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17
Detective work
As soon as they left the aquarium Postie phoned Pat and told him what had happened.
“Well, I’ve got news for you,” replied Pat “Sea Wolf is back in the bay. The customs men have been on board. They didn’t find any drugs or guns. But guess what they found? Diving gear. An underwater scooter. A net. And a canvas sling, of the type used for transporting dolphins”
“There is nothing illegal in that,” replied Postie.
“1 know,” said Pat. “But it does look very suspicious.”
“What are you going to do now?” asked Pat.
“I’m not sure,” replied Postie. “We’ll have to work out a plan.”
“Well, be careful. The people you are dealing with are dangerous,” added Pat before putting down the phone.
“If only Dilo could talk,” said Debra when they were all sitting down for their evening meal, “he could tell us what really happened.”
“Do you think if we could prove Dilo was stolen, he would have to be put back into the sea?” asked Robin
“Well the law says you have to have a special licence to take a dolphin out of the sea and put it in an aquarium. So if we could prove what they did was illegal, then there is a good chance Dilo would be put back.”
“So we need to do some detective work,” said Robin.
“Where do we start?” asked Debra.
“At the newspaper office,” replied Postie.
By the end of the day Postie and the twins had tracked down Beth and Ann. The trio called in at their house. Ann told them what had happened.
“In the paper it said we telephoned Crookhaven aquarium. They got it wrong. We never did that. A friendly man we met on the beach did. Then a team from the aquarium came. We said we wanted to put Star back in the sea.”
Ann had a suggestion. “The trainer at the aquarium is very friendly. Her name is Tina, she might help.”
“We haven’t got long to sort this mess out,” said Postie. “it’s Thursday now and I told your mother you would he back on Sunday.”
“We could do with some inside information on the aquarium,’ said Robin who liked playing detective.
“Suppose instead of helping us, Tina tells that awful man?” wondered Debra.
“1 think we’ll have to take that risk,” said Postie. “Perhaps you should try and make friends with Tina. You’re good at that Debbie.”
They agreed it would look less suspicious if only one of them went to the aquarium. So the next day Debra went to see the performance. The sight of Dilo jumping filled her with joy. But at the same time she was very sad to see him locked in a pool. To Debra it seemed that Dilo was in a prison.
When the performance was over, Debra slipped quietly behind the scenes where she found Tina. The trainer was weighing out fish for the next show. Tina was friendly.
“Each dolphin gets a strict ration,” she said.
Debra asked about the bottles of pills beside the sink in which frozen fish were being thawed.
“Dead fish don’t have all the vitamins the dolphins need,” explained Tina. “So I put the pills inside the fish. Each dolphin has a strict ration of pills as well as fish. I keep all the records in this book,” she continued, showing Debra the hook.
“That’s very unnatural isn’t it’?” said Debra cautiously.
“Yes it is,” said Tina, “but it is essential if the dolphins are to stay healthy.”
Debra liked Tina and decided to risk telling her about Dilo and why she had come to the aquarium. Tina listened intently. She paused for a time, thinking.
“The day before Star was found on the beach I was told to get out the equipment we use for moving a dolphin. It was at the back of the store room. We hadn’t used it for ages. At the time I didn’t think any more about it. But it all makes sense now if what you say is true.”
“Then will you help us put Dilo back in the sea?” Debra asked finally.
“Yes, I will if I can,” replied Tina. “You had better go now before anyone sees you here.”
“1 will be back tomorrow with Beth and Ann,” said Debra as she left.
When Debra had gone, Tina went to the holding pool where Dilo was swimming slowly around in a circle. When she saw him she felt very sorry for the dolphin. Debra had told her how Dilo loved to poke his nose into the caves and how he swam under seaweeds and sometimes chased fishes over the sand. Now all he had were flat walls, a concrete floor and dead fish to eat.
Tina squatted down beside the pool. Dilo swam over to her and raised his head out of the water.
“Oh Star,” said Tina, “What have we done to you’? You’re so beautiful.”
Tina gently stroked Dilo’s throat. She felt his smooth, silky skin slipping under her fingers.
“I love you and I shall miss you. I know your home is really in the sea. How can we put you back? I don’t know. but I’m sure we can find a way.”
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