CHAPTER 5

WILD GOOSE CHASE

I went back to the living room with Tiana right behind me. “Mama,” I said, “Greenie might be somewhere in the neighborhood.”

Mama put Nia’s script on the table. “Nia,” she said, “can you take your sisters through the neighborhood to retrace Tiana’s steps?”

Nia groaned. “But, Mama, I need to practice.”

Mama gave her a look. “Nia, I was at the restaurant late last night, and I have to go back in a few hours to prep for dinner. I could really use the rest. And I need to plan the daily specials for the week.”

Tiana started to cry again. “Please, Nia? I miss Greenie. He’s my best friend.”

Nia bent down and wiped Tiana’s tears. “I have an idea,” she said. “Why don’t I practice my lines while we search? I’ll be Dorothy looking for home, and you can be Tiana looking for Greenie.”

Tiana gave Nia a great big hug, but all I could think was, I wish I could make a diorama while we search.

After we got dressed, Nia took us outside. She looked around at our neighborhood like she’d never seen it before. I had a feeling she was pretending to have landed in Oz, just like Dorothy.

“Where should we start?” Nia asked.

Since Tiana had gone to the park first yesterday, we decided to start there. At least it was close. It was only three blocks away, and it was fun to look at our neighbors’ fancy cars. My dad told me some of our neighbors had very important jobs in the government.

When we got to the park, we walked down a path to get to the play structure. A lady in a sun hat was pulling weeds in the park garden. A man and a woman were having a picnic on the grass.

Nia wandered around singing while Tiana and I looked all over the place. I even climbed around on the play structure looking for Greenie.

Finally I shook my head. Greenie wasn’t at the park.

Nia stood up. “Let’s go to the Emerald City next.”

I giggled. Emerald City was a place in The Wiz. “We haven’t found Greenie yet,” I said. I knew Tiana wouldn’t let us rest until we did. “Let’s check the mailbox next.”

Tiana said, “I told you I brought him home. Somebody stealed him.”

“Stole,” I corrected her.

We crossed the street and walked to the corner where the mailbox was. I got on my hands and knees and looked under the mailbox. No Greenie.

“Maybe you mailed him,” Nia joked.

Tiana started to cry. “I didn’t. I brought him home.”

I could tell Nia felt bad about making Tiana cry. “I was just kidding, Tiana,” she said. She went back to her Dorothy voice. “Maybe the Wiz will help us.”

While Nia was busy being Dorothy, I remembered Tiana saying that Auntie Sam took Kevin home after they went to the mailbox.

“Let’s go to Kevin’s house,” I suggested. “It’s on the way home.”

“Greenie’s not there!” Tiana yelled. “I brought him home!”

“Let’s just make sure,” I said.

We walked one block to Kevin’s house and knocked on the front door. Kevin’s mom answered.

A minute later, Kevin came running. He had on pajamas with trains all over them.

“Hi, Tiana! Wanna play?” he asked.

Tiana shook her head. “I can’t find Greenie.”

“You took him home,” Kevin said.

We all stood there looking at each other. I knew there had to be another answer. There had to be something Tiana was forgetting. Greenie was not at home.

Kevin’s mom looked at him. “Are you sure?” she said.

“Uh-huh,” said Kevin. “He waved goodbye to me when he left.”

Tiana smiled. “He likes you, Kevin.”

We left Kevin’s house and headed back to the White House. Mr. Givens, our next-door neighbor, was outside digging a hole. He was outside a lot. Mr. Givens lived all alone, but he didn’t seem sad about it. He smiled all the time, and he always had treats.

As soon as he saw us, Mr. Givens said, “Well, if it isn’t the Lane girls. My favorite neighbors.”

“Hi, Mr. Givens,” I replied. “What are you doing?”

“Today I’m planting a cookie tree.” He winked at us.

Tiana giggled. “Cookies don’t grow on trees!”

“We’ll see,” said Mr. Givens. “Wait right here.” He disappeared inside and came back out with a plastic bag. He reached in and handed us each two chocolate chip cookies. “These are fresh,” he said. “Right off the tree.”

“Thank you,” I said, taking a bite. “Have you seen a green stuffed frog?”

Mr. Givens smiled. “You mean Greenie? I sure did.”

“Where?” I asked.

“I saw him yesterday right here. He waved to me,” said Mr. Givens.

Tiana had a cookie in her mouth, but that didn’t stop her from talking. “He likes you,” she said. Cookie crumbs dropped out of her mouth and landed on the ground.

“I like him too.” Mr. Givens started digging his hole again.

This mystery was starting to get complicated. It was like Greenie had disappeared into thin air.

“Tiana,” I said. “You’re forgetting something. Where else could Greenie be?”

Tiana started to cry again. “Nowhere. I brought him home. I tucked him in for his nap. Then he was gone.”

“Wait a minute.” I stopped and stared at my little sister. “You tucked him in? You mean you know exactly where you put Greenie?”

I looked at Nia. Her mouth dropped open. We had just walked all over the place for nothing. I realized I should have asked Tiana more questions. Better questions. I should have asked exactly where she’d had Greenie. I had only asked when she had him.

Tiana had a proud look on her face. “It was nap time,” she said. “I told you.”

It was true. She had told me. She’d just left out some details—important details. And I hadn’t believed her. I’d never even investigated Tiana’s room. I’d been so worried about hurrying up that I had actually wasted time.