Happy Days: An Accident of the Heart

Chapter 4: Spy Games

"So, Rich, that's everything she told me. It's time to pay the piper, big brother." Joanie held out her hand for the two dollars and Richie reluctantly slapped it down.

"Thanks, Joanie. That was a big help, but you sure drive a hard bargain. I should get a family discount." He complained.

"Hey, I have a life to live too, Rich." She waved with a fake smile at her date. He chowed down on an Arnold's cheeseburger deluxe. "Jimmy crack corn over there forgot his wallet. Men! You know something, I like doing investigative work. Maybe I'll become a girl detective, like Nancy Drew."

"Hey, I can see you on a book cover with a magnifying glass. 'The Joanie Cunningham Mysteries.' Has a nice to ring to it." Potsie said and munched on his French fries.

"Yeah, but Nancy Drew doesn't charge two dollars for her services. In fact she works for free!" Richie grumbled.

Joanie giggled and swiped him. "Oh, Rich, you sound just like dad. Don't be such a cheapskate."

"I'll make sure to tell dad you think he's cheap." Richie teased. "We'll see where your allowance goes."

"Don't you dare, Richard J. Cunningham! Or else I'll tell Fonzie you were the one who knocked down the 'Fonz' sign near his apartment! I covered for you and said a squirrel did it." Joanie poked his chest.

"Okay, okay, never mind. Can't you take a joke?"

"Sure, when they're actually funny. I better get back to Jimmy before Amanda Simpson steals him away from me. She looks like she's about to pounce. See ya!" Joanie rushed from the booth.

Richie sat back and scratched his head. The band rehearsed without Ralph and he felt antsy, since Ralph was late because of him. Potsie looked downcast.

"What's wrong, Potsie?"

"I just feel bad for Sadie, and now we're spying on her. She's a nice woman."

"Yeah, I know she is, but we're really doing it for Fonzie. We gotta make sure things are on the straight and narrow here. Now we know she was in two gangs, and you heard Joanie, she had a boyfriend, a bad boyfriend in the second gang."

Potsie shrugged. "I've had some bad girlfriends, what's the big deal? Remember Tessa Lowenstein? She had some really bad breath and uh...Mary Connors, she used to have that crazy, snorting laugh that woke up the neighbors when I brought her to the doorstep. I did everything I could not to make jokes."

"Yeah, and she told everyone at school you were a bore and a square with the sense of humor of an undertaker."

Potsie rolled his eyes. "So! At least my ears didn't have to pop from hearing her. You know she almost got a ticket from Officer Kirk for noise pollution after hours?"

Richie laughed at Potsie's foolishness. "Potsie, I didn't mean bad like that. I mean bad like...maybe this guy did something criminal and that's why Sadie is on the run?"

"Who says she's on the run?"

"Fonzie."

"Oh, then she must be. He's always right. Oooh, I get it! Hey, I bet Sadie did something criminal with her boyfriend! What if she's Bonnie and he's Clyde? What if she's looking for a replacement Clyde, and she's using Fonzie? Buttering him up and making him fall in love with her?" 

Richie mused at that, but didn't agree. Potsie kept talking.

"This is getting a little crazy, Rich. I mean, the guy tried to kill her. He could come after you or Fonzie next if he found out. Your family...us!" Potsie's eyes widened and he looked around for unfamiliar faces.