Biff Bundie: The Bronze Rhinoceros

THE STORY THUS FAR: Biff Bundie, University Police undercover agent disguised as graduate student Kevin Stoddard Heath, found a small package in his cost pocket after a strange, foreign man "accidently" bumped into him outside of Sever Hall. Upon opening it, Bundle discovered a pouch of greenish tobacco and a white card on which was printed a Roman numeral seven enclosed in a circle. Realizing the importance of his discoveries, Bundle started back to police headquarters. Meanwhile, in the midst of a fire in the Chem 20 lab in Mallinckrodt, a mutilated, decapitated body has been discovered in a fire blanket cabinet.

Biff Bundie burst into University Police headquarters only minutes after an hysterical phone call brought news of the hideous discovery in Mallinckrodt. Unaware of what happened, Biff buttonholed the Chief.

"Chief I'm onto something big. I found some tobacco . . ."

"Tobacco!" roared the Chief "Tobacco! There's been a murder, and you dare to babble about tobacco!" With an angry glare, the Chief strode out of the room accompanied by several policemen. Biff was left alone in the office, totally bewildered by the confusion he had stumbled into.

"Call for Bundie on line four!" came a shout from the outer room.

"I've got it." Bundie said, reaching for the phone on the Chief's desk. "Hello!" he said. There was no answer.

"Hello!" Biff repeated.

"Misster Biv Bundig?" queried an all too familiar voice.

"Yes," replied Biff excitedly.

"Don't talk," said the foreign voice, "chust lissen." There was an urgency about the voice that increased Bundie's tension. "Zair hass been a misstake. I must half my bundle back."

"Who is this?" demanded Biff, but he was answered only by a nervous gasp.

"Zair iss danchur. You musst meet me at vunce." There was a short pause, then there hastily whispered words: "Ze Bronts Rhinotseross!" This was followed by a sharp click.

"Hello! Hello! Who is this?" yelled Biff, but the silence on the other and told him he would learn no more. He stood helplessly holding the receiver. "The package was obviously meant for someone else," Bundie thought, his face contorted, "But who? And why?" He sat down at the Chief's desk to think.

An hour later he was no closer to understanding, when a commotion in the outer office announced the return of the Chief and his men. They looked pale and shaken, and when Biff heard what they had seen, he understood why.

"Bludgeoned to death," the Chief was saying. "Brutally mauled and horribly mutilated . . . No means of identification . . fingerprints removed simply by cutting off the tips of the fingers . . . only shred of evidence was a circle with a Roman numeral seven stamped on the sole of the right foot."

"Did you say Roman numeral seven?" Biff almost yelled.

"What's the matter, Bundie? Some more tobacco?"

But the young detective didn't hear the last remark, for he was already out the door. He knew he was right now. Tht pouch of tobacco was important. Now he had to find the strange little foreigner with the only clue he had: a cryptic phrase--"the Bronze Rhinoceros."

"Kevin!" called someone as Biff passed by the Chinese totem pole in front of Boylston Hall. "Kevin!"

"Ulp," thought Biff, "that's my new name." He turned and saw a Radcliffe junior he had met that morning, Jane something.

"Hi Jane," he said unenthusiastically.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" she asked smiling beatifically.

"Uh--to--my--uh--room."

"Where is that?"

"Uh--well--I don't exactly have one yet. I'm--uh--still looking."

'Honestly, Kevin, you're not making much sense. Let's have a cup of coffee and you can tell me about yourself."

Like a flash it hit him. The word "coffee" had stimulated his brain, and suddenly he knew: the Bronze Rhinoceros was a coffee house! Trying to hide his excitement he said slowly and meaningfully. "Coffee sounds fine. Let's pop on over to the Bronze Rhinoceros." He studied her face for a sign of recognition.

"The what?" Jane asked.

"The Bronze Rhinoceros, intoned Biff, leaning closer, "great coffee." He scrutinized her intently. She started back at him. "Bronze Rhinoceros." he repeated, bending over her.

Without a word, she edged away from him, broke into an open run, and within a few seconds had disappeared behind Weld Hall.

"Hmm," Biff thought, "I guess it's not a coffeehouse."

It was now four o'clock, and the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the Yard. The scene was oddly serene and Bundie stared blankly into space. Two students passed by him speaking loudly.

"What course is your test in?"

"Mineralogy 102 -- rocks and blocks."

Biff chuckled quietly at the nick-name, but stopped abruptly. Like some great bear trap, his mind had snapped into action. "Of course! the Bronze Rhinoceros is a nickname!" Just at that moment Bundle looked up and saw an immense dark--skinned man lumber down the University Hall steps. All at once the jig-saw pieces fit together, and Bundie knew he was right. He dashed behind the building and cautiously peered around the corner.

(To be Continued)

Next Episode: The Beast at Bay