Free The Powder Puff Puzzle by Blanche Sims Page A

poor cat.”
    She sat down on the grass. She tried to stop crying.
    “What happened?” Alex asked.
    “He rode away in a car,” said Dawn. “He’s lost.”
    Jason stopped jumping. “You’ll find him.”
    “No.” Dawn shook her head. “He’s far away.”
    Alex shook his head too. “You’re right. He’s gone.”
    “Don’t be silly,” Jason said.
    Dawn looked up.
    “You forgot,” Jason told Alex. “Dawn’s a detective.” He started to jump again.
    Alex put a towel around his neck. “Hey, that’s right.”
    “Of course,” said Dawn. “I’m not worried. Not one bit.”
    She swallowed.
    “What are you going to do?” Jason asked.
    Dawn tried to think. Poor Powder Puff. He liked to eat potato chips. He liked applesauce too.
    The woman in the car didn’t know that.
    Suppose she didn’t even see him?
    Suppose she locked the door with the cat inside?
    Dawn wouldn’t think about that. She’d think about how to find him.
    “I tried to see the license plate,” Dawn said.
    “What was it?” Jason asked.
    “A name. It began with P. There was an A in it too.”
    “How many letters?” Jason asked.
    “What kind of name?” Alex said at the same time.

    Dawn shook her head. “I don’t know.”
    She pulled at a piece of grass. “A woman got into the car. Maybe it was a woman’s name.”
    “Good thinking,” said Alex.
    “A woman’s name beginning with P . . .” Dawn began to chew on the piece of grass.
    “Peg,” said Jason. “Like my sister Peggy.”
    “I don’t think Peggy drives,” Alex said.
    The boys grinned at each other.
    “Uh-uh. Not Peg,” Dawn said. It has an A. Remember?”
    “Patsy,” said Alex. “That’s my aunt’s name.”
    “Pamela,” said Jason. “That’s my aunt’s name.”
    Dawn sat up straight. “Maybe.”
    “What’s next?” Alex asked.
    “I have to see Emily Arrow’s father. He’s a policeman.”
    Alex rubbed his face with his towel. “You’re lucky. Mr. Arrow is off today. He’s in the backyard.”
    They went around the side of the house.
    Emily was in the pool.
    So was Stacy, her little sister.
    Stacy was singing a song.
    Emily was floating on her yellow raft.
    It was too big for the pool.
    It kept bumping the side.
    Mr. Arrow was sitting on the back step. He was drinking a can of soda.
    Emily sat down next to him.
    “My favorite detective,” he said.
    Stacy stuck her head over the side of the pool. “No, I am.”
    “You too,” said Mr. Arrow.
    Dawn told him about Powder Puff. She told him about the license plate.
    “It said Pamela,” said Alex.
    “Or Patsy,” said Jason.
    “What color was the plate?” Mr. Arrow asked.
    Dawn frowned. “It was white. White with blue letters.” She nodded. “It had a picture of the Statue of Liberty.”
    “That’s New York,” said Mr. Arrow.
    He took a last drink of soda. “I’ll find out.” He went into the house.
    Jason looked at Dawn. “How—”
    “Policemen know the license plates. There’s a list.”
    “That must be a long list,” said Alex.
    “Very,” said Dawn. “Mr. Arrow will call the police station. A policeman will look it up.”
    Alex crossed his fingers.
    So did Jason.
    Dawn crossed her toes.
    A little later Mr. Arrow came outside. He was frowning.
    “No Pamela,” he said.
    “How about—” Jason began.
    Mr. Arrow shook his head. “No Patsy.”
    Dawn wanted to cry. She stood up. “I have to go home now.”
    Emily waved at her. “Don’t you want a quick dip? Just to cool off?”
    Dawn started down the path. She tried to smile. “Not now.”
    She waved back at them. “Thanks,” she told Mr. Arrow.
    She heard Emily say, “Poor Dawn.”
    She heard Stacy say, “Poor Powder Puff.”
    She started to run.
    Powder Puff was gone forever.

CHAPTER 3
    “D AWN B OSCO,” A VOICE called. “Wait a minute.”
    Dawn stopped. She turned around.
    Stacy Arrow was running down the street. Her feet were bare. She was running on her tiptoes. “My father says come back,” Stacy