The President’s Plaque: Part 12

Two Voices

“Rob, you’re a genius. Becoming an employee here. But are you sure today’s a good day to do it?” a low voice asks.
“Of course, you lunatic, he just finished interviewing some kid who won some confounded award!” a second, more shallow voice whispers back. “He’ll be completely caught off guard.”
The first voice shouts back, “WELL THEN WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?! LET’S NAB ‘IM!!”
“Shut your hole — what if somebody hears us?” the second voice commands.
“Arghh….”
“I hear he’s resting by that century-old American Elm tree. Let’s go do our job.”
I’m so afraid they’ll burst out of the door and catch me eavesdropping!! But no, in 5 seconds, they’re gone, out some other door on the other side. I open the door I’m leaning against and creep into the room. I grab my plaque and quickly hurry out. I run back to the spot where I left Dad and Mike. They are still standing there.
I gasp for air. “Dad… Is today.. the president’s….. birth… day…?”
Dad says, “No, Cindy. Why do you ask? Here, let me hold that for you,” and takes my plaque.
“Because… I heard two men that sounded like they were planning a surprise party for the president… or something….” I say, still partially out of breath.
“It’s nowhere near Mr. President’s birthday. What could those two men have been up to?” Dad wonders out loud.
“They said something about catching him off guard,” I tell Dad.
“Hold on a second, Cindy. Did you see them, or did you just hear their voices?”
“I only heard their voices. They said that the president was at some decade-old Elm tree or something like that. One of them is named Rob — he’s got a shallow voice — and he’s an employee here.”
“I have a bad feeling about this. Let’s go to that tree,” Dad says, and pulls out the map. He locates the tree (which is actually a CENTURY-old American Elm tree), and begins walking.