Read The Midnight Mystery Online

Authors: Beverly Lewis

The Midnight Mystery (4 page)

BOOK: The Midnight Mystery
2.28Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

LOST—
one golden Labrador guide dog.
Answers to Honey.
$36 reward.
Call 555-1028
or return to 233 Blossom Hill Lane
.

“I really hope this works,” Ellen said. She wiped her eyes.

“We
all
do,” said Dunkum.

SEVEN

“Let's ride our bikes to the newspaper office,” Dunkum said.

The Cul-de-sac Kids called their good-byes to Ellen.

On the way, they saw a dogcatcher. Dunkum cringed. Honey had lost her collar last night. What if the pound found her? How would a beautiful, smart dog like Honey feel locked up with mangy mutts?

“Hey, mister!” Dunkum called. “Have you seen a golden Lab around the neighborhood?”

The Cul-de-sac Kids stopped pedaling.

Jimmy Hunter's eyes were wide as saucers. His older brother, Shawn, looked very worried. Carly and Dee Dee whispered to each other. Abby and Stacy were silent. Eric pulled his bike up next to Jason's.

The dogcatcher walked toward them, mopping his forehead. “Sorry, kids. No dogs like that around here.”

“Thanks anyway,” Dunkum said. He felt kind of sad. But glad, too, that Honey wasn't considered a stray.

The kids pushed on, past the corner store. When they came to the post office, Dunkum spotted Adam Henny. He was mailing a letter, wearing one of his Ratty R Us outfits.

Dunkum sped up. He hoped Adam wouldn't see him. Because Adam Henny was the last person Dunkum wanted to talk to today.

“Yo, Dunkum! Wait up!” It was Adam shouting at him.

The Cul-de-sac Kids slowed down. Abby waved to Adam. So did Eric and Jason. Jimmy and Shawn rode their bikes over to Adam.

Dunkum gripped his handlebars, watching his friends. He felt too tense. He did
not
want shabby Adam in their club!

“Where's everyone going?” Adam asked Abby.

Dunkum took a deep breath. He wanted to say, “Get lost.”

But Abby said, “Ellen's dog is missing. We're putting an ad in the newspaper.”

Adam looked surprised. “Honey's missing?”

“Uh, we better get going,” Dunkum interrupted. He wanted to get away from Adam. Fast.

So he led the group, speeding off and leaving the dirty boy behind. Once again.

“Dunkum, wait!” Adam called after them. But Dunkum would not look back.

At the newspaper office, Abby shoved her kickstand down. She glared at Dunkum. “What's your problem?” she asked. “You were rude to Adam. Why?”

“I don't want him in on our plans,” Dunkum shouted back at her.

“What's the big deal? Nobody said it was a secret about Honey,” Abby said. Her hands were on her hips. She seemed angry.

Eric stepped between them. “Don't yell at her, Dunkum. Abby didn't do anything wrong.”

“Yeah, who cares if Adam knows?” Jason asked.

Dunkum was no dummy. Eric and Jason were sticking up for Abby. “Adam Henny isn't a Cul-de-sac Kid. That's all,”
Dunkum muttered. “He's not in our club.”

“Well, so what?” Stacy spoke up. “He's a human being, isn't he?”

The kids stared at her, surprised. Stacy hardly ever raised her voice.

“It doesn't matter if Adam is in our club or not,” Abby shot back. “He can help us find Honey, can't he?”

Dunkum was afraid Abby might say that. No way should Adam get the reward money.

Eric shrugged his shoulders. “Adam's not so bad.” He turned and followed Abby up the steps to the newspaper office.

The Cul-de-sac Kids were close behind.

Dunkum stomped his foot. His summer was off to a rotten start. Thanks to a kid who needed a two-hour bath!

EIGHT

When Dunkum arrived home, Ellen was reading her Braille joke book. “Listen to this,” she said.

Dunkum sat down. He was glad Ellen couldn't see his face. He was also glad she couldn't see into his heart.

“Who was the world's first banker?” she asked.

“I don't know,” said Dunkum, trying to sound interested.

