Ivy screamed again. The curtains on the window of the cabin had somehow
caught fire. Now, the flames were spreading fast.

Zack looked around. "Where's the fire alarm?" His question was answered by
glancing at the box on the wall with cut wires. "The fire extinguisher?" That
was gone, too

Ivy ran to the kitchen. She tried the water pump. No use. She then grabbed a
box of baking soda, then poured it on the flames.

It worked. The fire died.

Zack studied the burned ruins. "Aha. He pointed at the smoldering windowsill.

Laying there, partially melted, was a lighter.

"Treason, grand theft, attempted murder, kidnapping, and now arson," Ivy
mused. "What next?"

"Gee, sis." Zack muttered. "How are we gonna get out of here? The door's
nailed shut."

"I don't know, Zack. Lee probably destroyed the phone lines."

Zack glanced at the wall. "I think I may have an idea."

Back in San Francisco, the Chief and Mortimer were discussing the event.

"Couldn't you try the plea bargain?" asked the Chief.

"Not possible," Mortimer replied.

"What crime is it, anyway?"

"My first one. The bank robbery. I can't understand it. Roger was in St.
Louis when I did that."

The Chief interrupted him. "Did you ever tell him?"

"No, never," answered Mortimer. "That's what's confusing me. He's falsely
testifying."

"I don't see the reason why they're putting you on trial."

"Uh, Chief. You're forgetting one...I'm guilty!"

"But if the witness is false, you still have a chance. Look at it this way:
there are guilty parties around, and innocent ones being convicted."

"Yes, Chief, but Roger probably blames me for the store going broke."

"But that wasn't your fault!"

Just then, the C-5 corridor opened, and Zack and Ivy jumped out.

The Chief looked surprised to see them. "I thought you were skiing in
Norway!"

"Let's just say a fire put a damper on our plans," muttered Zack.

The Chief sighed. "Was it Lee?"

"Yes, it was Lee, " Ivy snapped. "Who else?" She glanced at Mortimer. "I take
that back."

"It came in on Crimenet. Lee had escaped last night."

"Probably was helped," Ivy snapped.

Mortimer groaned. "I did not help Lee escape from jail. And if I were you,
Miss Ivy, I wouldn't be so quick to accuse."

He gives as well as he takes, Zack thought silently.

The Chief explained the situation about the trial.

"Depends on the judge," Zack noted.

"What do you mean?" asked Mortimer.

"If it's someone like R.B. Traitor, well, sorry, Mortimer-"

"Zack, will you just spit it out?" whined Ivy.

Zack grimaced and finished. "You're going up the river,"

The next morning, Acme was abuzz.

"Mortimer," the Chief began. "I solved your little problem."

"What are you talking about, Chief? The trial's in an hour."

"I spoke to Roger last night. He's not going to testify. The charges against
you were dropped."

Mortimer dropped his books."What?"

"He said that someone had sent him a letter, promising money to give the
police tips on who and where you were, and it informed him of what you did.
Then he received a letter saying the deal was off."

"Who wrote the letters?"

"They were anonymous."

Later that afternoon, Mortimer was sorting papers in his Acme dorm when the
phone rang. Mortimer picked it up. "Acme Detective Agency."

"Hello, cousin," the voice made Mortimer quake with dread.

"Lee, I know it's you."

"And I know what you did,"

"Would you go so far as to get me thrown in jail?"

"In a heartbeat." There was a click.

To be continued....