The Diamond Mystery #1
Page 1
GROSSET & DUNLAP
Published by the Penguin Group
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Original title: LasseMajas Detektivbyrå: Diamantmysteriet
Text by Martin Widmark
Original cover and illustrations by Helena Willis
English language edition copyright © 2014 Penguin Group (USA) LLC. Original edition published by Bonnier Carlsen Bokförlag, Sweden, 2002. Text copyright © 2002 by Martin Widmark. Illustrations copyright © 2002 by Helena Willis. Published in 2014 by Grosset & Dunlap, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 345 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. GROSSET & DUNLAP is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) LLC. Manufactured in China.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.
ISBN 978-0-698-19751-0
Version_1
Contents
Copyright
Title page
The Diamond Mystery
Map
The Detectives’ Office
A Desperate Man Seeks Help
The Investigation Begins
The Suspects
Investigations Inside and Out
The Missing Apple
A Snack and a Solution
Who, Why, and How?
Special excerpt from The Hotel Mystery
The Diamond Mystery
The books in The Whodunit Detective Agency series are set in the charming little town of Pleasant Valley. It’s the sort of close-knit community where nearly everyone knows one another. The town and characters are all fictional, of course . . . or are they?
The main characters, Jerry and Maya, are classmates and close friends who run a small detective agency together.
CHAPTER 1
The Detectives’ Office
The streets were empty in the little town of Pleasant Valley. At three thirty on a chilly February afternoon it was already growing dark. A late winter storm had left the town slick with freezing rain.
There was a light shining through the basement window of a small house just east of town. Inside, two children enjoyed the cozy warmth of the basement. Their names were Jerry and Maya, classmates and good friends from school.
They were off from school for winter break. Most of their friends were charging down the sledding hill, but neither Jerry nor Maya felt like joining them. They had something else on their minds.
“I have a feeling that something exciting is going to happen soon,” said Jerry hopefully.
“Mmm-hmm,” mumbled Maya. She had her nose in a book as usual.
The two classmates had set up a small office in Maya’s basement, and they sat in two old armchairs that stood next to a table piled high with books. More volumes of thick books—Maya’s dad’s detective stories—lined the walls. Maya and Jerry liked to sit in this room and read. During winter break they wanted to learn everything about how thieves and police officers worked.
You see, Maya and Jerry were not just friends: They were partners as well. Together, they ran a detective agency: the Whodunit Detective Agency.
A detective, of course, is a type of police officer who wears regular clothes instead of an official uniform. A detective carries out investigations and spies on suspects, takes photographs and looks through binoculars. In the end, a good detective solves the case and catches the criminal.
“I wish we had a really exciting case,” said Maya with a sigh.
“Maybe all of the thieves are on winter break, too,” said Jerry.
Maya opened a tidy cabinet to make sure everything inside was well organized. It held everything they needed for their detective work:
A camera with a flash—to take photos in the dark.
A pair of binoculars—to spy on things from far away.
A magnifying glass—to check for fingerprints.
A mirror—to peer around corners.
Several false noses and wigs—to disguise themselves.
A few flashlights—to use when it was dark.
A safe—to protect the money they’d earned.
But their safe was empty, because nothing exciting had happened for a long time. But once it did, Jerry and Maya were ready: They had put up signs all around Pleasant Valley. On nearly every streetlight and door they had hung posters that said:
The Whodunit
Detective Agency
Now accepting exciting and dangerous assignments.
Lost wallets and runaway cats recovered.
Low prices, tax included.
So, while Jerry and Maya waited for an exciting case, they researched detective stories. Maya was just about to fill Jerry in on the book she was reading: It was a story about a dognapper who stole dogs tied up outside stores and then called the dogs’ owners to demand ransoms for the poor pooches. Maya was upset just thinking about it. That was one criminal she would really like to catch!
But before she had a chance to describe the case to Jerry, there was a knock on the door. Jerry and Maya looked at each other in surprise. Who could it be?
CHAPTER 2
A Desperate Man Seeks Help
Before Maya could move an inch, Jerry leaped up, ran up the stairs, and opened the front door. Standing on the steps was a man with a bushy black mustache wearing a striped wool hat and wet shoes.
It was Mohammed Carat, the richest man in all of Pleasant Valley.
Mohammed Carat owned the jeweler’s store on Church Street. His store was famous all across the country—from New York to Los Angeles—for its spectacular diamonds, rings, earrings, and other fancy jewelry. What could the jeweler possibly want with Jerry and Maya?
Jerry showed Mr. Carat down to their small office in the basement.
“Welcome, Mr. Carat. Please sit down,” said Maya, gesturing toward an empty chair.
