The Case of the Missing Moola

by David Lewman

  “But there was definitely a hundred and forty-four dollars in there!” Jacob protested. “It was the most anyone collected!”

  “Until Bill,” Emma pointed out.

  “Yeah . . . ,” Jacob admitted, “until Bill. But on Monday my envelope had the most money in it. A hundred and forty-four dollars! Everyone knew that!”

  “Right,” Victor said. “Because you kept telling us.”

  It seemed clear that someone had stolen one hundred dollars from Jacob’s envelope. Everyone in the homeroom started whispering to one another. Who could have taken the money?

  Wasn’t the box locked? And the desk? Only Mrs. Ramirez had the key. Did she take the money herself? She was driving a new car, but you can’t buy a new car with a hundred dollars. And besides, she’d started driving the new car before Monday. Whoever stole the money must have taken it after Monday.

  Another student thought maybe a janitor might have taken it. The janitors came in at night, after everyone left, so they’d have plenty of time to open the desk and the padlock to take the money. Another student said that kind of thinking was totally unfair to janitors. Janitors were people, too.

  An international gang of thieves? That seemed pretty unlikely. They probably would have taken all the money.

  Mrs. Ramirez called for everyone’s attention. “Class, please. Let’s stop all this talking. This is a classroom, not a coffee shop.”

  Jean raised her hand. “Does this mean the trip to Washington is canceled?”

  Mrs. Ramirez shook her head. “No. We still have the bake sale. And perhaps whoever took the money will return it. That would certainly be the right thing to do.”

  That seemed kind of doubtful to Corey. Why would you go to all the trouble to steal a hundred dollars and then just give it back?

  But that wasn’t all Corey was thinking about. Before Mrs. Ramirez quieted everyone down, Corey was pretty sure he’d heard Victor saying something to a couple of kids about “a Quark Pad.” And then he’d looked right at Corey. Suspiciously.

  Were people thinking that he’d taken the money? No matter how much he’d like to have one of the new Quark Pads, he’d never steal money to get one. He had a strong urge to jump to his feet and yell, “I didn’t do it!”

  But that would probably make people suspect him even more.

  Corey needed to clear his name. And he knew just the two people who could help him do it. . . .

  It smelled really good in the cafeteria at lunchtime that day. Mrs. Collins had fixed her special lasagna, which was one of Corey’s favorites. But instead of devouring it, he just pushed at a piece with his fork.

  “Okay,” Hannah said. “What’s wrong?”

  “Yeah,” Ben chimed in. “In a normal world, that lasagna would be at least halfway gone by now. In fact, make that three-quarters gone. Are you feeling sick?”

  When you’ve known one another since kindergarten, your friends can instantly tell when you’re not acting like yourself. And Corey was not acting like the Corey who Ben and Hannah knew.

  “No,” Corey said. “I’m not sick. But I’m worried. Did you hear about what happened in Mrs. Ramirez’s homeroom this morning?”

  “You mean the missing money?” Ben said. “Of course we heard about it.”

  “News travels fast in this school,” Hannah said, cutting off a piece of lasagna with her fork. “Why are you worried about it? Did you take it?”

  “No!” Corey said, almost jumping to his feet. “Of course not!”

  Hannah held up her nonfork hand. “Okay, I know! I’m just kidding!” She popped a bite of lasagna into her mouth and chewed. She’d chosen the vege­tarian lasagna, and it was really good. Ever since Miss Hodges had complained that there weren’t enough healthy choices being offered in the school cafeteria, Mrs. Collins had been trying to include more vegetarian food and other healthy options.

  Corey looked glum. “Well, it’s not funny. I think some people think I stole that hundred bucks, just because I was talking about how I wished I had enough money to buy one of those new Quark Pads.”

  “Those are so cool,” Hannah said.

  “You mean like the one Jeff Williams is using over there?” Ben asked, pointing with his fork.

  Corey twisted in his seat to see where Ben was pointing. Sure enough, Jeff was showing off his Quark Pad to several admiring kids. A video played across the screen of the sleek electronic device. Bass music thumped from its tiny speaker.

  “Man! How did Jeff get one of those? They’re really expensive,” Corey said.

