Free The Mystery of Case D. Luc by Beverly Lewis Page B

popsicles.”
    â€œMm-m,” said Eric. “Sounds good.”
    Stacy held her hands over her ears. “Don’t tell me, I want to be surprised.”
    â€œNext,” said Abby. “We’ll have jitter blocks.”
    Carly giggled. “Must be something wiggly.”
    â€œLast of all, we’ll have sweet hearts,” Abby said.
    Dunkum frowned. “I thought it was an April Fool’s Day party, not a Valentine party.”
    â€œWho cares,” said Jason. “Sweets are good any day.”
    â€œYou better stay away from them,” said Dunkum. “Remember Valentine’s Day, when you pigged out on chocolates?”
    Jason groaned and held his stomach. He remembered.
    â€œHey, Abby, what are jitter blocks?” Dunkum asked.
    Abby smiled. “April Fool’s Day food, that’s what.”
    Jason and Eric poked each other, laughing.
    Jimmy Hunter, Abby’s little Korean brother, tugged on the list. “I not like that American food.”
    Abby hugged him. “It’s just for fun,” she said. “You’ll see.”
    Stacy grinned. “What will we do at the party besides eat strange food?”

    Dunkum had an idea. “We could play basketball.”
    The kids groaned.
    â€œNot that again!” Carly shouted.
    â€œThen I’m not coming,” Dunkum said. And he leaped off the porch and headed home.

FOUR
    Dunkum’s friends called to him, but he kept running. He was sick of planning parties. He was dying to practice basketball.
    As he turned toward his house, he heard Dee Dee Winters calling. She lived across the street.
    Dunkum spun around. “What do you want?” he grumbled.
    â€œCome over here,” she called from her front door.
    Dunkum stomped across the street.
    Dee Dee was holding her sick cat. “Did you get me a Sunday school paper?”
    â€œI’m not in your class,” Dunkum replied.
    â€œWell, I got one for you when you were sick. That’s what friends are supposed to do.” Then she asked, “What was your memory verse today?”
    â€œIt was two verses, Matthew 6:19 and 20,” Dunkum said. “Read it for yourself.”
    â€œI already did,” Dee Dee answered.
    Dunkum shook his head. “Then why did you ask me?”
    She grinned. “Just checking.”
    Dee Dee’s as sick as her cat , thought Dunkum. He stormed down the steps and dashed across the street. Ka-bang! Dunkum slammed his front door.
    Upstairs, he ran to his room and threw open the closet door. He reached for his basketball. It was gone!
    Dunkum searched the back of thecloset. He looked behind his overnight bag.
    â€œMom! Dad!” Dunkum called. He ran downstairs, darting in and out of the kitchen. He checked the family room. The house was empty.
    Then he remembered. The front door was unlocked when he came in. “That’s it! A thief walked right into my house and stole my basketball!”
    Dunkum didn’t bother to check if anything else was missing. He could think of only one thing—his basketball.
    Running back upstairs, Dunkum searched everywhere. He looked under his bed. Nothing.
    He looked in the hamper. Nope.
    He even looked behind the shower curtain. But his ball was nowhere to be found.
    Dunkum fell on his bed. The lump in his throat grew and grew. He could hardly swallow. When he did, tears filled hiseyes. But he squeezed his eyes shut and wiped the tears away.
    He got up and marched downstairs, wondering where his parents were. Looking on the counter, Dunkum spotted a note.
    Dear Dunkum ,
    We’ll be back in a jiffy. We went to get fried chicken. I hope you’re hungry!
    Love ya,
Mom
    P.S. I left the front door open. I guess you figured that out.
    Dunkum put the note back on the counter. He stared out the kitchen window. “The thief might still be out there,” he whispered.
    He almost wished that rotten thief was lurking nearby. Dunkum would sneak up behind