Free Christmas Countdown by Susannah McFarlane

logo on it. Around the edge were the words ‘Spy of the Year’.
    â€˜It’s beautiful’ sighed Emma. ‘Is it yours, Grandma? A1 said you’d won one.’
    â€˜No,’ chuckled Grandma. ‘It’s yours Emma. You are this year’s SHINE Shining Star Spy of the Year. I’m so proud of you.’
    Emma blushed and felt tears coming to her eyes. They were happy tears though, really happy tears. She was proud of herself and thrilled that it was Grandma who’d given the medal to her. She couldn’t wait to tell Isi. Emma then took off her bracelet to put it back in its secret compartment on her bookshelf. As she did, she noticed the Christmas heart charm: she hadn’t used it. She twisted it and, as she did, an inscription appeared on the heart.

    Emma smiled.
    â€˜You knew that already didn’t you?’ said Grandma softly.
    â€˜Come on, you two,’ cried Dad. ‘Are we having Christmas or not?!’
    Emma hid her bracelet and medal and she and Grandma walked down the hallway. They couldn’t stop beaming. It was hard to tell who was more proud. As they walked passed the Christmas tree Emma saw a red Christmas bauble that she knew hadn’t been there last year, one that looked remarkably like one of SHINE ’s bauble-cams.
    â€˜You go on, Grandma,’ she said. ‘I won’t be long.’ And then she whispered to herself, ‘Gotcha,’ as she gently turned the red bauble around and switched the camera off. She glanced under the tree at the present wrapped in green with red stars paper. She knelt down and looked at the tag again.

    Emma looked at the bauble on the tree and then something did click. How could I have not got that? The answer is a camera; you shoot pictures but nothing is hit! Emma was thrilled; she had wanted a camera all year. But she wouldn’t let on that she knew. She’d keep quiet—just as she did every year. After all, did they really think SHINE ’s Spy of the Year couldn’t crack a Christmas-tag code?
    â€˜Emma!’ cried her mum from the dining room. ‘Are you feeling those presents again?’
    How did she do that without the bauble-cam? thought Emma.
    â€˜Not any more, Mum,’ she answered, laughing, as she came down the hall into the kitchen where everyone was waiting for her, ready to start the Christmas celebration.
    Everything was back to normal again. It was going to be the best Christmas ever—thanks to a little help from EJ—and IJ-12!

Emma Jacks and EJ12 will return in
    BOOK 12
SECRET SAFARI
    find out more at
ej12girlhero.com

COLLECT THEM ALL!

    Read sneak peeks on-line at
www.ej12girlhero.com

ISBN: 9781921684258
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