Free Cam Jansen and the Valentine Baby Mystery by David A. Adler, Susanna Natti Page B

Cam and Eric.”
    Ms. Benson read the note aloud. “‘Please let me go to the
hapistal
.’ That’s what you wrote: ‘
hapistal.
’ And you signed it, ‘Danny’s dad.’”
    Danny smiled at Ms. Benson. She smiled, too, and shook her head. She wouldn’t allow him to go with Cam and Eric.
    Danny turned and started toward his seat, and children in the class laughed.
    “What?” Danny asked. “I didn’t even tell a joke.”
    Math worksheets from Ms. Benson’s desk were stuck to the cream cheese and jelly on Danny’s sleeve.
    “That’s a good idea,” Ms. Benson said. “You can hand out the worksheets.”

    Danny went back to Ms. Benson’s desk. He took the rest of the worksheets from her desk. He gave sheets to Cam and Eric. Then he walked through the room and gave one to each of his classmates.
    Cam and Eric followed Mrs. Shelton to her car. “Buckle up,” Mrs. Shelton said as they got in.
    Cam and Eric got into the backseat of the car and put on their seat belts.
    “What’s the name of a triangle with all three sides the same length?” Eric asked. He was reading from the worksheet.
    “I’m not thinking about triangles,” Cam answered. “I’m thinking about my sister.”
    “That’s exactly what I’m thinking about,” Mrs. Shelton said. “Babies are so cute.”
    “It’s equilateral,” Eric said. Then he folded the worksheet. He put it in his jacket pocket and said, “I’ll do this later.”
    It was a short ride to the hospital. Mrs. Shelton drove to the entrance of the parking garage. The gate was down. Mrs. Sheltonstopped the car and pulled a ticket from the machine, and the gate went up.
    “Here,” Mrs. Shelton said, and gave Eric the ticket. “Please hold this.”
    It was a large garage with several levels. Mrs. Shelton drove along the ramps from one level to the next. The first empty spot she found was on the fifth level. Mrs. Shelton parked her car. When she, Cam, and Eric got out, she pushed the car clicker on her key ring. The car lights blinked as the doors locked.
    “Let’s go,” Mrs. Shelton said.
    The front lobby of the hospital was decorated with pink ribbons and lots of paper hearts.
    “Hey,” Eric told Cam. “Your sister’s birthday will be February fourteenth, Valentine’s Day. That’s so great!”
    Mrs. Shelton told the man at the front desk, “We’re here to see Mrs. Jane Jansen.”
    “Maternity, fourth floor,” the man said after he checked on the computer. Then helooked at Cam and Eric. “Are these Jane Jansen’s children?”
    “She’s Mrs. Jansen’s daughter, and he’s my son.”
    The man smiled and said, “Go ahead upstairs.”
    Cam, Eric, and Mrs. Shelton went to the elevator. They got off at the fourth floor and followed signs to the maternity ward.
    “Look, Cam,” Mrs. Shelton said, and pointed down the hall. “There’s your dad.”
    Cam ran to him.
    He hugged Cam. “Mom is waiting to go to the delivery room,” he said. “I’ll tell her you’re here.” Then he hurried off.

C HAPTER T HREE
    “Babies have their own schedules,” Mrs. Shelton said as she, Cam, and Eric went to the waiting room. “It may be a few minutes or a few hours before your sister is born.”
    In a large chair in the corner of the room was a man. His legs were stretched out onto a small table. His coat was over his legs, and he was asleep. A white-haired old woman and one with blonde hair were also in the room. They were sitting together and reading magazines. In the back of the room were vending machines, one with coffee and one with juice.

    “It’s hot here,” Mrs. Shelton said, and took off her coat. She put the coat and her purse on a couch near the sleeping man. Cam and Eric also took off their coats.
    Eric said, “Let’s play a game while we wait. Let’s play Geography. I’ll name a place, like ‘Texas.’ That ends with an ‘S.’ Then you’ll name a place that starts with an ‘S,’ like ‘South Dakota.’”
    “Let’s do it with babies’