It was almost dark when she arrived back home. Her grandma had been watching Debbie Do all day, and she looked like it. Her hair was a mess and she looked like she needed a nap. Suzie came in and collapsed on the couch.
The three agents of the Double Scoop Detective Agency had spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the locations where the bikes were stolen and filling up on candy and soda from the Top-Mart corner grocery.
They talked to a few of the kids who had lost bikes, and they all were still upset. Suzie tried to reassure them she would do her best to get their bikes back, but she knew that might not happen. Even if she helps catch the guy who took them, their bikes could be long gone.
She was about to close her eyes for some sleep on the couch when there was a loud knock at the front door. She was startled because everyone they knew either used the doorbell or came right in. Her grandma walked by and opened up the door. Suzie heard a man’s voice, so she got up after a minute and wandered behind her to take a look.
It was Detective Rosario, still wearing his little hat. This time he added a pair of orange tinted sunglasses. He was smiling with a toothpick again between his teeth and talking to her grandma. He handed her a little black wallet she opened to reveal a gold detective’s badge.
“Oh, there she is now,” he said motioning behind her. “If you don’t mind, miss, I would like to have a quick word with your granddaughter.”
“Well, yes, of course. Do come in,” Suzie’s grandmother said as they backed up and he stepped into their front room.
“Thank you,” the detective said.
“We’re all very proud of her,” her grandmother said, “how she helped find the lost dog and everything.”
“Right- yeah, lost dog,” he said with a confused look towards Suzie. “I’m actually here about another case.”
The phone rang and Suzie’s grandmother said she would be right back and went to answer it. Detective Rosario stepped a little closer to Suzie, which caused her to step back.
“Listen Suzie,” he said. “I’ve been doing some legwork and was a little surprised to find out that the parents and kids of those stolen bikes already talked to a detective. They told me a girl with her friend and a police notebook had been by, and been all over it. That everything would be fine, she was on the case.”
“That’s right,” Suzie said excitedly. “In fact, we have a couple of deductions that I think you should know, I mean about the thief.”
“Oh yeah?” he responded with a grimace.
“Oh yes! We have a map. It’s a neighborhood map, but it is very interesting,” she said. “I started with chocolate chips and gumdrops but have changed to color highlights, and have transferred it to the maps in my tablet, but the paper map is larger and easier to look at and make connections. Ya know?”
“No,” he said flatly.
“Do you want me to get it?”
“Look, little girl,” he said firmly, taking the toothpick out of his mouth and pointing it at Suzie. “I’m not here for any color highlights on a map, or crazy connections, or to listen to your deductions. I’m here to tell you to back off. You’re not helping me.”
Suzie was taken aback for a moment. “But, there is a pattern. On the map, I can show you. Plus I found something,” she said as she grabbed her detective’s case. She pulled out the little shard of green plastic from Jimmy Nelson’s driveway and held it up. “It’s a piece of plastic I found at the first crime scene. I think it might be an important clue. Maybe if we worked together,” she said as she went to hand it to him. He lifted his hand and waved it away, almost causing Suzie to drop it.
“No!” he said forcefully. Then he paused and took a breath. “Listen to me, you are impeding an active investigation. Leave this all to the professionals. Ya got it! You will let this go.”
Her grandmother came back into the room. “That was your mom, Suzie,” she said. “She’s getting off work now. She was very excited to hear a police detective was coming by to say thanks.”
“Yes, that’s right. And we had a nice chat, right Suzie?” he asked with a forced smile, placing the toothpick into the side of his hat. Suzie stood and looked at him blankly. “Right, okay then. Well, it was nice meeting you, miss. Have a good night,” he said as he walked out the door.
“Well, he seemed nice enough,” said Suzie’s grandmother.
“Not really,” Suzie said. “I need to call Cass.”
“Okay, dinner is almost ready,” she reminded Suzie.
Suzie’s head was spinning. She felt like she was on the right track, but now she wondered if she should go further. Maybe the detective was right. She needed to talk to her best friend to clear her head, and she hoped she was around.
“Hey ya, Snagglemeister. What’s up?” Cass said when she finally came to the phone.
“Not much. We had a visit here from our favorite detective,” said Suzie. “He wants us to stay away from the case. He said we were interfering, or something.”
“Ha! I hope you set him straight,” said Cass.
“No. Actually, I think he might be right,” said Suzie.
“What! Hello, is this Suzie? Genius detective Suzie?” asked Cass.
“No. I’m not a real detective; he is. I’m only a kid, right? What do I know about any of this stuff?” Suzie asked.
“What do you know? What does he know,” said Cass.
“Well, for one thing, it’s his job. And I’m sure he has a lot of experience at it,” Suzie said.
“Did you show him what you came up with, the pattern thing? Did you show him the map?” asked Cass.
“I tried. He wouldn’t even look at it. He wanted nothing to do with it, or us,” Suzie said.
“And do you think that’s smart? If he is so good, why wouldn’t he listen to you? I didn’t like him from the start. He’s probably all afraid you’re gonna show him up!”
“I don’t know about that,” Suzie said.
“Yeah, and ya know what, he should be. We’re probably way ahead of him and he doesn’t like it. And I tell ya what else, he has a thing against kids. I could tell, ya know. It’s like how you can tell a mean teacher after the first class. Not the ones pretending to be mean in the beginning. Remember Mr. Brunelli.”
“Ooof. Oh yeah. That was rough,” Suzie agreed.
“Yeah. Don’t let this guy put you down, sister friend! You’re Suzie Snaggletooth. He has no idea who he’s up against!”
“I don’t want to be against anybody,” Suzie said.
“Yeah, well, like my mom always says, the world is tough out there for us girls. We have to stick together or fall apart. Ya know!” Cass said.
Suzie took a deep breath. She could always count on Cassidy. “Yeah, I know. You’re right, Cass.”
“Of course I’m right. Zeesh!” she said. “When are you gonna learn that.”
Suzie laughed, “So you’re right all the time?”
“Well, most of the time,” Cass answered with a chuckle. “Hey, tomorrow is Saturday already and we got my block party going on. If you can get away from your fancy detective work for a little bit, wanna come over?”
“Sounds great!”
“It’s gonna be a good one,” Cass said. “There’s gonna be fireworks this year.”
“I can’t wait,” said Suzie.
Chapter 11