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Authors: Donna Jo Napoli

Sly the Sleuth and the Food Mysteries (6 page)

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The Internet

I went into our family room. I sat down at the computer.

Millet is yellow grain from Africa and Asia. I was right: It is bird food. But it's also people food.

Quinoa is a grain from Peru. You say it “keen-wah.” It has a nutty flavor.

I learned this from a website about food allergies. People who can't eat wheat eat these other grains. And rice too. And corn.

Princess brought rice instead of rotini. She brought brown spaghetti made from rice instead of regular spaghetti. She served fruit and chocolate instead of macaroni and cheese.

And when she filled her plate in her sunroom, she ate corn crackers but not regular crackers.

I telephoned Princess.

“Hello.”

“Hi, Princess. Do you hate Italian food?”

“No, I like it.”

It was tough to ask, but I had to: “Do you hate Kate?”

“No, I like her.”

“Do you hate birthday parties?”

“Well, parts of them. But I go if I'm invited. Are you having one?”

“No. Is it the birthday-cake part you hate?”

“Yes,” said Princess.

“Are you allergic to wheat?”

Princess made a loud sigh. “You figured it out. I knew I should have quit the club right away. But I was afraid I'd have no one to play with. Kate's recipes are awful.Wheat makes me feel yucky.”

“Why keep it a secret?” I said.“Lots of people have allergies.”

“Yeah. But kids think you're sickly if you tell them,” said Princess. “I know. They treat me different once they find out. So I keep it to myself.”

“Well, I think you should tell your friends,” I said. “Otherwise they get confused by what you do.”

“You mean Kate?”

“And Melody. And Brian too. Even Jack and Noah. We're all your friends, Princess.”

Back to Cheerleading

Princess told Kate she was allergic to wheat. So Kate said the cooking club could change. No more pasta.

But Princess said she really wanted to be a cheerleader. She said cheerleaders get on TV too.

Kate said it wasn't the same thing. Who ever heard of a cheerleading channel? But her ankle feels okay now, and she really likes Princess. She said managing the cooking club was a lot of trouble, anyway. Besides, her mother wanted her to go back to cheerleading for the exercise. Kate's mother is on a health kick. She has been for months.

We're a cheerleading squad again.

Kate wanted to celebrate that Princess didn't hate her. So she invited Princess and Melody and me to a sleepover.

Brian was sad because he had no place to wear his MASCOOK T-shirt. But Kate told him he could wear it to basketball games. So he got happy again.

Jack was sad because he liked being a taster. Kate didn't say anything to that. After all, what could she say?

And all our parents were glad to have us back for family meals.

So the mystery of Princess was solved. And it was all about food. Wow. Kate had been right when she said something was cooking with Princess. Words are funny like that. They mean so many things. Ha, ha.

Case #3: Sly and Something seedy

The Smell of Apples

Princess stood at my living room window. “January is cold here.”

“This is worse than usual,” I said.

“It snows too much,” said Princess.

“I like it, though,” said Melody. “It makes ice-skating fun.”

Melody is good at ice-skating.

“I love ice-skating,” said Brian.

Brian is bad at ice-skating.

“What about you?” asked Princess. “Do you skate, Sly?”

“Not much. I like it inside. Nice and warm.”

“I'd like something warm right now,” said Princess. “Something to make us feel cozy.”

“Let's bake apples,” I said.

We trooped into the kitchen.

Melody and I washed apples.

“I'll cut the cores out,” said Princess. “It's important to get rid of all the seeds.”

So Princess cut out the cores.

Brian filled the holes: sugar, cinnamon, and a pat of butter.

We put them in the oven.

“We have apple cider too,” I said.

“Let's heat it,” said Melody.“Hot cider is best.”

“With cinnamon sticks and cloves,” said Princess.

So we made spicy hot cider.

“Apple party,” said Brian. “Apple, apple, apple party.”

I love all fruit. But apples are my favorite. They smell great. My father says I'm the apple of his eye.

Cooking together like this made me miss the old cooking club.

We went back into the living room. We sipped our cider and waited for the apples to bake soft.

I smiled at Brian and Melody and Princess. It was funny. Earlier this morning, I had taken out my sleuth sign. I was bored. I was going to put it up.

Brian came over and added more hearts to it. But we never put it up because then Melody and Princess came.

And look what a nice morning this was turning out to be. Who needed sleuthing?

Seedy

Thud.
The noise came from the porch door.
Thud, thud.

“Jack!” screamed Brian.

Jack would have to be crazy to be kicking his soccer ball around in this snow.

I opened the door.

A snow-coated ball sailed past me. It hit the inside wall.

Jack was crazy.

And his jacket was covered with snow and mud. “Jack, you look like a bum.You look seedy.”

“I have a case for you,” said Jack.

“Magic magic magic,” sang Brian.

I had to admit it. That sign sure seemed magic.

I looked at the snowball mess. “My mother won't like that.” I got the mop and handed it to Jack.

Jack groaned. But he cleaned up the puddle.

Princess peeked in. “Hi, Jack.” She gave a quick wave and disappeared into the kitchen.

Jack sniffed the air. “Apple pie?”

“Cider and baked apples,” I said.

“Come have some,” said Melody. She stood beside me now. Melody seemed to like feeding Jack.

“Sure.”

“Take off your dirty jacket,” I said.

Jack took off his jacket.

“What's your case?” I asked.

“Shhh,” said Jack. “I can't tell you now.”

“Then why did you come over?” I whispered.

“I'll tell you later,” Jack whispered back.

“You can come in now,” called Princess.

What was she talking about?

We went into the kitchen.

Our mess was gone. Princess had wiped the counter clean. She'd thrown the apple cores in the compost bin.

Before I could thank her, the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Sly. This is Mrs. Monti. I need to talk with Princess a minute.”

“Sure.” I handed the phone to Princess. “Your mother,” I mouthed.

“Hi, Mamma.” Princess nodded. “Now?” Princess turned her back to us. “All right.... Okay. . . . Bye.” She hung up and turned to us. “I have to go. My mother needs me to pick up cheese for her.”

“Can't you wait till after the baked apples?” I asked.

“She's in the middle of cooking. Sorry.”

I waved my arm around the kitchen. “Thanks, but you didn't have to do all that work yourself,” I said.

“I didn't mind. And see? Everything's nice and safe now.”

Safe? “Is something wrong, Princess?”

“I just have to hurry. Bye.” Princess pulled on her jacket and left.

Thief

“Good,” said Jack. “Now I can tell you about my case.”

“You mean you couldn't tell with Princess here?”

“Nope.”

This was interesting.

I went to the drawer and got my special pencil. And special pad of paper.These are tools of the trade. I sat on the couch. “Give me the details,” I said.That's sleuth talk.

“You have to catch a thief.”

I put away the paper and pencil. “Sleuths aren't the police.”

“I don't mean you have to put him in jail. Just find out who he is. Then I can stop him.”