly, snapping her gum.

"Oh, just two coffees, cutiepie."

"Just for that sweetie, I'll add a little sugar to your coffee and maybe

a honeybun."

"You're a feisty one!", he laughs.

The waitress walks to the booth and returns with the coffees.

"Nice and hot, just like you like it.", she smiles.

"Thanks, your a doll."

The waitress smiles and goes to another table .

"Okay", the man says to his friend, "we finish our coffees

quickly. They could leave any minute now. We have to surprise

Janet. Not have them see us first.

He walks to the counter and pays for the coffees.

"Hey, see ya, Cutie pie! I give you a big tip sometime..."

"Oh, promises, promises!!", she winks at him, as she rings

up his order. "Have a good one!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two men exit the diner and watch the park across the street

for a few minutes.  He sees the museum curator holding

up the Ruby to the street light and he has to take a double

take to make sure he isn't seeing things.

"Is that the Ruby of the Spanish Princess? I thought it was

locked up in Mr. Phillips safe!! He was supposed to keep

it there until we were ready to transport it!  We have to get it

back quickly. "

The other man thought for a moment. Then he smiled.

"I do have a plan. We do have a way

to get it back.

Just listen and learn.

Follow me.."

Leaving the black van in the parking lot of the diner, the two men

go by foot along the side of the park, that is surrounded by hedges.

They get as close as they can to listen to the conversation and

bide their time.

"Do not worry, I, Hercule Poirot, have never lost a case yet, the

theives will not get away! Rest assured, your museum will

not close. We must hurry to the museum and get this

Ruby of the Spanish Princess back safely where it truly belongs--

in Spain! "

The museum curator kept gazing at the Ruby. It's so flawless

and rare! I can't keep my eyes off it! No wonder the thieves

want to for themselves."

"Tut, tut. Nevermind.", Poirot scolds him. "Remember the

curator of the Spanish museum! He is boiling mad at you! Now

don't go tweaking his nose by saying such things!"

Janet watches the Ruby in the light. "Can I hold it for

just a minute. It's so beautiful!", she asks the curator.

"Just a minute.", he says as he hands her the ruby.

The two men take that moment to crash through the hedges and

they grab Janet.

Janet starts to scream but the man puts his hand over her

mouth and as Hercule Poirot and the Curator lunge at the

two men.

The man puts a knife to Janet's throat.

"Now, if either of you two, takes one more step

forward, I will cut her throat!"

Hercule Poirot and the curator stopped cold.

A tense moment passes.

Then Janet bites the man's hand, stomps

on his foot, twists his arm and steps on his throat. and

grabs the knife.

"Now you, hand over that ruby now! Some

robbers you are. Think I'm a weenie, do ya?

Well, think again! I'm Janet!"

Poirot and the curator are stunned

at what just happened...

"You continue to amaze me, Young Janet! Thanks

to you, The Ruby of the Spanish Princess is

saved and so is the Museum!!"

"Call the Police," Janet says to Poirot. "Tell them to come

to the park. I see the black van across the street."

"Ah, yes. Poirot will go there and ask a few questions. Maybe

someone inside knows a little more than they are saying about

these two strange robbers!"

"Well, for one thing. They aren't too bright!", Janet says.

"In my backpack, I have some rope. Tie them up. You can do it.

Just wrap it around their hands and feet until the cops arrive.

It's easy! I would do it myself but I have to keep them quiet!"

to be continued...