(4) The Case of the Ballon Man - Two Minutes Mysteries

 "The whole force is looking for Izzy the Balloon Man who kidnapped little Denis Farrell," Inspector Winters said to Dr. Haledjian.

"Doesn't anyone know where Izzy hangs out?"

"Nobody knows anything about him," replied the inspector. "Once a week he stops his old truck by the Farrell estate and gives out popcorn and mouse-shaped pink balloons. The kids love the funny faces he makes  as he puts the ballons to his lips and huffs and puffs.

"Las Thursday Izzy made his usual stop and drove off - or so it appeared. Later, Sam Potts and the Reverend Bevin were in Sam's backyard, which abuts the Farrell property. Sam noticed one of Izzy's balloons stuck high on his oak tree.

"Since there was no wind to blow it loose, San got a long ladder and climbed into the tree. From that height - about twenty feet - he could see over the  Farrell's twelve-foot wall.

"Sam says that as he released the balloon he glanced into the Farrell yard and saw the Balloon Man put young Deniss into his truck and drive off. He told the minister what he'd seen. Neither man thought much of it till they heard that Dennis was missing.

"Yesterday," concluded the inspector, "Dennis's father receiced a note stating that Dennis was being held for ransom, and that instruction would follow."

"Putting together everything you've told me," said Haledjian, "I think both Dennis and the Balloon Man have been kidnapped!"

Why?

Haledjian realized Sam Potts had used the innocent clergyman to confirm a tale of kidnapping which never occurred as he reported it.

Potts had obviously stuck the balloon high in the oak as a prop. On a day without a wind, a balloon blown up by breath could never rise high into a tree.