The Case of the Problem Prone Bodyslammers--Part Three
by HA
Later, the young detective and her friends were on their way to the gym where the wrestlers were working out. Bo and Blake were trying to explain professional wrestling to Shirley, especially the terminology.
"So a face is the person who plans the match?" Shirley asked.
"No, that's a booker," Bo answered.
"Then what's a face?" Shirley asked.
"A face is a good guy wrestler," Blake explained to Shirley.
"And a heel?"
"A heel's a bad guy wrestler," Bo answered.
"Then what are smarts and marks?"
Bo stared at Shirley, secretly pleased that there was at least one subject he knew more about than the junior sleuth. "I can't believe you don't know anything about pro wrestling."
"It's not one of my areas," Shirley admitted.
"Don't worry about it," Blake reassured her. "We'll help you out with any terminology."
"And by the way, smarts are fans who know that it's all fake and follow the behind-the-scenes reports. Marks are fans who believe that everything is real," Bo clarified.
"I see," Shirley said. "You two are smarts, I presume?"
"Definitely," Bo and Blake answered at the same time.
"It's a gradual evolution from being a mark to being a smart, however," Blake pointed out. "Until I turned nine, I thought everything was real."
"Ten for me," Bo admitted.
Shirley sighed. "I really must find the time to investigate why people like to watch two grown men in tights beating the tar out of each other."
Both Bo and Blake laughed light-heartedly.
"Well, think of pro wrestling as a parallel to the Roman gladiator fights," Blake said. "The only difference is that the losers in wrestling don't get fed to the lions."
"I'll keep that in mind," Shirley said.
Eventually, they arrived at the gym. They noticed the three muscular men in sunglasses and uniforms at the entrance. Bo and Blake recognized Bill Turner among them.
"Halt!" Bill Turner shouted as the three kids approached the entrance. "This place is closed to the public."
"Why?" Shirley asked.
"Mr. Hammond doesn't want his wrestlers to be disturbed while they work out," the chief of security explained.
Blake stepped forward. "I called ahead. I'm Blake Hewitt. The Masked Marauder said it was okay for me and my friends to come in."
Bill Turner pulled out a walkie-talkie. "Top Dog to Watchdog Three. Top Dog to Watchdog Three. Over."
The walkie-talkie crackled to life. "This is Watchdog Three. Over."
"Three kids here to see Marauder on his request," Bill Turner reported. "Confirm with him the name 'Blake Hewitt'. Over."
A few minutes passed before Bill Turner got an answer. "Marauder wants confirmation. The boy should know. Over," Watchdog Three said.
Bill Turner looked at Blake. "The Marauder wants confirmation from you. Well?"
Blake groaned and rolled his eyes. "Hold the walkie-talkie close to me and don't make any noise," he requested. To the surprise of his friends, he started to sing loudly. "I'm a little teapot, short and stout..."
Everyone watched as Blake sang the rest of the little song while imitating a teapot. Shirley and the guards smiled in amusement. Bo stifled a laugh.
When Blake was done, Bill Turner listened for a response. "Blake Hewitt and company confirmed. Marauder says they can pass. Over," Watchdog Three said.
"Gotcha. Over and out." Bill Turner put the walkie-talkie away, then turned his attention back to the kids. "Okay, you can go in, but don't be a nuisance," he warned sternly as he opened the door.
"Cute song and dance number," Bo whispered to Blake, beaming.
"It wasn't my idea," Blake said with a little embarrassment.
Behind them, Shirley shook her head and grinned.
As Shirley and her friends entered the gym, they ran into another security guard. "I'll be your escort to the Marauder," the man explained.
"Goody," Bo muttered to himself.
The security guard led them into the weight room, where all of Mr. Hammond's wrestlers were working out. All of them were in workout suits. One of the wrestlers spotted them and waved them over. From Blake's description, Shirley recognized him as Sean Tennyson, a.k.a. the Masked Marauder.
Still with the security guard, they approached the wrestler. The Masked Marauder looked at the security guard. "You can go now, Lou. I'll take responsibility for them."
"Okay, Sean," the security guard said before leaving.
The Masked Marauder turned his attention to Blake. "So, how'd you like my way of IDing you?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"You could've asked for a photo ID," Blake said.