  “I’m not sure,” Hannah said. “Maybe his parents bought it for him. I’ve been seeing more and more kids using them.”

  “Why don’t people suspect Jeff of taking the money?” Ben asked.

  “He’s not in Mrs. Ramirez’s homeroom,” Corey said.

  “Does it really have to be someone in her room?” Hannah asked.

  “I don’t know,” Corey said. “I just know that it seemed like Victor was telling people I did it.”

  Ben thought for a minute. “So, what do you want us to do? Mount some kind of publicity campaign?” He moved his hand across an imaginary banner. “‘Corey—In Your Hearts, You Know He’s Innocent,’” Ben said dramatically.

  “Maybe you’re overreacting,” Hannah remarked. “Do people really think you’re the thief?”

  “I’m not sure,” Corey admitted. “But they might. And I hate that.”

  “We need more evidence,” Hannah said.

  “I’ve got an idea,” Ben said. “We’ll split up and walk around the cafeteria, trying to hear what people are talking about.”

  “Won’t people notice me wandering around the room, eavesdropping?” Corey asked. “They’ll shut up right away.”

  “Pretend you’re getting more food or something,” Hannah suggested. “Even if they don’t say anything around you, you’ll notice if they suddenly shut up. And maybe Ben or I will hear something.”

  “Okay,” Corey said with a sigh. “I guess it’s worth a try.”

  The three friends got up and went in three different directions. They made their way past as many tables as possible, trying to overhear what people were talking about.

  It wasn’t easy. The cafeteria was a pretty noisy place. Still, it became clear right away that lots of people were talking about the stolen money.

  After a few minutes, Ben, Hannah, and Corey met back at their table to compare notes and finish their lunches before the bell rang.

  “Well?” Corey asked. “Did you find out anything?”

  Hannah nodded. “Definitely.”

  “What?” Corey asked anxiously.

  “Well,” Hannah said, leaning in and lowering her voice, “Sarah Clark has a huge crush on Zach Phillips.”

  “That’s not what I meant!” Corey said.

  “Yeah, Hannah,” Ben agreed. “Everybody knows Sarah has a crush on Zach.” He grinned.

  “Fine,” Corey said. “Just keep teasing me. Mean­while, I’m getting a reputation as a no-good, lousy crook.”

  “That’s not true,” Ben said. “You took a hundred dollars. You’re a very good crook.”

  Corey threw up his hands and laid his head on the table, moaning.

  “Okay, okay,” Hannah said with a laugh. “Enough teasing. I didn’t hear anyone say that they thought you took the money. But lots of people are talking about the theft.”

  Ben nodded. “That’s what I heard too. Everyone’s talking about it. Except Mike Crowley. He’s talking about—”

  “Don’t tell me,” Corey interrupted. “Fly-fishing.”

  Ben looked surprised. “That’s right. How did you know that?”

  Corey rolled his eyes. “Ever since Mike’s uncle took him on a fly-fishing trip, it’s all he ever talks about. Wading into streams, casting, making your own flies, different kinds of trout—he won’t talk about anything else.”

  Hannah made a face. “Fishing is gross. Blech.”

  “Unless you’re starving on a d
eserted island and the only thing to eat is fish,” Ben said.

  “Still gross,” Hannah insisted. “Just necessary, I guess.”

  “So, anyway, you didn’t hear anyone talking about me being the thief?” Corey asked.

  Hannah and Ben shook their heads.

  “I guess that’s good,” Corey said. “But it doesn’t really prove that no one suspects me. It just means you didn’t happen to overhear them saying it.”

  Ben nodded. “That’s true. I can only think of one sure way to prove that you didn’t steal that hundred dollars.”

  “How?” Corey asked. “Search my room? Because you should know, it’s a mess. And there’s a missing sandwich. Might be pretty moldy by now.”

  “No,” Ben said. “By finding out who did steal the money.”

  Hannah smiled. “That’s a great idea! This could be Club CSI’s second case.”

  “The Case of the Missing Moola,” Ben said.

  For the first time that lunch period, Corey brightened up. “Yeah! We could investigate, crack the case, find the real thief, and clear my name!”

