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Palmer comes to get them whenever it’s handy. That way he doesn’t bother anybody. As a matter of fact, he was here just a little while ago.”
    “Does he wrap the bones in aluminum foil? Or plastic wrap?”
    “I don’t know what he wraps them in,” Ann said. “He always carries them out in that big gym bag of his.” She stared at Brian. “What difference does it make?”
    “Our neighbor has a dog,” Sean piped up.
    “Sorry,” she said. “We don’t give out bones to anyone but Palmer,” Ann said.
    A chef hurried from the back room, his tall white hat quivering. “The steaks!” he shouted. “The entire package … delivered this morning! Gone! And a large ham! Now, you tell me—where could they be?”
    “What time were they delivered?” Brian asked.
    “Out!” Ann said. “You kids don’t belong in here!”
    She hustled them out quickly and shut the door. In the hallway Brian smiled. “I have a good idea now of who’s been stealing the meat!” he announced. “It’s like a network of contacts. And it starts with Palmer.”
    “But security examines Palmer’s gym bag when he leaves the hotel,” Jennifer said. “They open and look through everything. Just ask Mr. Otis. He’ll tell you.” She made a face. “Besides, meat would be ruined if it wasn’t refrigerated all day long.”
    “Right,” Brian nodded. “I’m not sure yet how Palmer is transporting the stolen stuff from the hotel. Especially since everyone is searched.”
    “Not everyone,” Sean reminded him. “The guests aren’t searched.”
    “Guests,” Brian said. “I wonder …”
    “But the thief can’t be a guest,” Jennifer said. “Our hotel guests are here for short visits, and the thefts have been going on for more than three months.” Jennifer opened the door to the main hallway, which was filled with a tour group lining up at the restaurant.
    “We’ve got to talk about this where we can’t be overheard,” Brian said. “Let’s try the porch.”
    But the porch was crowded with guests enjoying the beautiful day, and the garden bench was already occupied.
    “If we go to our apartment, Mom’s likely to walk in on us,” Jennifer said. “But off the lobby there’s a small conference room that’s probably empty. Come on.”
    They elbowed their way through the group of people who were signed up to take the airport shuttle, then entered the room and turned on the lights.
    Brian said, “Okay. This is how I’ve figured it out. What Mom said about her network of friends made me think about Palmer and his friends. Palmer takes the meat from the refrigerated lockers and places it in his gym bag, and no one suspects him because everyone thinks he’s carrying dog bones. Then Palmer passes the bag to his friend, Jed, who takes the gym bag to the airport.”
    “But Brian,” said Sean. “A gym bag is pretty conspicuous. After a while, wouldn’t someone become suspicious of it?”
    Brian frowned again and scratched his head. “You’re right.”
    “Besides,” said Jennifer, “all employee bags are searched.”
    “And everyone knows that that’s Palmer’s gym bag,” said Sean. “Also, wouldn’t Mr. Otis wonder why Jed was driving Palmer’s gym bag to the airport?”
    “Right,” said Brian, and nodded. “What we’re looking for is a big bag that is so inconspicuous that no one in the hotel would notice it going back and forth. Even after a lot of trips.”
    Trips, thought Sean. Suddenly he remembered the first time he had tripped over the old brown suitcase in the lobby. He hadn’t even noticed it there with all the other suitcases. That had to be it!
    “Suitcases!” shouted Sean.
    “What are you talking about?” asked Brian.
    “The meat isn’t being carried out in a gym bag,” explained Sean. “It’s being taken out in a suitcase. No one would pay any attention to a suitcase. They would think it belonged to a guest!”
    “That’s it!” agreed Brian. “I bet there are hundreds of suitcases