Authors: David A. Adler

The Catnapping Mystery (4 page)

BOOK: The Catnapping Mystery

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“It was round and near the top of the window. Across it were three curved stripes, blue, red, and green, like a rainbow,” Cam said with her eyes still closed. “And there was the outline of a leaf and a number.”

“That’s from the garage at the Oak Tree Apartments,” Officer Johnson said. “Maybe the thief lives there. I know Beth, the garage woman. If we find the van, she’ll tell us who owns it.”

Officer Goldberg said, “Let’s go. We have to hurry.”

The two police officers left the room. Cam, Eric, Mr. Jansen, Mrs. Jansen, and Aunt Molly followed them. They all got into the elevator.

“Where are all of you going?” Officer Johnson asked.

“You need me,” Cam said, “to show you the van.”

“And we’re her parents,” Mr. and Mrs. Jansen said together.

“And I’m her Aunt Molly. I work for an airline.”

Eric looked up at Officer Johnson and smiled. “And I’m only ten years old,” he said. “I can’t be left here alone.”

The elevator door opened.

“We need the
click
girl,” Officer Johnson said. “Whoever else fits in the back seat of our car is welcome to come.”

“Let’s go,” Officer Goldberg said. “We have to hurry.”

Chapter Eight

T
he lobby was still crowded. The woman in the long black dress was playing a popular song on the red piano. Lots of people were singing.

The police officers, Cam, and the others rushed past the red piano. The woman stopped playing as they went past.

“Hey,” the bell captain called as they passed his desk. “Did you catch the thief?”

“We will,” Officer Johnson said.

The police car was parked just outside the hotel entrance. Officer Johnson got in the driver’s seat. Officer Goldberg got in the passenger side of the front seat. Then he opened the back door for the others.

Mrs. Jansen got in first. Then Cam got in and sat on her mother’s lap. Aunt Molly went in next, followed by Mr. Jansen. Eric looked in at the crowded back seat.

“We’re in a hurry,” Officer Goldberg said.

Aunt Molly said, “Get in, Sheldon. There’s plenty of room.”

“His name is
Eric Shelton,
” Mr. Jansen said as Eric squeezed in and sat on his lap.

Officer Goldberg turned on the siren and Officer Johnson drove off.

Rrrr! Rrrr!

Each time the car hit a bump, Cam’s and Eric’s heads hit the roof of the car.

Rrrr! Rrrr!

“This is so exciting,” Molly said.

They went through a red light and sped quickly around a corner.

“Turn off the siren,” Officer Johnson said. “We don’t want the thief to know we’re coming.”

Officer Goldberg shut the siren off just as Officer Johnson turned the car onto a driveway. She drove the car into a garage beneath a large apartment building.

A woman wearing jeans and a sweatshirt came out of the garage office. She walked over to the car.

“Hi, Beth,” Officer Johnson said to her. “We’re looking for a green van.”

“There’s one right here,” Beth said, and pointed. “And there are two others.”

Cam and the others got out of the police car. Cam looked at the green van. She closed her eyes and said,
“Click.”
Then she opened her eyes and looked at the van again.

“This is not the one,” she said. “The one near the hotel had mud on it and a large dent in the back.”

“I’ll show you the others,” Beth said.

She led everyone through the garage to another green van. This one was parked next to a large cement pole.

Cam looked at the van. She closed her eyes and said,
“Click.”
Then she opened her eyes and said, “This is it.”

The two police officers turned to Beth.

“It belongs to the man in apartment 7E,” she told them.

“Thanks,” Officer Goldberg said, as he and Officer Johnson walked to the elevator in the corner of the garage.

Cam and the others followed them.

“Where are all of you going?” Officer Johnson asked when the elevator door opened.

“You’ll need me to identify the thief,” Cam said as she stepped into the elevator.

“And we’re her parents,” Mr. and Mrs. Jansen said together.

“Not this again!” Officer Johnson said. “Just get in.” Then she pushed the button for the seventh floor.

The elevator went up. Then it stopped and the door opened. Everyone got off.

“Stay here,” Officer Goldberg said.

The two officers went to apartment 7E. They knocked on the door and waited. They knocked again, and Officer Johnson said,
“Police,”
very loudly.

The door opened.

“What is it?” the person who opened the door asked. He didn’t step outside the apartment, so Cam couldn’t see if he was the thief.

“We’re investigating a robbery,” Officer Johnson said.

The man said, “I didn’t rob anyone.”

“Do you mind if a girl comes here and takes a look at you?” Officer Goldberg asked.

The man said, “I didn’t rob any girl.”

