Bob the Investigator: The Case of the Missing Fireman

At the office of Bob the Investigator…

Mr. Williams walks in.

Mr. Williams: Hello, Bob the Investigator. I'm missing my parachute.

Bob: That's too bad. When are you going skydiving?

Mr. Williams: I went earlier today.

Bob: Oh. Well, are you hurt?

Mr. Williams: Well, I landed in the house next door. Luckily, I fell through the chimney and landed on an air mattress. That reminds me.

Mr. Williams leaves the office and returns a minute later with the air mattress.

Mr. Williams: In 3…2…1…

A man lands on the air mattress.

Mr. Williams: What took you so long, Mr. Benson?

Mr. Benson: I stopped for coffee.

Mr. Williams: Well, anyway, I think I'll just find that parachute myself.

Mr. Williams and Mr. Benson leave. Mr. Green walks in.

Mr. Green: Hello, Bob the Investigator. I run the fire station down the street. We're missing one of our firemen, Austin.

Bob: Well, isn't that a good thing? No one likes someone who fires people.

Mr. Green: No, no. A fireman is someone who puts out fires.

Bob: Why would someone do that? I love roasting my marshmallows.

Mr. Green: Not campfires! House fires!

Bob: So, I roast marshmallows over house fires.

Mr. Green: Would you please just accept the case?

Bob: Well, my inner self says I shouldn't, but my outer self doesn't care as long as I have popcorn later. So, I will.

At the Fire Station…

Four firemen are sitting at a table playing cards.

Fireman # 1: Have you got any 10s?

Fireman # 2: I've got 10 fingers and 10 toes…I think.

Fireman # 3: You guys remember the plan, right?

Just then, Joey, the coffee boy, walks by and begins eavesdropping from behind a wall.

Fireman # 1: Of course. We're holding Austin hostage at the arcade. We send the boss a ransom note after the investigator leaves. Luckily, we cut the phone lines. Don't give back Austin unless he gives us the raises.

Firemen: Right!

Just then, Mr. Green and Bob walk in.

Mr. Green: Boys, I'd like you to meet Bob the Investigator. He's going to try finding Austin for us.

Fireman # 1: Nice to meet you. Say boss, we're going home now.

Mr. Green: Alright. See you tomorrow.

The 4 firemen leave.

Mr. Green: I'm going into my office. Feel free to look around.

Bob: OK.

Bob begins looking around when Joey stops him.

Joey: Hello, Bob the Investigator. Are you searching for Austin?

Bob: Yes.

Joey: I know where he is. The firemen are keeping him at the arcade.

Bob: Really?

Just then, the phone rings.

Bob: Hello?

Caller: Hello, is your refrigerator running?

Bob: No, it's riding a bicycle.

Bob hangs up.

Bob: Let's go.

At the arcade…

Bob and Joey walk in.

Bob: You know, I've never been in one of these places before.

Joey: Ooh. They have Dot-Man.

Bob: Dot-Man?

Joey: Yeah. I'll show you how to play.

Joey takes Bob to the Dot-Man machine.

Joey: First, you need to put a quarter in.

Bob: Alright.

Bob gets out a quarter.

Bob: Heads or tails?

Joey: Heads.

Bob: Too bad. I'm not flipping.

Bob puts the quarter in the Dot-Man machine.

Joey: OK. Now the objective is to get as many dots as possible.

Bob: OK.

Bob starts playing, but then gets his Dot-Man killed by a ghost.

Bob: What happened?

Joey: Oh, I forgot to tell you. Dot-Man can't eat the ghosts. Otherwise, he dies.

Bob: OK.

Bob starts playing again but then loses another life.

Bob: Isn't there anyway to kill the ghosts?

Joey: No. They're always there. Sorry.

Bob: Ugh.

Bob starts playing again. When Dot-Man runs into a ghost, Bob presses a button that gives Dot-Man a gun to kill the ghost.

Bob: Yay.

Joey: Alright. Let's go.

Bob and Joey head to the closet. It's locked.

Joey: How do we get in?

Bob: It's pretty simple: We need 100 sticks of dynamite.

Joey: Or we could ask for the keys from the manager.

Bob: Sure, if you want to ruin the fun in it.

Joey gets the keys and unlocks the door. He and Bob then barge in.

Bob: Halt, in the name of the law!

Fireman # 1: But your name isn't law.

Bob: Good point. Halt, in the name of Job the Investor.

Fireman # 4: Close enough.

Back at Bob's office…

Austin: Thank you for rescuing me, Bob the Investigator.

Bob: Anytime. Also, give this letter of recommendation to Mr. Green for promoting Joey to a fireman.

Austin takes the letter and leaves. Mr. Williams and Mr. Benson return with the mattress.

Bob: What are you doing?

Mr. Williams: We forgot, our other friend, Mr. Henson, is going to land.

Mr. Williams and Mr. Benson set up the mattress. Unfortunately, Mr. Henson lands on Bob.

Mr. Williams: What held you up?

Mr. Henson: I stopped to play Dot-Man. Is there anyway to kill those stupid ghosts?

Bob: I'll show you later.

The End