Free Sly the Sleuth and the Food Mysteries by Donna Jo Napoli

Case #1: Sly and Something Fishy

Slow Season
    I kneeled on the floor by my sign. In black letters I wrote: SLEUTH FOR HIRE. That is the name of my agency.
    I looked at it hard. My father says ads should catch the eye. They should be bold. My sign was not bold.
    Brian was beside me. He was working on his picture of a T. rex. Brian is my neighbor. He’s only four. But he can be good company. Sometimes.
    Brian’s T. rex was orange and blue and lime. With purple stripes.
    He added a giant tooth. In red.
    It was bold.

    â€œCan I borrow your red crayon?” I asked.
    Brian put his finger in his mouth. He handed me the red crayon.
    It had no tip. Neither did his other crayons. And this was a new pack.
    â€œBrian, you press too hard.”
    Brian mumbled. I couldn’t understand. His finger was still in his mouth.
    â€œWhy’s your finger in your mouth?” I asked.
    Brian pulled his finger out. He wiped it on his sleeve. “Are you putting hearts on it?” he asked.
    â€œYou mean my sign?”
    â€œRed is good for hearts,” said Brian.
    â€œWhy would I put hearts on my sign?”
    Brian laughed. “For love.”
    â€œWhat? This is advertising. I need business.”
    I hadn’t had a new case in weeks.Winter must be the slow season for sleuths.
    â€œLove is good for business.” Brian made a green squiggle on the corner of my sign.
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œFrogs are good for business too.”
    That was a frog? But it looked sort of cute.
    I printed red words under the black ones that were already there:
    NO PROBLEM TOO SMALL REASONABLE PRICES
    The letters were fat, because the crayon had no tip.
    But my sign was bold now.
    I added hearts.
    A little love never hurts.

Too Much Work
    I sat on my heels and watched. Brian made a border of frogs on my sign.
    â€œWilson,” he said.Wilson is what Brian calls his frogs. All his frogs. He has dozens.
    I liked it.
    Bang!
    â€œJack!” screamed Brian.
    I knew what he meant. In the fall Jack had banged his soccer ball on my door.
    â€œThat’s no soccer ball,” I said. “It’s too cold for soccer balls.”
    Bang!
    Brian ran to the door. He opened it. “Jack!”
    Jack tucked his ball under his arm. He came in. Brian didn’t say “I told you so.”
    But I was annoyed anyway. I don’t like being wrong. “I told you before,” I said to Jack. “I prefer knocking.”
    â€œKnocking schmocking,” said Jack.
    â€œWhat’s that mean?” asked Brian.
    â€œSoccer balls are better than knocking,” said Jack. “Hey, nice T. rex.”
    â€œHe bites,” said Brian.
    Jack jumped. “Grrr!” He showed his teeth.
    Brian screamed. He ran behind me.
    â€œWhat about my sign?” I said.
    Jack frowned. “It looks like Christmas. Christmas is past.”
    Brian peeked out. “What makes it Christmas?”
    â€œRed and green.”
    Brian frowned.
    My sign did look Christmas-y.
    I frowned now. This was my only piece of poster board. And it was already used on the other side. “What are you doing here, Jack?”
    â€œI have a case for you. About Fluffy.”
    Fluffy is Jack’s cat. She also happens to be Kate’s cat. But Kate calls her Clarissa. And she happens to be a woman named Julie’s cat. But Julie calls her Punky.They all share her.
    Knock knock knock.
    Melody came in. She’s my best friend. She knocks. But she never waits for me to open the door.
    â€œI have a case for you,” said Melody.
    â€œI already hired her,” said Jack.
    â€œI’m not hired till I accept,” I said. “I don’t even know what your case is, Jack.”
    â€œMy case is important,” said Melody. “It’s dangerous.”
    â€œDanger!” screamed Brian.
    â€œI was here first,” said Jack.
    â€œTwo cases at once,” I said.“Let me