WE set up the camera phone and Sophia helped me record the interview with Javier. He told us what he saw all over again. Then I opened my backpack and pulled out the rest of my reporting tools, including my purple reporter pad and my shiny feather pencil.

I turned to the next free page and wrote at the top: The Case of the Missing Costume. Then I wrote underneath:

Clue #1: Javier saw Melissa G. smiling after Sophia’s costume went missing.

Just then, I heard someone laugh. I looked up and it was Melissa G.! Again! So I grabbed the camera phone and pointed it in her direction. I recorded video of her laughing as she showed Molly her costume. She had on a beautiful blue princess dress with lots of lace, bows, and beading. It even had a flowing skirt with light blue shimmers and sparkles. And when she spun around, the skirt twirled in the air.

I started feeling even more mad. Her costume was awesome. And now that she’d stolen Sophia’s costume, she might actually win the contest!

Molly was sitting down, also wearing a princess dress. But she just sat there with her backpack on. She looked upset. She’s probably mad at Melissa, too, I thought.

“C’mon, Sophia. Let’s go talk to Melissa G.”

Sophia and I ran over. You know that reporters have to do things quickly. Sophia held the camera and I pointed my Emma microphone right at Melissa.

“Melissa!” I said.

“What do you want?” Melissa G. answered.

“I want to know what happened to Sophia’s Lion costume!”

“I don’t know! I already told Mr. Colón that I haven’t seen it.”

“But you said you liked it,” I reminded her.

“Yeah, so? I said I liked it because I thought it was a good costume. Big deal.”

“Well, maybe you liked it so much you were worried you were going to lose the contest. So you decided to steal Sophia’s costume to make sure we wouldn’t win!”

Melissa started to look upset. Like her feelings were hurt. I wasn’t sure what to do.

“Listen, Melissa, we don’t care if you took it,” I said with a nicer voice. “Just give it back.”

“But I didn’t take it!” Melissa yelled back.

“Then who did?” Sophia chimed in.

“Um … Melissa didn’t take it,” Molly blurted.

“How do you know?” I asked.

“Um … Melissa couldn’t have taken it,” Molly explained. “She was in the bathroom putting on her princess dress when Sophia screamed. She wasn’t here when the costume disappeared.”

“That’s right!” said Melissa, like she was suddenly remembering. “When I came back to the art room, everyone had already started searching. Molly had to tell me what happened because I didn’t know.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes, really,” answered Melissa. “And besides, I don’t care about that old Lion costume. I was too busy twirling. It doesn’t matter to me if Sophia has her costume or not. I know I’m going to win the contest either way!”

And with that, Melissa G. twirled to the other side of the room and pretended to lie down on a stack of imaginary mattresses.

Javier was still standing in the front of the classroom—still stuck in his costume. Sophia and I walked back over and told him what happened.

“So Melissa didn’t do it?” Javier said.

“Nope,” said Sophia.

“That’s what she says,” I added. “I still think she had something to do with it.”

“But Melissa G. couldn’t have done it,” Sophia insisted. “You heard Molly.”

“I guess you’re right,” I agreed. But I still wasn’t convinced. Something just didn’t make sense. But I didn’t have a good reason to suspect Melissa anymore, so I just wrote down what I did know in my reporter pad.

Clue #2: Molly says Melissa G. was in the bathroom when the costume went missing. Melissa couldn’t have taken it.

“Okay, everyone. Class is over,” said Mr. Colón. “Miss Thompson is here to take you to the lunchroom.”

Mr. Colón walked over to Javier, Sophia, and me.

“Listen, Sophia, I know you’re upset. But don’t panic. Your costume is around here somewhere and we’ll figure it out.”

I looked at Sophia and whispered, “That’s right—we’ll figure it out.” And we walked out the door for lunch.