"Dixon, Franklin W - Hardy Boys 111 - Three-Ring Terror" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dixon Franklin W)

Joe thought for a moment. "We can still follow up on Ralph Rosen. Dean Turner told us that Bo Costello could give us some information about him. I still think he's an important link in the accidents here," he insisted.
"We don't know that for sure, but I agree we should talk to Costello," Frank said.
"What-about lunch?" Chet asked.
"As soon as we talk to Bo," Joe said with a laugh, "we'll grab a burger."
"Okay," Chet said grudgingly.
Joe led the way down to Costello's office. When they got there, they knocked on the door. There was no answer. Joe opened the door a crack. He saw that Costello was on the phone, and heard him tell the person on the other end to take it easy and be careful."
Bo spotted Joe, Frank, and Chet, and quickly said goodbye into the phone.
"Come on in!" Bo called heartily. "You guys are the Bayport High students, right?"
Joe nodded, guessing that Turner had told Costello that he and Frank were in training along with Chet.
"I was just talking to a former student," Costello told them when they were inside his office. "I like to stay in touch with my students. See how they're doing, you know."
Joe saw his brother smile. "They must like hearing from you, too," Frank said.
Bo laughed. "Oh, they do. Sometimes they even stop by when we're on tour, if they're in the area."
Joe ran his eyes around the room, surprised at how much stuff Bo had crammed into the tiny space. All along one wall was a huge bulletin board covered with maps, photographs of what looked like Bo in his circus days, head shots of former Circus U. students, and all kinds of schedules and dates of the winter tour.
"Those are lists of all the major circuses across the United States," Costello explained, following Joe's gaze. "Their schedules, their personnel, everything. Even though we're on tour, we still have to run Circus U."
"Is that how you keep track of your students?" Chet asked, pointing to the bulletin board.
"Yep," Bo said, nodding. "It's all there. If I see that one of them is heading toward us in Florida or when we're on tour, I'll try to track him or her down, tell the kid to stop by and say hello."
"That's really nice," Joe said. "I bet they appreciate your interest."
"Oh, they do." Bo paused and gave Joe a curious look. "Is there something I can help you with?" he asked.
Joe turned his eyes from the bulletin board. "Yes, there is," he said, realizing he had to be careful about what he said. Because he and Frank were undercover, it wasn't a good idea to tell Costello the whole truth.
"Last night a juggler with the Montero Brothers Circus named Ralph Rosen dropped a ball in Chet's tote bag," Joe explained. "Inside the ball was a message. And, well, we were thinking that maybe, just maybe, the message has something to do with the accidents here at the circus. We thought you should know because the people listed in the message are connected to Circus U."
"We also thought you might be able to tell us if Ralph Rosen is the kind of guy who might try to cause these accidents," Frank said. "Dean Turner mentioned that he had been kicked out of Circus U. We think he might be trying to get back at people there."
Costello sat down on the edge of his desk. He was silent for a moment. "I'm shocked," he said finally. "I knew Ralph Rosen had problems, but I would never have suspected that he would stoop so low." Costello shook his head sadly. "I'm also appalled to think that a former Circus U. student, would do such a terrible thing."
Costello paused for a moment, then gave the Hardys and Chet a curious look. "Why are you all interested in figuring out why we've been having these accidents, anyway?"
Joe glanced at Frank and saw his brother's warning look. He turned back to Costello.
"As students here, we're anxious about the accidents that have already happened," Joe said carefully. "First the cannon misfired and Dean Turner nearly suffocated. And then, when we saw what happened to Carl Nash on the trapeze just now, we started thinking. Since you're director of admissions, we figured if anyone would know about Ralph Rosen, it would be you," he finished.
Costello let out a hearty laugh. "Doing a bit of amateur detecting, eh? Well, while you boys are at Circus U., why don't you stick to clowning and learning about other kinds of circus performing. Don't worry. We'll manage to settle our problems."
"Do you have some background info on Rosen in your files?" Joe pressed.
Costello stood up from the edge of his desk and shook his head slowly. "I might, but that information is confidential. Only Dean Turner can release it. Come on, guys," he said finally. "I really appreciate what you're trying to do, but why don't you leave all this stuff to the people in charge? Kick back, relax, and enjoy your classes here. You won't get another chance like this in—"
Before Costello could finish his sentence, his phone began to ring. "Excuse me," he said to the three of them.
Joe stood up and headed for the door, realizing they weren't going to get anywhere with the dean of admissions. Frank and Chet followed. "We'll let you get back to work," Frank said.
"Thanks," Costello said, picking up the phone on the third ring. "Take my advice: Enjoy yourselves and don't worry, okay?"
"That was a big waste of time," Joe said when the three of them were back in the hall. "We didn't even get a look at Rosen's application."
"We'll just have to find out about Rosen another way," Frank said, trying to reassure his brother. "We can ask Jim Jacobs where he's staying."
"Uh, do you guys mind if we get some lunch first?" Chet said. "I don't think I can go on much longer without some fuel inside me."
Joe laughed. "Okay, Chet. Frank and I know that clowning around is hungry work."
"So is detecting," Frank said. "Let's head over to that new burger place on Main Street."
"Great," Chet said. "I hear they have foot-high burgers."
"They must have thought of you when they came up with their menu," Joe said with a grin.
With Joe in the lead, they walked past the elevators, then down the hall toward the exit that led to the parking lot. When they reached the exit, Joe turned to say something to Frank and Chet. Suddenly, a figure at the end of the hall by the elevators caught his eye—a figure wearing green striped baggy pants dotted with rhinestones and an unmistakable blue wig.
"Hey, Frank," Joe said slowly, his excitement building.
"What?" Frank asked, facing Joe.
Joe pointed down the long hall to where the juggler was still standing, his back to them, waiting for an elevator.
"Don't look now," he said, "but I think we just found Ralph Rosen."
Chapter 9
Ralph Rosen Returns
"Hey!" Frank called out. "Hey, you!"
The young man turned around to see who was shouting at him. Despite the fact that the juggler wasn't wearing clown makeup, Frank was sure it was Rosen. The costume was the same as the one he'd seen the previous night. As soon as Rosen saw Frank, he turned to the left and ran down the hall.
"He knows exactly who we are!" Frank shouted to Joe. "Let's get him," he said, taking off at a clip.
He saw Rosen turn into a stairwell that led up to the backstage area and the arena. Frank ran up the stairs after him, keeping an eye on Rosen's fleeting green pants. Joe and Chet were close behind. Soon they were chasing Rosen through the crowded arena, and people were flying out of the way on either side of them.
"Stop that clown!" Frank shouted to a woman who was just about to walk in front of Rosen. "Don't let him get away!"