The Case of the Rock 'n' Roll Dog by Martha Freeman Read Free Book Online Page B

steals something, we find it right away—like the flowers.”
    â€œI don’t think we’re ever gonna find those cookies,” Tessa said.
    â€œGood point,” I said. “And we know he didn’t steal the baton.”
    â€œDo you think there’s more than one thief in the White House?” Tessa asked.
    â€œThat doesn’t seem logical,” I said. “Let’s look at our notes.”
    It’s not easy to write fast standing up. So even though I have good handwriting (ask Evgenia), my notes were kind of a mess. After I crossed out the unimportant stuff, this is what was left:
    1)
Mr. Bryant’s eyesight is not very good
.
    2)
No witnesses had seen anything strange Tuesday afternoon. (Mostly they were too busy chasing Hooligan.)
    3)
It’s not only the baton that’s missing. Also: place cards, polishing cloth, cookies
.
    4)
Mrs. Hedges is exasperating
.
    5)
Mayors like Italian food
.
    6)
A basket of breadsticks would be a good place to hide something long and skinny
.
    7)
Tessa has a crush on Mr. Patel
.
    8)
Hooligan wrecked the daffodils and scattered petals everywhere
.
    9)
Hooligan makes Mr. Baney grumpy
.
    10)
Nate was on the state floor this afternoon. (Why?)
    11)
And so were two men wearing gray suits
.
    Tessa made me cross out the part about Mr. Patel. Then we stared at the list for a while.
    Finally I said, “Logic isn’t helping.”
    â€œI know,” Tessa said. “Maybe we need more witnesses.”
    â€œThere’s Mr. Ross,” I said.
    â€œAnd what about Nate?” Tessa said.
    â€œYou’re right—he was in the East Room Tuesday. Only he wasn’t there the whole time, remember? When we were holding Hooligan, he kind of disappeared.”
    Tessa said, “Yeah, that was strange.” Then she looked up. “Hey, we’ve been asking people about ‘strange’ all afternoon, and there it is!”
    I was going to say Nate would never steal anything. But then I thought of something logical. “Tessa—remember how you thought they’d have to cancel The Song Boys? I mean because the baton was missing.”
    â€œWhen I still thought it was the Who-za baton,” Tessa said.
    â€œSousa. Right. It was Nate who told us that the Band can’t play without it.”
    Tessa nodded. “But now we know that isn’t true.”
    â€œ
We
know that,” I said. “But Nate doesn’t. He wasn’t there when we talked to Colonel Michaels. And after that, we never told him. I bet he still thinks if the baton is gone, then The Song Boys can’t play.”
    Tessa’s eyes got big. “And besides that—remember?—he told us he hoped something would happen so they
can’t
play!”
    For a moment, the only sound was Hooligan woofing in his sleep. Finally, Tessa said what we were both thinking: “What if Nate took the baton so they’d have to cancel The Song Boys?”
    I didn’t answer right away. I might hate my cousin. But I couldn’t believe he would steal anything.
    Tessa, on the other hand, could totally believe it.
    â€œThere’s only one question left,” she said, “what did he do with the baton?”
    I wanted my sister to slow down, but she was on a roll.
    â€œWhen he came out of the Blue Room today, he wouldn’t say what he was doing,” Tessa went on. “You know what I think? The baton is in the Blue Room!”
    â€œTessa, that’s nuts.”
    â€œIt’s not! Look, Cammie, here’s what happened. When Hooligan did the frenzy on Tuesday, Nate grabbed the baton. Then he had to hide it fast. He couldn’t carry it upstairs because anybody might see him. So he hid it someplace downstairs.”
    â€œOka-a-ay,” I said. “But what does that have to do with him being down there today?”
    â€œMaybe he was making sure it was still there—that we hadn’t found it,” Tessa