"Well, it wouldn't be as much fun," the Masked Marauder said. "Besides, you were so cute when you did that when you were little."
"He still is," Bo said, looking at Blake. The poor boy's face was starting to redden. "Of course, what about the whole running around..."
Blake cut Bo off quickly. "Can we get back to business here? You know, about yesterday?"
Shirley watched all this with secret amusement. She definitely had to learn more about Blake Hewitt.
The Masked Marauder laughed. "Of course. Sorry, Blake." He looked at Shirley. "Shirley Holmes, I presume?"
"You presume correctly," Shirley replied politely.
"Blake told me a little about you on the phone," the Masked Marauder said. "I hope that you can help solve our little problem."
"Bo and Blake filled me in on what they heard," Shirley said. "Why haven't you gone to the police yet?"
"Mr. Hammond doesn't want any more bad publicity for the company," the Masked Marauder explained. "We're not in the big leagues, but any negative news about us hurts our business. Also, Mr. Hammond feels that he doesn't need any outside help."
Shirley nodded. "So what's happened so far?"
"Marvin Marvelous was given another warning about his antics, as well as a little punishment," the Masked Marauder told the young detective. "He's still saying he's innocent."
"How is the wrestler who had his hands glued to his head?"
"Boom Boom's a little traumatized at the moment. I'm not exaggerating when I say his hair was his life. He won't be working the charity show tomorrow, that's for sure."
Shirley thought for a moment. "What was done with the shampoo bottle Boom Boom used?"
"You know, I'm not sure," the Masked Marauder admitted. "It just vanished."
"Are there any suspects?"
"Nope. Pretty much everyone thinks Marvin did it. Mr. Hammond's sure. Bill's sure. Heck, most of the wrestlers think so."
"Most of the wrestlers?" Bo said.
"I've known Marvin ever since I came on board, and he never struck me as someone who would do something so cruel," the Masked Marauder said.
"Uncle Sean, the guy puts pigs in offices and chocolate pudding in wrestling boots," Blake pointed out.
"Yeah, but it was all in good fun," the Masked Marauder said with a smile. "Marvin's got me more than a couple of times, but I've gotten used to his antics. His gags are light-hearted and not meant to hurt anybody, so I can't believe the recent stuff is his doing."
"Speaking of recent events, what about these accidents that have been going on?" Shirley asked.
The Masked Marauder lowered his voice. "No one's supposed to talk about them, but we've been having problems ranging from the annoying to the deadly. One time, the lights started flickering during the show. Another time, the ring collapsed during a match. Two guys and the ref were injured."
"Whoa," Bo said.
"Things got worse. Mr. Hammond pulled all the stops on P.R. control," the Masked Marauder said. "That's why he hired Bill Turner to be head of security."
"When did all these accidents start?" Shirley asked.
The Masked Marauder thought for a moment. "I think maybe three months ago. Bill was hired a month after the first few accidents."
"I see." Shirley memorized everything she had heard.
Nearby, Sy Coe, the man who Bo and Blake saw last night with Mr. Hammond and Bill Turner, was carrying some towels on his shoulders and small coolers in his hands. Shirley saw that he was struggling with his load and talking to himself.
"Is that the man who brought Mr. Hammond and Mr. Turner to the locker room after the shampoo incident?" Shirley asked.
"Yep, that's Sy Coe," Bo recalled while watching the thin man carry his load and converse with himself.
"Sylvester Coe," the Masked Marauder corrected. "He's a member of our ring crew. He's been with the company for about eight years now. He's a good man, but he's a bit eccentric."
"Got that right," Blake said.
Sy Coe stopped by Shirley and the others. "Hi, Mr. Tennyson. You want some water?"
"Sure, Sylvester," the Masked Marauder said in a friendly manner.
Sy Coe looked at Shirley and her friends. "Do you want some water?" he asked, giving them a weird stare.
"Uh, no thanks," Bo said, trying not to show that the man was creeping him out.
"I'll have one," Blake said.
"I will as well," Shirley said.
Sy Coe nodded and put down the two coolers. He opened one of them and took out three cold bottles of water. He handed one bottle each to Shirley, Blake, and the Masked Marauder.
