I So Don't Do Mysteries

I So Don't Do Mysteries Read Free Page A

Book: I So Don't Do Mysteries Read Free
Author: Barrie Summy
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Academy is”—Mom clears her
throat—“highly competitive. This is my last chance. If I fail this
assignment”—her voice cracks—“I’ll have to move
on.”
    The heavy burrito feeling is back in my stomach. My go-getter mother is failing at
something? “Move on?”
    â€œTo the afterlife reserved for Academy failures.”
    So I’d be losing her all over again. Right after we found each other. And to a
terrible fate for which I don’t want details, thankyouverymuch.
    â€œI really need your help,” she says.
    Like the pitiful drummer in our school band, my heart beats all erratically. My mom
needs me. My überindependent, never-turns-down-a-challenge mother needs me. And not just
for babysitting but for big stuff. This is mind-blowing. “What would I have to
do?”
    â€œSomeone is leaving unauthorized banana treats in the rhino enclosure of an
animal park.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œThey’re either using the bananas to lure the rhinos to a spot where they
can shoot them or planning to poison the bananas and thus the rhinos. My assignment is to find the
culprit, figure out the motive and prevent any rhino deaths.”
    â€œWhy doesn’t the park just tell the cops?”
    â€œAccording to Academy sources, the park officials don’t know
there’s a deadly agenda. They think it’s a simple case of unauthorized treats,”
Mom says. “And they feel they can handle that internally.”
    â€œOf course they can.” I’m big-time buying into the
park-people-take-care-of-the-prob scenario.
    â€œThey most definitely cannot.” She pauses. “Besides, for me to
get the credit for my class, we can’t let anyone else solve the case.”
    â€œYou have tons of experience catching criminals. Why do you even need
me?”
    â€œMy basic ghost skills and sense of direction are not up to par,” she
says. “It’ll take us both.”
    â€œHow do you even know something bad’s going on?”
    â€œA ghost who knows a ghost who knows a snitch. Typical informer
situation.”
    â€œWhy’d they assign you this case, anyway?” I scrunch up my
face. “Like, why rhinos? Why aren’t you going after the scumbags who killed
you?”
    â€œThe Academy’s not about personal revenge,” Mom says.
“And I got the rhino case because”—her voice goes all
proud—“I’m advanced when it comes to connecting with live animals. I was the
only one who got an A plus in the Animal Mind Control class. Who knows? Maybe all that time I spent
working Canine gave me a special ability. Remember Nero Wolfe, my springer spaniel? That dog could
sniff out—”
    Oh no. She’s on a roll. I swear she loved that dog more than me.
“Listen, Mom—”
    â€œYou can do it, Sherry. We can do it together.”
    Perched on the end of a palm frond now, the wren’s glaring at me with beady
eyes. Creeeepy. His feathers are thin and ratty, and he’s got a bunch of wrinkled pink skin
pouching out. Grooooss.
    This whole situation is so not me. My stomach goes all churny. “I still
don’t get what I’m supposed to do.”
    â€œGo to San Diego over spring break. The rhinos are at the Wild Animal Park.
You can stay at Great-aunt Margaret’s.”
    Wham.
It’s like the time I rode my bike into the garage door. After years
of contradicting each other, now my parents decide to act as a unit? “So you and Dad are
ganging up on me?” I spit out. “Just so he and The Ruler can go on their
honeymoon?” I clap my hand over my mouth to stop the words. Too late.
    â€œThe math teacher?” The branch above me shakes wildly. “Oh!
Oh! Oh!”
    Thud
.
    Sand from the sandbox sprays out onto the lawn.
    â€œOuch.”
    â€œMom! Mom! You okay?”
    â€œSee what I mean about having

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