Free The Case of the Missing Dinosaur Egg by Martha Freeman

Because that is in reality the reason I invited you here today.”
    Tessa said, “Antonia Alfredo-Chin, who is that lady with the black hair who is not your grandmother, anyway?”
    Toni nodded. “That is an easy question. This woman is a new housekeeper. She and my
abuelita
came to Washington from our nation together a couple of months ago. She is not very good at her job, and she does not smile. But why—?”
    Tessa held up her hand. “If you don’t mind, I am asking the questions here.”
    I closed my eyes and shook my head. Oh, Tessa.
    But Toni giggled. “This is like a real detective show! What else do you want to know from me?”
    â€œWhy did your new housekeeper go to Mega Bird Farm this week to ask if Mr. Valenteen bought an ostrich egg there last week that he took to the National Museum of Natural History pretending to be from a delivery company that for real does not even
exist
?”
    Toni looked at Tessa. Then she looked at Nate and me. “Huh?” she said.
    Tessa said, “Okay, we can come back to that one. How about this? How well do you know this Mr. Valenteen guy from your nation? The one Hooligan knocked over on TV?”
    Toni said, “Not well, but it is said he sometimes doessecret projects for my uncle, President Alfredo-Chin. It may be possible that he is a
spy
.”
    Nate and I looked at each other.
A spy?
    And Tessa said, “Aha! So when Mr. Valenteen took the ostrich egg to the museum—was that a special project for President Alfredo-Chin? Like a
spy
project?”
    Toni didn’t answer, but Nate nodded like he had just figured something out. “I see what you’re getting at, Tessa! You think the idea was to embarrass Professor Bohn and Professor Rexington at their talk—make it seem like they’re so dumb they can’t tell the difference between an ostrich egg and a dinosaur egg. Then—if the professors were wrong and there was no dinosaur egg—the old legend could still be true, and President Alfredo-Chin could stay president in perpetuity!”
    â€œExactly,” Tessa said, even though I know my sister, and I could tell she had never thought all that one bit.
    Toni still didn’t say anything. Instead, she got up and walked over to her rock collection. “I do not know about ostrich eggs, but I do know many people in my nation disbelieve that silly legend, and many people are in favor of democracy.” She turned to face us. “That is why now, if you don’t mind, I would like to show you something.”
    Toni’s collection included a white geode, a purple amethyst, a lump of turquoise and two pieces of pyrite, also known as fool’s gold. But the rock she brought over for us to look at wasn’t pretty like those. It was gray and boring and oval-shaped. She held it out . . . . . . and my heart almost stopped for the second time in an hour.
    Tessa had turned pale, and her voice squeaked. “Is that what I think it is?”
    â€œYes,” said Toni. “It is the missing dinosaur egg fossil from the National Museum.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

    Tessa’s color came back fast.
    â€œ
Woot!
Cammie—get Mr. Morgan and Mr. Webb on the phone! The First Kids have solved another one! And Toni”—she looked at our friend sorrowfully—“I hate to tell you, but you are under arrest. Now—give over that dinosaur egg you stole!”
    Tessa made a grab, which caused Toni to squeal and jump back.
    â€œOh, for gosh sake, Tessa, would you chill?” I said. “We are not arresting anybody. If Toni ever stole any egg, would she invite us over to see it?”
    Tessa pouted. “Oh,
fine
. But, Toni, if you’re not a thief, how did you get hold of a missing dinosaur egg?”
    Toni shook her head. “I wish I knew. But the truth is it simply appeared in my rock collection.”
    Tessa crossed her arms over her chest again.