The Masked Marauder took the cap off his water bottle. "Here's to you, Sylvester," he said, raising the bottle to the thin man before taking a big swig from it.
Sy Coe smiled and nodded, then took up his heavy load and continued his walk around the weight room while talking to himself. Shirley saw one wrestler take a towel from Sy's shoulder and wipe his face with it. She saw Sy staring at the wrestler, then he took out a small notepad out of his pocket and jotted something into it.
"Why exactly does he talk to himself?" Shirley asked.
"To be honest, I'm really not sure. Every time someone asks, he just shrugs and continues on," the Masked Marauder answered. "He's always been like that ever since I've known him. In fact, unless he's working, he stays in his hotel room. Never hangs out with us wrestlers." He shook his head. "I doubt the guys would want him around, though."
"Why? Because he's creepy?" Bo wondered out loud.
"Exactly," the Masked Marauder said.
"So why keep him around?" Blake asked.
"Mr. Hammond says he's a dedicated worker. He never misses work and he always does his job. Mr. Hammond gives him a lot of responsibilities. In fact, he always gives Sylvester the extra keys to the place we're performing at."
The last comment got Shirley's attention. "Would this include the key for the locker room?"
"I guess so. Yeah."
Shirley cupped her chin in her hand. "Hmmmm..."
Marvin Marvelous entered the weight room with his sports bag slung over his shoulder. Immediately, all the wrestlers stopped what they were doing and looked at him.
Marvin Marvelous saw the glares aimed at him. "What?" he said, annoyed.
"What's his problem?" Bo asked.
"Oh, Mr. Hammond 'volunteered' Marvin's services to help get this place ready for us," the Masked Marauder explained. "Sort of a little punishment for his pranks. It's normal around here."
"It'd make more sense to fire him," Blake pointed out.
"You know, Mr. Hammond never fires Marvin," the Masked Marauder revealed. "The closest he got was a suspension without pay."
The gears in Shirley's head started to turn. She noted what the Masked Marauder said.
The wrestler known as "Breaker" Brody was heading towards the door. "Hey, where ya going, Breaker?" one of the wrestlers asked.
"Breaker" looked startled to Shirley's observant eye. "I...uh...need to go out for a moment," he answered nervously. "Need some fresh air."
Shirley watched as "Breaker" Brody left quickly. "Hmmm..."
Captain Courageous made his way to a bench press station. "Well, gotta test my upper-body strength," he said with a grin.
"Your upper-body strength?" Major Glory looked at Captain Courageous' thin frame. "What upper-body strength?" he said jokingly.
Captain Courageous let out a laugh, then laid down on the bench. "Hey, can someone put some weight on this thing?" he asked, pointing to the barbell.
Marvin Marvelous was about to go help Captain Courageous when Bill Turner stepped forward. "Sure thing, Cap," he said, giving Marvin Marvelous a look. "Don't even try anything, Marv. We still need wrestlers for tomorrow."
Marvin Marvelous returned to working out on his dumbbells. Shirley noticed how Marvin Marvelous watched as Bill Turner helped put some weights on Captain Courageous' barbell. Captain Courageous lifted the barbell with the greatest of ease a few times.
"Is that it? Give me more weight, Bill," Captain Courageous requested.
"Gotcha." Bill Turner put on more weight. "Try it now," he said, putting his hands on his hips.
Captain Courageous strained a bit with the barbell. He clenched his teeth. Sweat streamed down his brow.
"Say, that doesn't look very heavy," Blake commented, looking at Captain Courageous' barbell.
"Yeah. It looks like he's having trouble lifting it," Bo said.
"Well, he was never a big weightlifter," the Masked Marauder said. "Cap's specialties in the ring are speed and high-risk maneuvers."
Captain Courageous tried to lift the barbell, but he could not go any higher. He grunted and struggled with it. Suddenly, the barbell fell on Captain Courageous' neck. His eyes nearly popped out as the metal bar pressed against his throat. He started to gag as he struggled against the barbell.
Bill Turner rushed forward and grabbed the barbell. He tried to lift it without any success. "I need some help here!" he shouted with urgency.
The Masked Marauder ran over to help. Shirley and her friends watched as he and some of the wrestlers tried to pull the barbell off Captain Courageous' neck.
