The Mystery of Stolen Diamonds by David A. Adler Read Free Book Online

Chapter One
    It was the first morning of spring vacation. Cam Jansen and her friend Eric Shelton were sitting on a bench in the middle of a busy shopping mall. While Eric’s mother was shopping, they were watching Eric’s baby brother, Howie. And they were playing a memory game.
    Eric’s eyes were closed.
    â€œWhat color jacket am I wearing?” Cam asked.
    â€œBlue.”
    â€œWrong. I’m not wearing a jacket.”
    Eric opened his eyes. “It’s no use,” he said. “I’ll never have a memory like yours.”
    â€œYou have to keep practicing,” Cam told him. “Now try me.”
    Cam looked straight ahead. She said, “Click,” and then closed her eyes. Cam always said, “Click,” when she wanted to remember something. She said it was the sound her mental camera made when it took a picture.
    Eric looked for something he could be sure Cam hadn’t noticed. Then he asked, “What does the sign in the card store window say?”
    â€œThat’s easy. ‘Mother’s Day Sunday May 11. Remember your mother and she’ll remember you.’”
    â€œYou win,” Eric said.
    Cam still had her eyes closed. “Come on, ask me something else.”
    Cam had what people called a photographic memory. Her mind took a picture of whatever she saw. Once, she forgot her notebook in school. She did her home-work—ten math problems—all from the picture of the assignment she had stored in her brain.

    When Cam was younger, people called her Jennifer. That’s her real name. But when they found out about her amazing memory, they started calling her “The Camera.” Soon “The Camera” was shortened to “Cam.”
    â€œAll right,” Eric said. “What color socks am I wearing?”
    Cam thought a moment. “That’s not really fair,” she said. “I never saw your socks.”
    But Cam didn’t open her eyes. “You’re wearing green pants, a green belt, and green sneakers,” she said. “I’ll bet your socks are green, too.”
    â€œYou’re too much, Cam.”
    â€œNo, you’re too neat.”
    â€œIt’s my turn now,” Eric said.
    Eric looked carefully at all the stores and people in the shopping mall. He closed his eyes. But he quickly opened them again. Howie was crying.
    â€œWhat do we do now?” Cam asked. “Should I look for your mother?”
    Eric shook his head. “Let’s wait. Maybe Howie will go back to sleep.”
    â€œBut what if he doesn’t?” Cam asked.
    â€œThen I have to find out whether he wants to be held, fed, or changed. I have everything I need right here.” Eric patted the insulated bag strapped to the front of the carriage.
    Eric and Cam watched to see what Howie would do. He squirmed, turned his head from side to side, and then went back to sleep.
    â€œLet’s play another memory game,” Cam said.
    â€œLet’s not. I’m tired of losing.” Eric rocked the carriage. “Rocking relaxes a baby,” he told Cam.
    Cam was an only child so she didn’t know much about babies. Eric was the oldest of four children. Besides Howie, who wasn’t even a year old, Eric had twin sisters who were seven.
    Eric rocked the carriage gently while he and Cam talked about the fifth-grade science fair. It was being held right after spring vacation. Eric was making a sundial, and Cam was making a box camera.
    Suddenly a loud bell rang. It woke Howie and he started to cry.
    Cam jumped up on the bench. “It’s Parker’s Jewelry Store!” she yelled. “Their alarm just went off.”
    Eric pulled at Cam’s sneakers. “Get down from there.”
    â€œNo, wait. Maybe something is happening.”
    Something was happening. A tall, heavy man with a mustache and wearing a dark suit ran out of the jewelry store toward the center of the mall. He was in a real hurry. He