Mohammed Carat plunked down in the armchair and removed a handkerchief from his coat pocket. He was sweating, and Jerry and Maya could see that he was nervous.
“What can we do for you, Mr. Carat?” asked Jerry politely.
“I’m desperate, just desperate for help!” began Mohammed Carat. “I saw your poster on the streetlight outside my store. Are you still accepting cases?”
Maya and Jerry nodded and eagerly took out their pens and notebooks.
“As you probably know, I’ve owned the jewelry store on Church Street for many years, and business has been booming,” started Mohammed Carat. “People come to my quiet little store here in Pleasant Valley from far and wide. But now it seems my luck has run out,” he said, and blew his nose into the handkerchief.
“What do you mean?” asked Jerry.
“My trust has been violated, that’s what I mean!” exclaimed Mohammed Carat. “One of the people working in my store is stealing my diamonds. I’m sure of it! In the past month, five extremely valuable gems have disappeared, and I have no idea how. I am a very cautious man: I require everyone who works in the store to empty their bags and pockets before they go
home, but I never find anything. Nothing has been carried out of the store—I’m absolutely certain of that.”
“What do the police think?” asked Maya.
“The police have been investigating and keeping watch since the very first diamond disappeared, but they don’t have a suspect. They said they can’t do anything until the thief makes a mistake and gives himself or herself away.”
Mohammed loosened the tie around his neck.
“Soon, I’ll be ruined and will have to close my store.” He sniffed. “Without my famous diamonds, my customers will quickly lose interest in my jewelry store altogether.”
Jerry and Maya could see that Mr. Carat was really upset.
“This is a tricky situation,” said Jerry, scratching his nose with his pen. That helped him think. “The police can’t do any more to help, and they don’t have a suspect. Is that right?”
“Absolutely right,” replied Mohammed Carat. “But, I have an idea: I’ll hire the two of you to work in my store. While you’re working, you can secretly keep an eye on the employees and tip me off to any suspicious behavior. You can help me find out who has been stealing my diamonds! Are you interested? Please say you are!”
Maya and Jerry exchanged a quick glance.
“We’ll start tomorrow.”
CHAPTER 3
The Investigation Begins
The next day, the sun was shining brightly. Maya and Jerry each packed a bag containing their detective kits and took the bus to Church Street. They got off in front of the hotel, just down the road from Mohammed Carat’s famous jewelry store between the café and the post office.
Jerry and Maya walked to the old church so they could get a look at the store from across the street. The store was at street level, and Mr. Carat owned the two floors above it.
“So, there’s a diamond thief in there somewhere,” said Jerry. “Are you scared?”
“Oh, come on! Let’s get started,” scoffed Maya, dragging Jerry toward the store.
They crossed the street and opened the front door. A bell chimed as they went in. Maya looked around carefully. An elderly assistant asked if she could help them. When Maya asked to speak to the owner, the assistant led the two detectives to an office at the back of the store.
The assistant knocked on the door to the office.
“Come in,” they heard Mohammed Carat call.
Maya opened the door, and Mohammed Carat stood up from behind his desk. He walked toward them with his arms outstretched.
“I’m so glad to see you!” he cried.
Then he lowered his voice and whispered, “Another diamond disappeared yesterday; that’s the sixth. I can’t understand how they do it! I need your help more than ever.”
Jerry noticed the elderly woman lingering in the doorway. She seemed to be listening curiously.
“You may go back to the front, Vivian,” said Mohammed Carat, shutting the door behind her.
“Let’s get started,” said Jerry as they settled down on a big brown sofa. “Could you tell us about the people who work here, and what a typical day in the store is like?”
Mohammed Carat took out his handkerchief and blew his nose loudly. He walked to his desk, opened one of the drawers, and took out a few photos.
“The store opens at 10:00 a.m. and closes at 6:00 p.m. At some point during that time, a diamond disappears. The whole thing is impossible to explain. I’m going mad!” he yelled.
“Um, Mr. Carat, please try to calm down,” said Maya.
“Excuse me,” Mr. Carat said as he collected himself. “Other than myself, there are three people who work here.”
Mohammed Carat passed one of the photos to Jerry and Maya.
“Vivian Leander, store assistant. You’ve already met her—she’s the one who showed you to my office. Vivian works in the front of the store and helps the customers. She’s been with the business for many years and has always done an excellent job.
“But she ran into some trouble last year. Her house burned down, and I believe the insurance company is refusing to pay her any money,” explained Mohammed Carat. “Apparently, Vivian was behind on home insurance payments, so now she’s short on cash. Just last week, she came into my office and asked for a raise. I would be happy to help her, but, as I am sure you can understand, there’s no way I can afford a raise now.”
