Chapter 2

ENCYCLOPEDIA, Sally and Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey found Bugs at the Tigers’ clubhouse, sewing feathers onto a small child’s dress.

"Scram, junior," Bugs growled. "You made me drop a stitch. I’ve got a lot of work to do on Regina’s dress for the Idaville Little Junior Miss pageant."

Sally shook her fist at Bugs. "’Fess up Meany, we know you killed the Ramseys’ daughter."

Bugs smirked at Encyclopedia and the Ramseys. "Tell Miss Congeniality here that I did no such thing."

"But I saw you in our yard the night our beautiful baby was killed!" Mrs. Ramsey cried.

"She’s noisier than a clothes drier with a pair of shoes inside," Sally whispered to Encyclopedia.

Bugs put the tiny dress aside and sneered. "I’ll tell all of you the same thing I told the Boulder police and District Attorney Alex Hunter. All my life I’ve liked to look at the stars at night. I’m an honest-to-goodness amateur astronomer. The Ramseys’ backyard happens to be the perfect spot to see the constellations."

"It’s true," Mr. Ramsey said. "Everyone says so."

Mrs. Ramsey kept crying while Sally fumed. Bugs began working on the dress again.

Finally, Encyclopedia spoke. "And which constellation were you looking at, Bugs?"

Bugs looked up from the dress and smiled like the cat that ate the canary. "It’s called Canis Minor, smart guy. That means ‘lesser dog,’ for those of you who don’t know the constellations as well as I do." Bugs looked around the clubhouse triumphantly.

"It’s true," Mr. Ramsey said. "That’s what it means. I took Latin in college."

Encyclopedia rubbed his chin, lost in thought.

"It’s not fair," wept Mrs. Ramsey.

Then Mr. Ramsey said, "We’ve been tried and convicted, and in some people’s minds, executed..."

"All without the benefit of a trial!" added Mrs. Ramsey.

"We can’t let Bugs get away with it!" Sally exclaimed. "Should I pound the truth out of him, Encyclopedia?" Sally made a fist and moved to pummel Bugs.

"That won’t be necessary," Encyclopedia said, grabbing Sally by the arm. "Bugs Meany is lying. He killed JonBenet Ramsey and I can prove it!"