Crime in the Cards Read Free Page A

He’d returned to the room a moment before, as Chet and Tim were busy talking.
    â€œMr. Pane,” Chet said, “we were just—”
    â€œI can see what you were ‘just,’ Morton. Now just hand the deck over to me.”
    Chet’s face broke into a forlorn expression. Mr. Pane held out his palm, and Chet handed over the card he was holding.
    â€œThe others as well, please,” Mr. Pane said. Chet dug into his pocket and produced the rest of the deck.
    Mr. Pane straightened the cards into a neat pile and walked with them to his desk. He opened the middle drawer and put the cards in. Then he drew a key out of his pocket and locked the drawer.
    â€œYou can reclaim the cards at the end of the school day,” Mr. Pane said to Chet. “And, Morton . . .”
    â€œYes, sir?”
    â€œDon’t bring them to my class again, or you won’t get them back.”
    Chet swallowed. “Yes, Mr. Pane.”
    Chet moved like a zombie through the rest of his classes, his mind on nothing but reclaiming his Creature Cards.
    â€œI can’t believe you were so . . . stupid,” Iola said to her brother as she, Callie, and the Hardys gathered next to Chet’s locker at the end of the day. “After the announcement and the photocopied rules and everything. What were you thinking?”
    â€œMy enthusiasm got the better of me,” Chet said glumly. “That Coyote card was burning a hole in my pocket. I had to show it to someone.”
    â€œToo bad you didn’t wait until after school,” Callie said.
    â€œHey,” Joe interjected, “I think Chet feels bad enough already.”
    Frank put an arm around Chet’s shoulders. “Cheer up,” he said. “You’ll have those cards back before you can say ‘King Creature Commander.’ ”
    Just then Gerry Wise wandered by. “Hey Chet-man,” Gerry said. “Bummer about your cards. Everybody’s talking about it.” Gerry pushed his black-framed glasses up on the bridge of his long nose and smiled sympathetically.
    â€œEverybody?” Chet asked forlornly.
    â€œWell, all of the Creature Card players,” Gerry said. “Bad news travels fast. I saw some people trading cards before you got busted but after . . .” He formed his fingers into a goose egg. “Nada.”
    â€œWell, if people think this is going to slow me down,” Chet said, “they’re sadly mistaken. I still intend to vanquish all comers at the tournament.”
    Gerry turned and walked toward the front doors of the school. “We shall see, my man,” he called back. “We shall see.”
    â€œIs he a player?” Callie asked.
    â€œNope,” Chet said. “He does a lot of card trading and selling, though.”
    â€œMakes some good dough on it, too, from what I hear,” Joe added.
    â€œCreature Cards is a seller’s market,” Chet said. “Some people will pay almost anything for a card that helps their game strategy.”
    â€œWell, let’s go get your cards back,” Frank suggested. “Otherwise, your strategy is going to be sitting on the sidelines during that tournament.”
    The five of them went to Mr. Pane’s classroom. They found the teacher organizing a shelf of books near the windows.
    Chet rapped lightly on the door. “Mr. Pane,” he said politely.
    Mr. Pane turned and smiled. “Morton,” he said, “I thought you might show up.” He walked toward his desk. “Sorry I had to do that, but rules are rules—and I could hardly break a new rule on the day it was implemented.”
    â€œI understand,” Chet said sympathetically. “I shouldn’t have had the cards out.”
    â€œI’m glad you understand,” Mr. Pane said. He pulled the desk key out of his pocket. “I meant what I said, though. I don’t want to see these cards in my class again.”
    Chet nodded as Mr.