Cannon
Searching the Gazette archives for 1910 hadn't told Joyce anything she didn't already know. The only things reported stolen from the bank had been the $75,000, and there was no proof that the Mayor's grandfather had anything to do with it.
But Missy was sure it have been taken out of the bank at the same time. Why? And where had it gone, if she didn't have it? The time lock excuse seemed a bit fishy to her ears, but if Romana wasn't going to confront Missy about the whole episode, there wasn't going to be anything she could do.
"I think we're going to have to get some help on this one," Joyce said, as she and K-9 headed back to the TARDIS, after leisurely enjoying a milkshake. "If we can't go back to then and see what really happened, we're stuck. And I think Missy really doesn't want us to go back in time and go straight to the bank. I wonder what she's hiding?"
"Unknown, Miss," K-9 said. "There is no known temporal anomaly in this location at the present time to explain the Master's actions."
Later that afternoon, Joyce had to remind herself that it had only been a few months since she was last here. The Mad Scientist Club clubhouse, in an old barn in town, hadn't changed. The club President, Jeff Crocker, still sat behind the old packing crate he used for a podium, gavel in hand. Henry Mulligan was sitting on his old piano stool and the other members of the club were sitting on an odd assortment of chairs and stools.
Joyce listened, face blank at they conducted their business, paying close attention when Homer talked about the cannon and his theory that the money from the robbery was inside it.
"And what can we do for you, Coffee Girl," Jeff Crocker said, after the excitement of discovering Harmon Muldoon had been spying on them and their plans to investigate the cannon had settled down.
"We're in town investigating the 1910 bank robbery," Joyce said quickly. They were all getting ready to rush out and she knew she didn't have a lot of time to talk.
"That's a coincidence," Henry said. "Why now?"
Joyce shrugged. "I can't say, but there was something in the bank that one of our associates lost in the robbery, and if you think you know where the money is, maybe there's a clue to where this other thing went?"
"The newspapers don't say anything else was taken from the bank," Homer told the others.
"It's possible, but no there isn't any proof that the bank robber took it also," Joyce said. "But I'd like to come along to the cannon, if I can. I'll stay out of your way."
"And your robot dog?" Henry asked. "Memorial Point has a very rough path, and he travels on wheels."
"He'll have to stay back with my scientist," Joyce said. "I think he would be useful but the effort to get him up the hill, tonight anyway, would be too much to ask."
"Okay," Jeff said. "Are we all agreed that Coffee Girl can tag along tonight?"
The others shrugged. "It's a club secret," Charlie said.
"She can keep a secret," Mortimer Dalrymple said, nodding.
"She can help carry things," Dinky Poore said, waving at the pile of things Henry had taken out.
"Thanks, guys, I really appreciate it," Joyce said, smiling at them.
Joyce stared at the contraption Henry Mulligan and Charlie had assembled on the cannon. You could hear the chirping of crickets and there was an ominous feeling in the air. The grass was still damp after Jeff had chased off Harmon Muldoon, who'd disguised himself as one of the statues, with a hose. Henry was grumbling and wiping his horn rimmed glasses, soaked to the skin after protecting the contraption from the hose when it slipped out of Jeff's hands.
"It's always water with you guys," Joyce said, looking down at her soaked jeans. "Next time I'm bringing a raincoat."
"We hopefully got pictures," Henry said, after they'd disassembled his device and he'd placed several small objects on the cannon.
"What's that do?" Freddy Muldoon asked.
"It'll tell us if anyone comes up here, and take a picture," Henry said, directing Charlie and Mortimer to place a camera and radio in a tree, pointed at the cannon.
The trip back to the clubhouse seemed to take forever, Joyce thought, her shoes squeaking. She really hoped it was worth it.
After the negatives were developed, they crowded around a lightbox to see them. The first two were blank.
"That's interesting," Henry said, looking at the third negative. "We'll want a blow-up print of that one."
"And the fourth?" Joyce asked, trying to get a clearer look around the others. Even Dinky Poore was taller than her, she'd been reminded earlier.
"I'm not sure what that is," Henry said, frowning at the fourth negative. "It looks like a small shiny box. We can make a print of that one also."
After Mortimer developed pictures from the third and fourth negatives, it was clear that they'd found something in the cannon.
"Can I have it to show my scientist?" Joyce asked, pointing at the picture of the small box, as they excitedly talked about the satchel in the third picture and what might be in it.
"Yes," Henry said, handing it to her. "If you can find out what that is?"
"I'll let you know," Joyce said, nodding.
"We'l call you if anything comes up," Henry said. "Same phone number?" Joyce nodded.
"Thanks, guys, tonight was fun, but next time, I'll bring an umbrella!" Joyce said to them as she got up to leave. "And in the daylight."
"You got it, Coffee Girl," Jeff said. He turned back to the others and their discussion.
Dinky Poore escorted her out of the clubhouse before racing back in. As Joyce stopped under a streetlight, K-9 appeared from the shadows.
"I think it's in the cannon," Joyce said. "Hopefully Romana has an idea on how to get it out of there before someone else does."
"Acknowledged, Miss," K-9 said.
"Back to the TARDIS, it's getting late," Joyce said. "And I'd like some dry clothes."