Free Vanishing Acts by Phillip Margolin, Ami Margolin Rome Page B

blood-covered onion was found in the trash, as well as ham, eggs, and a green bell pepper. Isn’t that weird?”
    â€œI’ll write that down. It could be important,” she said, proud of their detective skills.
    Madison started looking through a file titled Photographs . The police had taken pictures of every little detail in the house. Flipping through shots of the kitchen, bedroom, and living room, she stopped suddenly when she came across a photograph of the fireplace mantel in the living room. She could see several items on the mantel, including a picture of two women in a silver frame. One of the women in the framed picture was definitely Mrs. Shelby, her second-grade teacher from Lewis and Clark Elementary.
    Madison hadn’t thought about second grade in a long time, but a flood of memories came back to her. The day her father forgot to pack her lunch and Mrs. Shelby comforted her and gave her some of her own lunch. The colors and decorations in Mrs. Shelby’s room. I really hope nothing’s happened to her,Madison thought.
    She put her nose up to the picture. The other person resembled Mrs. Shelby and the woman who had been sitting in the last row during the bail hearing, but the photo was too small for Madison to be certain. Madison kept a magnifying glass in her drawer. It was one of the tools of the detective trade. She was about to get it when her father walked into the file room. He stopped in his tracks.
    â€œMadison, who is this?” he said, pointing at Jake, “and what are you doing?”
    â€œUm, Dad, this is my friend Jake,” Madison answered, trying to keep her cool. “We were, um, we were just doing our homework. Jake’s in my science class.”
    Jake forced a smile, since he was too scared to speak, and gave a little “hello” wave.
    â€œMadison Elizabeth Kincaid, I am not stupid. The answers to your science homework are not in my files.”
    â€œYes, well, Jake came with me to see the Shelby bail hearing. He had never been to a court case before and . . .”
    â€œYes?” Hamilton was getting impatient.
    â€œSo, uh, I was showing him how you have files in cases like the Shelby case, which he saw.”
    â€œYou know you’re not allowed to look in my files. You know lawyer’s files are confidential. You know better than to read them.”
    Madison decided to come clean. “Dad, I thought I could help you solve the mystery of where Mrs. Shelby went.”
    When Hamilton spoke he sounded exasperated. “We’ve talked about this before. Murder cases are serious. They are not fun and games. Twelve-year-olds do not have the experience to solve a murder case. You need to stop snooping. Now put those files away and do your homework.”
    Hamilton shook his head and walked off.
    â€œWow. I thought we were done for.” Jake let out his breath.
    Madison looked away, too embarrassed to meet Jake’s eyes. “I’m sorry about that,” she mumbled. “But I was wrong. I know I’m not supposed to look through his files.” She sighed. “I just wanted to help.”
    â€œHey, don’t feel bad. It was my fault. I should have known better than to ask about your dad’s private files.”
    â€œNo, you shouldn’t. Your folks aren’t lawyers, so you’d have no way to know they’re confidential. I knew I shouldn’t look, but . . .”
    Madison’s hands curled into fists and she gritted her teeth. “I just wish Dad would let me help him. He still treats me like I’m two years old. And I can help. I’m smart and I’m going to be a lawyer someday. I wish he’d trust me more.”
    â€œParents are like that. They always think you’re just this little kid, no matter what you do.”
    Suddenly, he brightened. “I bet he’d think about you differently if you solved the Shelby case.”
    â€œHow am I going to do that when