Mr. Chickee's Messy Mission by Christopher Paul Curtis Read Free Book Online Page A

said, “Is the new president, the smartest kid at Clark Elementary School, the one who understands big words and the first new human joiner of the Flint Future Detectives here?”
    Richelle said, “I'm present, Russell, and I think from now on, to help speed things up, you can just call me by my name.”
    “Uh-oh,” Russell thought, “another president who wants to run things her way. I'm gonna have to break this one in too.”
    He cleared his throat. “Is the new vice president, second-smartest kid at Clark Elementary School, chief looker-upper and founder of the Flint Future Detectives here?”
    Steven weakly raised his hand.
    Russell called all five of his jobs and all four of Zoopy's.
    Richelle started twisting her mouth from side to side and tapping her foot.
    Then Russ said, “Is the official sneak, map reader and bug chaser here?”
    He knew the answer to that one, but he was hoping that Rodney Rodent might show up for the meeting anyway.
    No answer.
    Russell said, “Four club members present, one missing, Madam President.”
    Richelle said, “Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Is there any old business?”
    Steven said, “Yes, the old business is to find out why the chief bug chaser isn't here today.”
    Richelle said, “Yeah, where is Rodney Rodent?”
    Russell looked up from his present-coloring and said, “The last time I saw him he was splashing into the window with that mean gnome on the Vernor's mural.”
    Steven said, “Ooh, I know the one you mean. That thing looks like it's haunted, I hate that painting.”
    “Not as much as me, and now it's ate up Rod-Rode and I don't know how to get him back.”
    Richelle said, “Russell, you've got to explain better than that. How did a painting eat up Rodney Rodent?”
    Russell told what had happened at Halo Burger the day before.
    Richelle said, “And the gnome showed you his teeth, then winked at you and froze again?”
    “Yup.”
    Steven said, “Russell, the last time you said something that weird was right after you set the record for eating the most falafel in half an hour at the Shawarma Shack. You haven't been back there, have you?”
    “No, Bucko, this really happened.”
    Richelle squinched her left eye halfway shut and left her right eye halfway open. She twisted her lips to the left and then to the right. She tapped her foot around a million times before she said, “You know what, Russell? I believe you. I think this is something we need to investigate.”
    Richelle went online with Steven's new computer. She searched for “Vernor's mural Flint” and soon had a picture of the mural on the screen. She read the sign that was painted in the bottom right-hand side of the painting.
    ORIGINALLY PAINTED IN 1932
    Steven said, “If that sign was telling the truth, it would say, ‘Terrifying Flint's young people since 1932.’ ”
    Richelle said, “Whatever. So Russell, you said Rodney Rodent actually talked and said something before he disappeared into the wall?”
    “He sure did, it sounded like cowboy talk.”
    Steven stroked his chin and said, “Hmmm, cowboy talk. Did he say ‘Yee-haw’?”
    “Uh-uh.”
    “Did he say ‘Keep them dogies movin'’?”
    “Nope.”
    “Did he say ‘Whoopee-tie-yi-yo’?”
    Richelle said, “Would you
please
stop asking him these idiotic questions? You're out of order. What exactly did he say, Russell?”
    “Well, Richie-Rich, I'm not sure if I got it exactly right, but now that I think about it a little more, it was something like cowboy talk and doggy talk all mixed together.”
    Steven said, “Did he say ‘Woof, woof, reach for the sky, Tex’?”
    “Uh-uh.”
    “Did he say ‘Arf, arf, howdy, ma'am’?”
    “Nope.”
    “Did he say—”
    Richelle banged the table leg and screamed, “Order! Order! Would you be quiet for a minute so he can tell us what Rodney Rodent said?”
    Steven looked hard at Richelle and finished, “… ‘Bowwow, saddle 'em up, pardner’?”
    Richelle growled.
    Russell said,