END OF PART THREE
by HA
Later, the young detective and her friends were on their way to the gym where the wrestlers were working out. Bo and Blake were trying to explain professional wrestling to Shirley, especially the terminology.
"So a face is the person who plans the match?" Shirley asked.
"No, that's a booker," Bo answered.
"Then what's a face?" Shirley asked.
"A face is a good guy wrestler," Blake explained to Shirley.
"And a heel?"
"A heel's a bad guy wrestler," Bo answered.
"Then what are smarts and marks?"
Bo stared at Shirley, secretly pleased that there was at least one subject he knew more about than the junior sleuth. "I can't believe you don't know anything about pro wrestling."
"It's not one of my areas," Shirley admitted.
"Don't worry about it," Blake reassured her. "We'll help you out with any terminology."
"And by the way, smarts are fans who know that it's all fake and follow the behind-the-scenes reports. Marks are fans who believe that everything is real," Bo clarified.
"I see," Shirley said. "You two are smarts, I presume?"
"Definitely," Bo and Blake answered at the same time.
"It's a gradual evolution from being a mark to being a smart, however," Blake pointed out. "Until I turned nine, I thought everything was real."
"Ten for me," Bo admitted.
Shirley sighed. "I really must find the time to investigate why people like to watch two grown men in tights beating the tar out of each other."
Both Bo and Blake laughed light-heartedly.
"Well, think of pro wrestling as a parallel to the Roman gladiator fights," Blake said. "The only difference is that the losers in wrestling don't get fed to the lions."
"I'll keep that in mind," Shirley said.
Eventually, they arrived at the gym. They noticed the three muscular men in sunglasses and uniforms at the entrance. Bo and Blake recognized Bill Turner among them.
"Halt!" Bill Turner shouted as the three kids approached the entrance. "This place is closed to the public."
"Why?" Shirley asked.
"Mr. Hammond doesn't want his wrestlers to be disturbed while they work out," the chief of security explained.
Blake stepped forward. "I called ahead. I'm Blake Hewitt. The Masked Marauder said it was okay for me and my friends to come in."
Bill Turner pulled out a walkie-talkie. "Top Dog to Watchdog Three. Top Dog to Watchdog Three. Over."
The walkie-talkie crackled to life. "This is Watchdog Three. Over."
"Three kids here to see Marauder on his request," Bill Turner reported. "Confirm with him the name 'Blake Hewitt'. Over."
A few minutes passed before Bill Turner got an answer. "Marauder wants confirmation. The boy should know. Over," Watchdog Three said.
Bill Turner looked at Blake. "The Marauder wants confirmation from you. Well?"
Blake groaned and rolled his eyes. "Hold the walkie-talkie close to me and don't make any noise," he requested. To the surprise of his friends, he started to sing loudly. "I'm a little teapot, short and stout..."
Everyone watched as Blake sang the rest of the little song while imitating a teapot. Shirley and the guards smiled in amusement. Bo stifled a laugh.
When Blake was done, Bill Turner listened for a response. "Blake Hewitt and company confirmed. Marauder says they can pass. Over," Watchdog Three said.
"Gotcha. Over and out." Bill Turner put the walkie-talkie away, then turned his attention back to the kids. "Okay, you can go in, but don't be a nuisance," he warned sternly as he opened the door.
"Cute song and dance number," Bo whispered to Blake, beaming.
"It wasn't my idea," Blake said with a little embarrassment.
Behind them, Shirley shook her head and grinned.
As Shirley and her friends entered the gym, they ran into another security guard. "I'll be your escort to the Marauder," the man explained.
"Goody," Bo muttered to himself.
The security guard led them into the weight room, where all of Mr. Hammond's wrestlers were working out. All of them were in workout suits. One of the wrestlers spotted them and waved them over. From Blake's description, Shirley recognized him as Sean Tennyson, a.k.a. the Masked Marauder.
Still with the security guard, they approached the wrestler. The Masked Marauder looked at the security guard. "You can go now, Lou. I'll take responsibility for them."
"Okay, Sean," the security guard said before leaving.
The Masked Marauder turned his attention to Blake. "So, how'd you like my way of IDing you?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"You could've asked for a photo ID," Blake said.