  “Using forensic science,” Ben added.

  “Naturally,” Corey said. “That’s the Club CSI way.”

  “What’s our first step?” Hannah asked. “Search Corey’s room?”

  Corey frowned. “I thought we agreed no more teasing.”

  “Okay, sorry,” Hannah said, giggling.

  “I suggest,” Ben said, “that we begin by consulting with our faculty advisor, Miss Hodges.”

  “Agreed,” Hannah said.

  “Boy, I feel better already,” Corey said. “And hungry!”

  Just as he started to tuck into his lasagna, the bell rang. Brrrrrring!

  At the end of the day, Hannah, Corey, and Ben managed to squeeze into Miss Hodges’s small office off her forensic science classroom. The walls had posters about footprints, tire treads, and blood types. Her desk was covered with books and papers, neatly arranged into piles.

  “All right, Club CSI,” Miss Hodges said, smiling. “What’s on your minds?”

  “Theft,” Ben answered.

  “What’s been stolen?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.

  They explained about the money missing from Mrs. Ramirez’s metal box. Miss Hodges listened carefully, nodding.

  “I see,” she said. “Well, I think in a case like this, the first thing to determine is whether there actually has been a crime committed.”

  The three friends looked puzzled. How could robbery not be a crime?

  “What I mean is,” Miss Hodges explained, “are you absolutely sure Mrs. Ramirez didn’t accidentally miscount the money?”

  Ben and Hannah turned to Corey, since he was the one who was there when the money was counted. He thought a minute.

  “I don’t think she did,” he said slowly. “For one thing, she’s a math teacher.”

  “Yes, but even teachers can make some mistakes,” Miss Hodges said. “I’ve made one or two myself.”

  “But the whole class was watching while she counted the money,” Corey said. “And she counted it twice. The total was short a hundred dollars. When she checked Jacob’s envelope, it was missing a hundred dollars.”

  Miss Hodges nodded. “All right, good,” she said. “You’re remembering the whole incident very clearly. And it sounds as though there wasn’t a miscount. But could the hundred dollars have been lost somehow?”

  Corey shook his head. “I don’t really see how. Mrs. Ramirez put each person’s money into envelopes, then locked the envelopes in a metal box. Right away.”

  “And then she locked the metal box in her desk drawer, right?” Ben added, since Corey had already told them every detail of the theft.

  “Right,” Corey said. “And the money was missing from Jacob’s envelope. It had the most money in it.”

  “Since Jacob made a point of turning his money in last,” Hannah added, “his envelope was right on top.”

  “Yeah, everyone in the class knew that,” Corey said. “Whoever took the money probably just grabbed it out of Jacob’s envelope because it was the fattest one.”

  “And the handiest one,” Ben said, “sitting right there on top of the stack.”

  Miss Hodges had jotted down a few notes: “$100,” “locked box,” “Jacob,” “top envelope.” “Okay,” she said. “From what you’re telling me, it does sound quite likely that a theft actually has occurred. The money wasn’t miscounted or misplaced. We’ll go on the assumption that it was stolen.”

  All three kids nodded in agreement. They were sure the money had been stolen. And they were glad Miss Hodges agreed with them.

  “So what’s your first step?” Miss Hodges asked.

  “Coming to you for advice,” Corey answered.

  Miss Hodges laughed. “Right,” she said. “Well, I think I would suggest that you begin by putting together a timeline.”

  Corey was confused. “A timeline? Like we do in history class? Like, with the year Magellan sailed and the year Columbus reached the New World? We should get some high-quality poster board, because that’s how I got an A on my explorers report in fourth grade.”

  Miss Hodges smiled. “I don’t think we’ll need poster board, though that’s a great idea if you’re making a presentation.”

  “I prefer PowerPoint,” Ben said. He liked using his computer every chance he got.

  Miss Hodges stood up. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go in the lab. It’s a little crowded in my office.”

  Hannah loved it when Miss Hodges called the forensics classroom “the lab.” It sounded so official. Hannah was thinking about becoming a crime-scene investigator someday and was looking forward to working in a real police lab.

