My mum was right.
In the morning I got up, washed my face, narrowed my eyes and gave myself a good glare in the mirror.
This was not how a genius detective handled things – yelling at her friends and giving out to everyone. I was still angry, but I was going to put that anger to good use.
‘Hey, Cass.’ Lex looked at me as if I was going to pounce like a lion when I saw her at school. ‘I’m really sorry about yesterday.’
‘No, I’m sorry,’ I said. ‘I shouldn’t have yelled at you. Can we still be friends?’
‘Oh, good.’ Nicholas had appeared behind me. ‘I was afraid that fight would go on for ages.’
‘I’m sorry, Nicholas,’ I said firmly, so he’d know I was serious. ‘I shouldn’t have shouted–’
‘Never mind that, I’m sorry too. Are we going to investigate the weather vane thing or what?’
‘Seriously?’ I said.
‘Yeah,’ said Nicholas. ‘You were right. This is important to you, and that means we have to help. Clubhouse Rule number ten.’
I smiled. It felt so much better not fighting with my friends.
‘No way, no more plants! I just want rocks.’
It was a gorgeous day in the Shady Oaks garden. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. Unfortunately I was stuck gardening with Nathan Wall, so it felt more like a miserable, rainy afternoon when you’re bored and have nothing to do.
‘You’ve only let me put in two plants,’ I said.
‘And that’s enough.’
‘What about that big gap?’ I said, pointing. ‘It just looks empty. What are you going to put in there?’
‘More gravel.’
I sat back on my heels, took a deep breath and counted to ten in my head.
‘I’m thirsty,’ I said finally. ‘I’m going inside for a glass of water.’
I found my dad in the big sitting room. Carmella was in one of the armchairs and he was kneeling next to her, holding her hand. She looked like she’d been crying.
‘Dad?’ I said quietly, stepping into the room.
‘I don’t have time to talk today, honey,’ my dad said. ‘Carmella’s upset.’
‘What happened?’
‘My locket,’ Carmella said between sobs, grasping at her blouse where her locket should have been. ‘My Freddie.’
‘The gold one?’ I asked.
‘It’s gone missing,’ said my dad. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen her take it off, but she didn’t have it this morning. Can’t find it anywhere.’
Two carers, Mary and Lucinda, were looking under the furniture and going through all the stuff on the shelves.
‘I don’t get it,’ said Mary. ‘It’s just vanished.’
‘They stole it,’ said Carmella.
‘Who?’ I said. ‘Who stole it?’
Carmella didn’t answer. I don’t think she knew.
She’d been crying so hard her eyes looked swollen. She looked like I’d felt the night before. I knew how horrible that was.
I thought of all the times Carmella had shown me the picture of Freddie in her locket – how she never remembered that she’d shown it to me before. Maybe she’d forget she’d lost it. And then she’d notice it was gone and she’d get upset all over again. That would be terrible.
‘Don’t worry, Carmella,’ I said. ‘I’ll find your locket.’
The Bubble Street Gang already had one operation on the go, but we were never too busy to squeeze in another one.
Operation Stolen Locket
That Saturday Dad was working, and he let me, Lex and Nicholas tag along.
‘We’re going to search for Carmella’s locket,’ I told him. ‘You’ll find it quicker with more help.’
I didn’t mention that we were also planning to question the staff and residents of Shady Oaks (and possibly interrogate the more suspicious ones – that means questioning them, but without mercy).
‘We’ll have to split up,’ I whispered to Lex and Nicholas in the car, ‘and question people separately. There’s too many of them otherwise.’
‘On our own?’ said Lex.
‘Yes.’
‘But I’m not good at talking to people.’
I couldn’t argue with that, but we had no choice.
‘I’ll give you a list of the nicest people there, Lex. Me and Nicholas will tackle the tougher ones.’
‘Oh. Okay.’
She still looked worried.
It was another sunny day and, when we arrived, loads of residents were walking in the gardens.
‘Eh, we’ll stay out here for a bit, Dad,’ I said. ‘Make sure Carmella didn’t drop her locket in the garden.’
‘Good idea, honey. See you inside.’
I waited until Dad had disappeared through the doors, then turned to Lex and Nicholas.
