What do you mean, don’t call the police?”

Dr. Jordan asked. “A valuable artifact has been stolen from the museum! We can’t just do nothing!”

Ms. Cassatt didn’t respond. Instead, she turned to Cody, who was still standing next to her.

“I think you took it!” Ms. Cassatt announced.

Cody couldn’t believe her ears. “What?”

“Uh-uh!” M.E. said, eyes wide.

“No way!” said Quinn.

“Are you kidding?” Luke said in disbelief.

Cody was too stunned to speak. She stared at Ms. Cassatt, her mouth open. Finally, she blurted, “None of us took it. We’re the ones who told you about the fake!”

“Really?” Ms. Cassatt said, tapping her foot. “The security guard told me you kids were hanging around that case. Empty your pockets.”

“I’m telling you,” Cody said, protesting, “I didn’t take it!”

Ms. Cassatt reached for Cody’s hoodie.

Cody moved back. “No way are you touching me!” She turned to Ms. Stad for protection. Her teacher stepped in and blocked Ms. Cassatt.

“Show me what’s in your pocket, young lady,” Ms. Cassatt commanded.

“This is stupid!” Cody protested, but she reached into her right pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper and a scarab the size of a walnut. She handed everything to Ms. Cassatt. The woman examined the amulet, and then the small paper, which turned out to be the receipt for the scarab. “I bought that in the gift shop! There’s the receipt to prove it.”

Ms. Cassatt continued to frown as she returned the items to Cody. “Now the other one.”

Cody rolled her eyes, but to prove her innocence once and for all, she dug into the left pocket of her hoodie. Withdrawing her hand, she held up her cell phone. “See!”

“Is that all?”

“Yes!” Cody said, raising her hands.

Ms. Cassatt suddenly reached into both of Cody’s pockets.

“What are you doing?” Cody squealed.

Ms. Cassatt’s frown melted into an evil smile as she withdrew her hands. She opened one palm to reveal the Eye of Horus.

Cody froze. She felt her face flush hot. This can’t be happening, she thought, glancing at the other Code Busters in panic.

“Well?” Ms. Cassatt said. “I’ll bet you don’t have a receipt for this! So what do you have to say for yourself, young lady?”

Cody felt her entire body get warm. Her eyes burned with oncoming tears. This is a nightmare come true, she thought. How did that Eye of Horus get into my pocket?

M.E. reached for Cody’s hand. She began squeezing it off and on. Cody realized M.E. was sending her a message in Morse code. Cody quickly deciphered the short and long squeezes.

Code Buster’s Key and Solution found on this page, this page.

“I’m sure that there’s a logical explanation, Ms. Cassatt,” Ms. Stad said, wrapping a protective arm around Cody. “These are good kids. They would never steal anything.”

“Then how do you explain the fact that this precious artifact was in her pocket?” Ms. Cassatt asked.

“Give the girl a chance to explain,” Dr. Jordan said. “Maybe she found it and was planning to return it. And we’re not even sure it’s authentic. I’d have to run some tests to make sure. May I see it?”

“It’s real, all right,” Ms. Cassatt said, tightening her grip around the amulet. “I’ve been working here long enough to know my artifacts.” Taking a step back, Ms. Cassatt held up the Eye. “See how the iris is green, just like the one from the Life Studies room? That’s very rare. Most Eyes of Horus are blue. This is definitely the one stolen from the case.”

Cody blinked at something Ms. Cassatt said. “Green?”

“Correct,” Ms. Cassatt said, clutching the artifact tightly again. “Like I said, most of the Eyes of Horus were blue.”

“Green,” Cody repeated, as if in a trance.

M.E. squeezed Cody’s hand again.

Code Buster’s Key and Solution found on this page, this page.

Leave it to M.E. to notice the woman’s jewelry! Cody looked up at her accuser. The Eye of Horus pendant was missing from around Ms. Cassatt’s neck.

“Where’s the necklace you were wearing this morning when we got to the museum?”