Jerry scratched his nose with his pen and made a note in his notebook:
Suspect’s motive: Vivian Leander needs money.
Mohammed Carat passed them another photo.
“Danny Braveheart works on the second floor, just above the store,” he continued. “He cleans and polishes the jewelry before it’s sold. To be honest, Danny is a bit grumpy for my taste, but he’s always on time and keeps things in order. He is a trustworthy employee.
“Danny’s dad actually owned this store years and years ago,” Mohammed Carat went on. “But he had financial problems and had to sell it. That’s when I bought the store. Otherwise, Danny would be the boss here today.”
Jerry didn’t have to scratch his nose this time. He simply wrote:
Suspect’s motive: Danny Braveheart wants to take over the store.
Mohammed Carat passed Jerry and Maya the third and final photo.
“Luke Smith works on the top floor of the building. He cuts diamonds and sets them into elegant rings and necklaces. Luke hasn’t worked here very long, but he’s careful and very good at his job. He’s worked in the jewelry business for many years, and his previous employers were very pleased with him. Luke likes nice clothes and fast sports cars. He bought a new car just last week, actually.”
Mohammed Carat laughed. “You should have seen Danny Braveheart’s face when Luke showed off his new car. Danny looked at the car with disgust and then at Luke with loathing. ‘Three hundred eighty horsepower,’ Luke had bragged and patted the hood. To which Danny had replied, ‘You only need one horsepower if you choose the right one’ and stormed off.
“None of us—Vivian, Luke, nor I—understood what he meant,” continued Mohammed Carat. “Danny was definitely in one of his grumpy moods. But like I said, Luke Smith is a nice guy. He’s into fitness: He’s always going for a jog and carrying around an apple to snack on.”
Jerry wrote in his notebook:
Luke Smith has plenty of money. Where does it come from?
“All right, then! I think that’s all you need to know,” said Mohammed Carat as he sprang up from the sofa. “Now I’ll introduce you to the staff.”
CHAPTER 4
The Suspects
In the hallway between the office and the store, Mr. Carat stopped suddenly and lowered his voice to a whisper.
“Please help me catch the thief. Otherwise, I’ll be bankrupt soon.”
Jerry and Maya had no time to reply before Mohammed Carat walked on. They followed him into the store to meet the other three employees: Vivian Leander, Danny Braveheart, and Luke Smith. Mohammed Carat stood in the middle of the store and introduced everyone.
“This is Jerry and Maya. They’re going to work here for a few days. They will wash the windows, empty the trash, run errands, and help with other odds and ends.”
Vivian and Luke stepped forward to shake hands and say hello. Vivian wore a glittering necklace.
Strange, thought Jerry. She’s supposed to be short on money.
Vivian Leander smiled at Jerry and Maya, but they sensed her mind was on something else. Why did she stop and listen outside the owner’s door earlier? How could she afford such an expensive gold necklace? What does she know about the stolen diamonds?
Luke held a bright green apple in his hand and laughed, showing his big white teeth. He likes fruit, Maya remembered Mohammed Carat saying.
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” said Luke with a laugh, patting his well-toned stomach.
Th
en he threw the apple up in the air and tried to catch it behind his back. But he missed, and the apple fell with a thud and rolled under the glass cabinet near Vivian Leander.
She turned up her nose at Luke, who was down on his knees, digging around under the cabinet.
Danny Braveheart smiled sourly at Luke Smith, who he thought was making a fool of himself, scrambling around on the floor. Danny did not step forward to say hello like the others. He stayed in his corner and glared at the two children. He didn’t seem to like anyone new coming into the store.
“All right, then! Let’s get back to work,” said Mr. Carat, clapping his hands together. “Time is money, as we all know.”
Maya immediately headed to the broom closet and took out a bucket, cloth, and squeegee. She started cleaning the store window while keeping her eyes and ears alert.
Back on her side of the store, Vivian Leander started to hum and fiddle around behind the counter.
Before too long, the first customer of the day came in. It was an elderly gentleman with a gray mustache and a hat. He entered the store like a man on a mission.
He stopped in front of a glass display case containing a selection of expensive diamond necklaces.
He must be looking for something beautiful for the woman he loves, thought Maya.
As soon as she saw their first customer, Vivian Leander blushed and fluttered around nervously.
Since Maya had the inside situation under control, Jerry left the store to investigate outside. He hung his binoculars around his neck and jogged across the street to the church. Inside, he met the church caretaker. Jerry introduced himself as a local ornithologist.
“A local orni . . . what?” asked the caretaker.