Officer Goldberg signaled for Cam to come over.

Cam took one look at the man and said, “Yes. That’s him.”

Chapter Nine

“H
ey,” the man said. “I didn’t rob her!”

Meow!

A gold and black striped cat ran out. Cam reached for it, and it ran into her hands.

“Is this your cat?” Officer Johnson asked the man.

“Yes,” he answered. “I’m allowed to have a cat, aren’t I?”

Cam looked at the tag around the cat’s neck. “What’s the cat’s name?” Cam asked.

The man thought for a moment and then answered, “It doesn’t have a name. I just say, ‘Here Kitty,’ and it comes to me.”

“The cat’s name is Little Tiger,” Cam said. She showed the tag to Officer Goldberg.

The man scratched his head and said, “Yes, that’s right. I say ‘Here, Kitty. Here, Little Tiger,’ and it comes.”

“Stop playing games,” Officer Johnson said. “We know you stole the cat and luggage from a woman named Esther Wright. I can see the suitcases from here. They’re next to your television set.”

“So they’re not my things,” the man said. “But that woman gave them to me. Is that a crime?”

“You took her things and you held them for ransom,” Officer Goldberg said. “That is a crime. ”

“You’re under arrest,” Officer Johnson told the man. She took out a printed card and read it to him.

“You have the right to remain silent,” she began.

When she was done, Officer Goldberg told the man, “Come with us.”

The officers watched from the door as he went to get a jacket. On his way out, he picked up two large suitcases.

“Here,” he said, and gave the suitcases to the officers. “Give her back her stuff. And give her back her cat. It scratched my chair and made a mess.”

The police officers each took a suitcase. In the elevator, Officer Goldberg thanked Cam and the others for their help. Then he said, “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find your own way back to the hotel. We’re taking this man to the police station.”

“What about Little Tiger?” Cam asked.

Officer Goldberg said, “Bring her back to Esther Wright. And tell her to come to the police station to pick up her luggage. She has to fill out some forms.”

The elevator door opened. The officers led the man to their car. Then they drove off.

Meow.

“Nice cat,” Cam said, and patted Little Tiger.

Cam, her parents, Eric, and Aunt Molly went to the small garage office. Mrs. Jansen asked Beth if she could use the telephone.

“Sure,” Beth said.

Mrs. Jansen took out a card with the Royal Hotel telephone number. Then she dialed.

“Mrs. Wright is in room 613,” Cam told her mother. “And can I talk?”

Mrs. Jansen waited. Then she said, “Room 613,” and gave the telephone to Cam.

Cam waited. But there was no answer.

“I know where she is,” Eric said. “Mrs. Wright is probably waiting near the front of the Kurt Daub Museum.”

Meow,
Little Tiger said.

Cam hung up the telephone. Beth told them how to get to the museum.

“Oh, my,” Mrs. Jansen said as they left the garage. “This is a real adventure.”

“See,” Aunt Molly said. “I told you we would do something exciting.”

Eric walked alongside her and whispered, “Aunt Molly, do you know a place that begins with the letter o?”

“I left my luggage once next to a water fountain in Ohio,” Aunt Molly said. “Ohio begins with an o.”

“Ohio,” Eric said to Cam. “Ohio begins and ends with an o. So now you need another place that begins with an o.”

Aunt Molly thought for a moment and then asked, “Do you know why I left my luggage next to a water fountain?”

“Were you confused again?” Mr. Jansen asked.

“Of course not,” Aunt Molly said. “I was thirsty!”

When they came to the museum, they saw Esther Wright waiting. Little Tiger jumped out of Cam’s arms and ran to her.

“Oh, Little Tiger! Little Tiger!” Mrs. Wright said, and hugged the cat.

“The police have the thief,” Cam told Mrs. Wright.

“And they have your luggage,” Eric added.

Esther Wright looked around. Then she asked, “The thief was caught?”

“Yes,” Eric said. “Cam
clic
ked and solved the mystery.”

Esther Wright ran behind one of the large cement columns. She came back holding an old newspaper.

“I have my cat and my money, and I’ll get my luggage,” she said. “Thank you so much for your help. We should celebrate.”

Mrs. Wright pointed to an outdoor restaurant. “Let’s go there and all get some ice cream.”

Meow,
Little Tiger said.

“And some milk,” Mrs. Wright said.

“And then,” Mrs. Jansen said, “we can visit the Kurt Daub Museum.” She sighed. “I just hope it’s quiet in there. I’ve had enough excitement for one day.”

Aunt Molly laughed. Cam, Eric, Mr. Jansen, and even Mrs. Wright laughed, too.