‘Alright, Operation Stolen Locket is on. Remember, you can be polite, but don’t pull your punches.’
‘I’m not punching anybody!’ said Lex.
‘Not literally,’ said Nicholas. ‘She means don’t go too easy on them.’
‘That’s right,’ I said, gazing across the garden full of innocent-looking older people. ‘Somewhere out there is a ruthless locket thief. Everybody ready?’ Lex didn’t look ready, but there was no time to waste. ‘Get to work!’
My questioning of possible witnesses and/or suspects went very well. Edwina Barnes was sticking out as the most obvious culprit.
She smiled a lot and talked about her grandson’s brilliant exam results (note: her grandson’s exam results were not that impressive), but what made alarm bells ring in my head was the amount of jewellery she wore.
‘This?’ she said, turning in her wheelchair so she could show me the bracelet up close. ‘I got this for my birthday … hmm, ten or twelve years ago now. Isn’t it lovely? And the ring? You’ve a good eye.’ She winked. ‘Won’t tell you how much, but this one’s worth a pretty penny.’
‘You like jewellery then?’ I said, writing it all down in my Top Secret notebook.
‘Ooh, I love it,’ she replied. ‘But most of it isn’t expensive – just this ring. I’m always losing things, you see, but my daughter gets me more. I’m like a magpie – I’ll go for anything shiny!’
‘Is that right? Thanks very much for your time, Ms Barnes.’
I knew exactly what had happened. Edwina Barnes had spotted the gold locket around Carmella’s neck and swooped in like an evil bird. It was an open and shut case.
‘It was George Murray,’ Nicholas said when the Bubble Street Gang met up at the fountain. ‘George Murray stole the locket.’
‘It was Edwina Barnes,’ I said, frowning. ‘I’m sure of it.’
‘Did Edwina Barnes have a feud with Carmella that started over a favourite table in the dining room and has been going on for years?’
Definition of feud: a fancy word for a big, long fight (I’m pretty sure). Definitely the sort of word Nicholas would use.
‘No,’ I said, ‘Edwina Barnes is not having a feud with Carmella – as far as I know – but she will go for anything shiny. She said so herself.’
‘It was George Murray.’
‘Lex,’ I said, getting impatient, ‘who’ve you got?’
‘Em …’
Lex looked down at her notepad. I noticed there were very few notes on it.
‘Did you question anybody?’ Nicholas asked.
‘Yes.’
‘Did you interrogate anybody?’ I asked.
‘Em … I did learn a lot about Mr Kane’s dogs. They were all terriers, and he used to do all the dog shows–’
‘Urgh, Lex! You were supposed to be ruthless in your questioning. Not talk about their hobbies!’
‘I’m not good at being ruthless.’
I looked at Nicholas.
‘We’re going to have to question Lex’s list again.’
‘Don’t bother,’ said Nicholas. ‘I’m telling you, it was George Murray.’
‘I’m going inside,’ I snapped. ‘There are loads of residents we haven’t even checked out yet.’
‘Well, I’m staying out here.’ Nicholas sat down on the edge of the fountain. ‘It’s nice and sunny, and I’ve already found the thief.’
I marched past him in such a hurry I nearly knocked over Carmella. She was walking the path around the garden and had stopped to smell a bunch of yellow roses growing near the door.
‘Hey, Carmella.’
‘Hello, deary, hello!’
She looked much happier. I wondered if she’d forgotten about her locket. I decided not to remind her.
‘Nice roses,’ I said instead.
‘Don’t you just love the yellow ones?’
‘Sure.’
I wasn’t really listening. Edwina Barnes was making her way into the centre; a carer was pushing her chair from the garden to the door. As they went through the doorway something small dropped to the floor. A green bead from the fancy cardigan Ms Barnes was wearing. I automatically moved forward to go pick it up, but someone else was much faster. A quick hand shot from behind the doorframe and snatched the bead from the carpet.
‘Bye bye, deary,’ Carmella said as I ran past her.
‘Oh, sorry, bye, Carmella.’
I saw him. But only his back as he went through to the main hall. He wore a blue jumper.
By the time I reached the main hall there were a number of blue jumpers, pottering between the sitting room, hall and dining room.
I had a suspect. A real suspect. But which one of them was it?