"Well, it wouldn't be as much fun," the Masked Marauder said. "Besides, you were so cute when you did that when you were little."
"He still is," Bo said, looking at Blake. The poor boy's face was starting to redden. "Of course, what about the whole running around..."
Blake cut Bo off quickly. "Can we get back to business here? You know, about yesterday?"
Shirley watched all this with secret amusement. She definitely had to learn more about Blake Hewitt.
The Masked Marauder laughed. "Of course. Sorry, Blake." He looked at Shirley. "Shirley Holmes, I presume?"
"You presume correctly," Shirley replied politely.
"Blake told me a little about you on the phone," the Masked Marauder said. "I hope that you can help solve our little problem."
"Bo and Blake filled me in on what they heard," Shirley said. "Why haven't you gone to the police yet?"
"Mr. Hammond doesn't want any more bad publicity for the company," the Masked Marauder explained. "We're not in the big leagues, but any negative news about us hurts our business. Also, Mr. Hammond feels that he doesn't need any outside help."
Shirley nodded. "So what's happened so far?"
"Marvin Marvelous was given another warning about his antics, as well as a little punishment," the Masked Marauder told the young detective. "He's still saying he's innocent."
"How is the wrestler who had his hands glued to his head?"
"Boom Boom's a little traumatized at the moment. I'm not exaggerating when I say his hair was his life. He won't be working the charity show tomorrow, that's for sure."
Shirley thought for a moment. "What was done with the shampoo bottle Boom Boom used?"
"You know, I'm not sure," the Masked Marauder admitted. "It just vanished."
"Are there any suspects?"
"Nope. Pretty much everyone thinks Marvin did it. Mr. Hammond's sure. Bill's sure. Heck, most of the wrestlers think so."
"Most of the wrestlers?" Bo said.
"I've known Marvin ever since I came on board, and he never struck me as someone who would do something so cruel," the Masked Marauder said.
"Uncle Sean, the guy puts pigs in offices and chocolate pudding in wrestling boots," Blake pointed out.
"Yeah, but it was all in good fun," the Masked Marauder said with a smile. "Marvin's got me more than a couple of times, but I've gotten used to his antics. His gags are light-hearted and not meant to hurt anybody, so I can't believe the recent stuff is his doing."
"Speaking of recent events, what about these accidents that have been going on?" Shirley asked.
The Masked Marauder lowered his voice. "No one's supposed to talk about them, but we've been having problems ranging from the annoying to the deadly. One time, the lights started flickering during the show. Another time, the ring collapsed during a match. Two guys and the ref were injured."
"Whoa," Bo said.
"Things got worse. Mr. Hammond pulled all the stops on P.R. control," the Masked Marauder said. "That's why he hired Bill Turner to be head of security."
"When did all these accidents start?" Shirley asked.
The Masked Marauder thought for a moment. "I think maybe three months ago. Bill was hired a month after the first few accidents."
"I see." Shirley memorized everything she had heard.
Nearby, Sy Coe, the man who Bo and Blake saw last night with Mr. Hammond and Bill Turner, was carrying some towels on his shoulders and small coolers in his hands. Shirley saw that he was struggling with his load and talking to himself.
"Is that the man who brought Mr. Hammond and Mr. Turner to the locker room after the shampoo incident?" Shirley asked.
"Yep, that's Sy Coe," Bo recalled while watching the thin man carry his load and converse with himself.
"Sylvester Coe," the Masked Marauder corrected. "He's a member of our ring crew. He's been with the company for about eight years now. He's a good man, but he's a bit eccentric."
"Got that right," Blake said.
Sy Coe stopped by Shirley and the others. "Hi, Mr. Tennyson. You want some water?"
"Sure, Sylvester," the Masked Marauder said in a friendly manner.
Sy Coe looked at Shirley and her friends. "Do you want some water?" he asked, giving them a weird stare.
"Uh, no thanks," Bo said, trying not to show that the man was creeping him out.
"I'll have one," Blake said.
"I will as well," Shirley said.
Sy Coe nodded and put down the two coolers. He opened one of them and took out three cold bottles of water. He handed one bottle each to Shirley, Blake, and the Masked Marauder.