  Ben, Corey, and Hannah followed Miss Hodges into the lab. There were tables and chairs, drawers and microscopes, but the teacher walked straight to the dry-erase board and picked up a marker.

  “I think I know what kind of timeline you have in mind,” Ben said. He turned to Corey. “When did Mrs. Ramirez put Jacob’s envelope, with one

  hundred and forty-four dollars in it, in the metal box?”

  “First thing Monday morning,” Corey answered, “during homeroom period.”

  Miss Hodges handed the marker to Hannah. She pulled off the cap and wrote on the board “Monday morning—money put in box.” As she wrote, the smell from the marker filled the air.

  “When did Mrs. Ramirez discover that a hundred dollars was missing?” Ben asked.

  “Thursday morning—today,” Corey said. “Right after the morning announcements.”

  Hannah then wrote on the board: “Tuesday,” “Wednesday,” and “Thursday.” Under “Thursday” she wrote, “After announcements, $100 missing.”

  “Did the metal box leave her desk drawer between Monday and Thursday?” Ben asked.

  “Yes,” Corey said confidently.

  “When?” Hannah asked, ready to write this on the board.

  “When the thief took the money,” Corey said.

  Miss Hodges grinned. “Corey, your logic is impeccable.”

  “I’m sorry,” Corey said.

  “Impeccable logic is good,” Ben said.

  “Why, because it can’t be pecked?” Corey asked. “I’m confused.”

  Strolling toward the timeline, Miss Hodges explained, “All I’m saying is that you’re right. The thief must have taken the box out of the desk. Between Monday morning and Thursday morning, did you see anyone take the box out of the drawer? Mrs. Ramirez, for example?”

  “You’re not saying Mrs. Ramirez stole the money, are you?” Corey asked, alarmed. “Because I’m pretty positive she didn’t.”

  “I’m just trying to track the metal box, figure out where it was the whole time,” Miss Hodges said.

  Corey thought a minute. “Nope,” he said. “I don’t think Mrs. Ramirez took the box out of the drawer. Unless she took it out for just a second while I was looking out the window or something. I’ve been looking out the w
indow a lot lately.”

  “Spring will do that to you,” Miss Hodges said, grinning. “But try to stay focused.”

  “I am,” Corey said. “So, what does the timeline tell us?”

  They all stared at the board. “Obviously,” Hannah said, “the timeline suggests that the money was stolen between Monday morning and Thursday morning.”

  “Who had access to Mrs. Ramirez’s classroom during that time?” Miss Hodges asked.

  “All the students in her classes,” Corey said.

  “But it probably wasn’t taken during a class, while she was right there,” Ben said.

  “Still,” Hannah said, “classrooms aren’t locked during the day. Anyone inside the school could slip in for a minute while the room was empty. Even teachers have to go to the bathroom.”

  Then she remembered she was talking to a teacher and felt a little embarrassed.

  “So you’re saying pretty much everyone in the school had access to that room,” Ben said.

  “Right,” agreed Hannah, happy to leave the subject of teachers and bathrooms.

  Corey whistled. “That’s a big list of suspects.” He wasn’t exactly sure how many kids went to Woodlands Junior High, but he was pretty sure it was in the hundreds.

  Miss Hodges nodded. “Clearly, you’re going to need to gather some evidence.”

  “What kind of evidence?” Corey asked.

  “Well, I think you might find tomorrow’s class very informative,” Miss Hodges said mysteriously. “And helpful.”

  “Why?” Hannah asked. “What are we learning about in forensic science tomorrow?”

  Miss Hodges smiled and raised one eyebrow. “Wait and see.”

  As the three friends walked through the empty halls to their lockers before heading home, they talked about what tomorrow’s forensic lesson might be.

  “Whatever it is, I hope it helps us solve this case,” Hannah said.

  When he reached his locker, Corey found a piece of notebook paper taped to the door. Someone had scrawled “I KNOW YOU STOLE IT!” on the paper. Corey ripped the paper off his locker and wadded it up.

  “Yeah,” he said. “The sooner the better.”

  The next day Ben, Corey, and Hannah got to forensic science class early. They were eager to find out what Miss Hodges was going to teach them. Maybe it would help them figure out who stole the hundred dollars.