“Pharaoh's daughter. She found a little prophet in the rushes to the banks.” Ellen
began to laugh. “Isn't that funny?”

“Yeah, real funny,” Dunkum said, pouting.

“What's wrong with you?” Ellen asked, facing him.

“How can you read jokes and laugh when Honey's missing?”

“God will take care of Honey,” she said.

Dunkum felt terrible. He was getting it from all sides. Excusing himself, he went to his room. Every few minutes, he could hear Ellen laughing out loud.

The joke book must be very funny
, thought Dunkum.

He decided to sit in his room, all by himself.

An hour later, the doorbell rang. “I'll get it,” Dunkum said. He rushed downstairs.

Eric Hagel stood on the porch.

“Hi, Eric. What's up?” Dunkum asked.

“Let's talk somewhere private,” Eric said. His eyes blinked too fast.

“Come to my room,” Dunkum said, leading the way.

“Where's that ID bracelet you showed us?” Eric asked.

Dunkum went to his dresser and picked up the bracelet. “What do you want with it?”

“I think I know who it belongs to,” Eric said. He took it from Dunkum. “I think A. H. stands for Adam Henny.”

Dunkum gasped. “Of course!” Why hadn't he thought of that?

“But . . . we don't know for sure,” Eric added.

“It makes sense, though, doesn't it?” Dunkum said.

“Only if Adam dropped it in the bushes last night,” Eric said.

“Adam must've been spying on our
party,” Dunkum decided.

“That's strange.” Eric sat on Dunkum's bed. “Do you think this is a dognapping case?” he asked.

“Beats me,” Dunkum said. “Let's have a club meeting. We'll see what the rest of the Cul-de-sac Kids think.”

“Ellen should come, too,” Eric said.

“You're right. She has sort of a sixth sense,” Dunkum said.

They hurried downstairs to get Ellen.

The club meeting was in Abby's backyard. She called the meeting to order. Then she said, “Any new business?”

Dunkum held up the ID bracelet. “Eric and I have a theory. We think this clue might lead us to Honey.”

Abby and Stacy sat in the grass, twirling their hair.

Carly and Dee Dee were all ears.
“What's a theory?” asked Dee Dee.

“It's like a guess,” Dunkum explained.

“I don't want to guess about Honey,” Jimmy said.

Shawn shook his head. He was worried about Honey, too.

Eric was grinning. “Dunkum and I guess that this ID bracelet belongs to Adam Henny.”

Abby's mouth flew open. “Why do you think that?”

“For one thing, there are only two kids with A. H. initials,” Dunkum said. He glanced at Abby.

Ellen asked to hold the ID bracelet. She had a strange look on her face as she touched it.

“If this
does
belong to Adam,” Dunkum said, “I think we're looking at a dognapping.”

“Wha-at?” Abby and Ellen said together.

“It could be a case for the police,” Dunkum said. Talking about the police made him feel much better.

If Adam Henny was to blame, maybe
then
he'd leave them alone.

NINE

The next day, Dunkum talked to Abby after Sunday school. “I'm sorry about yesterday,” he said.

“You were upset. So was I.” She paused for a moment. “You know what?”

“What?” asked Dunkum.

“I'm sorry, too,” she said.

Dunkum waited in line at the water fountain. “Did you see our ad in the morning paper?” he asked.

Abby smiled, her eyes shining. “It looked terrific. But something's strange.
There were sixteen pets reported missing over the weekend.”

“Wow, that's a lot,” Dunkum said.

“I think something's going on,” she said.

“What do you mean?” Dunkum asked.

“I did some checking,” Abby told him. “I called six of the people who placed ads for lost pets.”

“You did?” Dunkum was all ears. “What did they say?”

“It seems that a bald man in a black jeep has been returning lost pets,” said Abby. “And, get this. Each owner had offered a reward.”

BOOK: The Midnight Mystery
2.28Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Unknown by Unknown
Moonlight on My Mind by Jennifer McQuiston
The Last Spymaster by Lynds, Gayle
Radio Boys by Sean Michael
Big Wheat by Richard A. Thompson
City Boy by Herman Wouk
Bind and Keep Me, Book 2 by Cari Silverwood