The Masked Marauder took the cap off his water bottle. "Here's to you, Sylvester," he said, raising the bottle to the thin man before taking a big swig from it.
Sy Coe smiled and nodded, then took up his heavy load and continued his walk around the weight room while talking to himself. Shirley saw one wrestler take a towel from Sy's shoulder and wipe his face with it. She saw Sy staring at the wrestler, then he took out a small notepad out of his pocket and jotted something into it.
"Why exactly does he talk to himself?" Shirley asked.
"To be honest, I'm really not sure. Every time someone asks, he just shrugs and continues on," the Masked Marauder answered. "He's always been like that ever since I've known him. In fact, unless he's working, he stays in his hotel room. Never hangs out with us wrestlers." He shook his head. "I doubt the guys would want him around, though."
"Why? Because he's creepy?" Bo wondered out loud.
"Exactly," the Masked Marauder said.
"So why keep him around?" Blake asked.
"Mr. Hammond says he's a dedicated worker. He never misses work and he always does his job. Mr. Hammond gives him a lot of responsibilities. In fact, he always gives Sylvester the extra keys to the place we're performing at."
The last comment got Shirley's attention. "Would this include the key for the locker room?"
"I guess so. Yeah."
Shirley cupped her chin in her hand. "Hmmmm..."
Marvin Marvelous entered the weight room with his sports bag slung over his shoulder. Immediately, all the wrestlers stopped what they were doing and looked at him.
Marvin Marvelous saw the glares aimed at him. "What?" he said, annoyed.
"What's his problem?" Bo asked.
"Oh, Mr. Hammond 'volunteered' Marvin's services to help get this place ready for us," the Masked Marauder explained. "Sort of a little punishment for his pranks. It's normal around here."
"It'd make more sense to fire him," Blake pointed out.
"You know, Mr. Hammond never fires Marvin," the Masked Marauder revealed. "The closest he got was a suspension without pay."
The gears in Shirley's head started to turn. She noted what the Masked Marauder said.
The wrestler known as "Breaker" Brody was heading towards the door. "Hey, where ya going, Breaker?" one of the wrestlers asked.
"Breaker" looked startled to Shirley's observant eye. "I...uh...need to go out for a moment," he answered nervously. "Need some fresh air."
Shirley watched as "Breaker" Brody left quickly. "Hmmm..."
Captain Courageous made his way to a bench press station. "Well, gotta test my upper-body strength," he said with a grin.
"Your upper-body strength?" Major Glory looked at Captain Courageous' thin frame. "What upper-body strength?" he said jokingly.
Captain Courageous let out a laugh, then laid down on the bench. "Hey, can someone put some weight on this thing?" he asked, pointing to the barbell.
Marvin Marvelous was about to go help Captain Courageous when Bill Turner stepped forward. "Sure thing, Cap," he said, giving Marvin Marvelous a look. "Don't even try anything, Marv. We still need wrestlers for tomorrow."
Marvin Marvelous returned to working out on his dumbbells. Shirley noticed how Marvin Marvelous watched as Bill Turner helped put some weights on Captain Courageous' barbell. Captain Courageous lifted the barbell with the greatest of ease a few times.
"Is that it? Give me more weight, Bill," Captain Courageous requested.
"Gotcha." Bill Turner put on more weight. "Try it now," he said, putting his hands on his hips.
Captain Courageous strained a bit with the barbell. He clenched his teeth. Sweat streamed down his brow.
"Say, that doesn't look very heavy," Blake commented, looking at Captain Courageous' barbell.
"Yeah. It looks like he's having trouble lifting it," Bo said.
"Well, he was never a big weightlifter," the Masked Marauder said. "Cap's specialties in the ring are speed and high-risk maneuvers."
Captain Courageous tried to lift the barbell, but he could not go any higher. He grunted and struggled with it. Suddenly, the barbell fell on Captain Courageous' neck. His eyes nearly popped out as the metal bar pressed against his throat. He started to gag as he struggled against the barbell.
Bill Turner rushed forward and grabbed the barbell. He tried to lift it without any success. "I need some help here!" he shouted with urgency.
The Masked Marauder ran over to help. Shirley and her friends watched as he and some of the wrestlers tried to pull the barbell off Captain Courageous' neck.
END OF PART THREE