Free Hide and Snake Murder by Jessie Chandler.

class in second grade—”
    â€œAt least I could do it. If I remember right, you couldn’t make it off the ground.”
    â€œI have weak arms.”
    â€œWeak arms? I think your problem was you schmoozed one too many pieces of cake from the cooks.”
    â€œYou’re just jealous I got extra—”
    â€œChildren!” Eddy bellowed. “Shut up.”
    I snapped my mouth closed. Baz and I could be a little Eddy and Agnes-like at times.
    In a quieter voice, Eddy said, “Basil, just tell us what’s happened.”
    Baz took a deep breath. “Fine. Agnes, did you do something with that stuffed toy green snake I brought home the other day?”
    â€œOh,” Agnes said. “Of course I did. I gave it to Rocky when he and Eddy came over to pick me up for the airport. He’s been wearing it around his neck since we got here. Thinks it’s quite something else. Why?”
    â€œI need it back.”
    â€œFor what? You grew out of stuffed animals in your twenties.”
    Stuffed animals in his twenties? What a great razzing point. I looked at Baz, waiting for him to answer, wondering how much he’d admit to his aunt.
    â€œI, uh, borrowed it from a friend and they want it back.”
    â€œBasil, you know better than to lie to me.” Agnes sighed sadly, and then asked in a resigned voice, “Who’d you steal it from?”
    Before he could answer, my cell rang, jangling my already frayed nerves.
    Expectant faces looked at me I pulled it off my hip and answered, “Hello?”
    â€œShay?” April McNichi’s voice boomed through the speaker.
    â€œYeah, it’s me. What’s up?”
    â€œHoudini found Rocky.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œRemember Houdini mentioning a girl who made balloon animals?”
    â€œYep.”
    â€œShe goes by Tulip, and I think it’s a match made in heaven. They are so similar it’s freakish. Tulip’s incorporated your boy in her act, and he’s wowing tourists by reciting random facts and doing instantaneous mathematical calculations.”
    â€œWell, that sounds like our Rocky.” My heart unclenched a little. Thank goodness he wasn’t dead or hurt.
    â€œHoudini is on the way to your hotel with him now. He should be there any time.”
    â€œI don’t know how to thank you guys.”
    â€œCome see our act and give us a big tip.”
    â€œYou can count on it.” I disconnected.
    I related the turn of events, and we all trooped down to the lobby to await Rocky’s arrival. We settled into two Victorian sofas that faced each other and talked about New Orleans poker. In less than ten minutes, looking like a dark devil-angel, Houdini strode through the hotel entryway. Rocky followed him, the neon-green snake hanging around his shoulders. He was wearing his Twins jacket and blue aviator hat.
    His face lit up like a kid at Christmas when he caught sight of us. “Nick Coop! Shay O’Hanlon!”
    I heard Baz say, “He’s got it!”
    Rocky lurched toward Coop and nearly bowled him over. Then he launched himself at me. After I’d squeezed Rocky, I pushed him away and shook him gently. “Rocky, don’t you ever leave without telling us where you’re going. You really scared Eddy and Agnes.”
    Rocky looked over at Eddy with big eyes. His bottom lip started to quiver.
    â€œOh, young man, you come here.” Eddy opened her arms and Rocky dove into them.
    â€œI’m very sorry, Miss Eddy. I did not mean to scare you.” His voice was tight and low.
    Houdini said, “I’ll leave you all to your reunion.”
    â€œThanks, Houdini,” I said.
    He tipped an imaginary hat at me. “Anytime. Adieu ,” he rumbled, and then swooped out the door without another word.
    I turned my attention back to the unfolding drama. “Shhh,” Eddy was saying. “It’s okay. Just let us know where you’re going next