Ms. Cassatt placed her hand on her chest. She blinked several times, then stammered, “I … I took it off.…”

Dr. Jordan turned to her. “Mirabel? You never take off that amulet. You call it your good-luck charm. I’ve never seen you without it.”

“Of course I take it off sometimes,” Ms. Cassatt replied. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’re getting off track here. Do I have to remind you, Malik, that if you’d been doing your job and watching these little thieves, we wouldn’t be having this conversation? Luckily, I caught this one red-handed.” Ms. Cassatt grabbed Cody’s arm and pushed her over to Ms. Stad. “Take these brats out of here before I do call the police. You’re lucky I don’t press charges!”

Dr. Jordan turned to Ms. Cassatt. “Wait a minute, Mirabel. Let me see that Eye.”

“What?” Ms. Cassatt said, clutching the amulet tightly in her hand.

“I said, let me see that,” Dr. Jordan repeated.

“Why?” Ms. Cassatt said.

“I just want to make sure it’s authentic.”

Ms. Cassatt looked like a frightened cat trapped by a threatening dog. Her green eyes widened to the size of quarters. Slowly she opened her hand, revealing the artifact.

Dr. Jordan took it from her and flipped it over. Underneath were tiny carved hieroglyphs. But this Eye was different from the Eye the kids had first seen in the Life Studies room.

Code Buster’s Key and Solution found on this page, this page.

“Hmm,” he muttered. He reached into his deep lab coat pocket, brought out his magnifying glasses, and put them on. After studying the small insignia, he withdrew a knife and scraped a small piece off the back. Then he removed his glasses and frowned. “There’s real infiltration of the corrosion on the epidermis of the bronze metal, which cannot be faked.”

Cody had no clue what he’d just said, other than the words “cannot be faked.”

“This symbol,” he continued, looking at the inscription, “is the name of the god of hieroglyphs.” He steadied his gaze on Ms. Cassatt. “I’d still have to do a few more tests, but I think this Eye of Horus is authentic. Where’s your necklace, Mirabel?”

Ms. Cassatt gave a nervous laugh. “I don’t know. The chain broke and I put it down somewhere. It’s only a replica. You know that.”

“Check your pockets,” Dr. Jordan said.

“What? I’m not going to—”

“You made Cody do it,” Luke said. “Now you should, too.”

“There’s nothing in my pockets,” Ms. Cassatt said. Her face had gone white.

“Yes, there is,” M.E. said, pointing to the small bulge in Ms. Cassatt’s pants pocket.

Ms. Cassatt shook her head, then reached into her pocket and withdrew a gold chain. But no pendant.

“It’s the chain,” Ms. Cassatt said, glaring at M.E. “So what?”

“So where’s the Eye that was hanging from it?” Quinn asked.

“I told you a minute ago, I put it down somewhere when the chain broke. You’re not implying that—”

Dr. Jordan took the chain from Ms. Cassatt’s hand and examined it. “There’s nothing wrong with this chain.”

“I’m telling you, it broke! I took the amulet off and set it down. I must have lost it. As I said, it was only a replica. It may have looked real, but I have a friend who makes excellent copies.”

Dr. Jordan stared at Ms. Cassatt. “You know a forger?”

Ms. Cassatt grunted. “I wouldn’t call him that. He’s an artist.”

“Most forgers are artists, Mirabel,” Dr. Jordan said. He shook his head, as if disappointed in his colleague.

“Don’t twist this around, Malik,” Ms. Cassatt said. “I mean, maybe it was you who stole the Eye from the case and switched it with a fake. You have a key, just like me. And you know a lot about forgeries. Maybe you slipped the real one into that poor girl’s pocket to make it look like she did it. Yes, maybe you’re the thief, Malik Jordan.”

“Well, let’s call the police and have them settle this, then, shall we?” Dr. Jordan said.

But before he could get out his cell phone, Ms. Cassatt grabbed the amulet and ran from the room.