Chapter 2

Shirley went outside looking for clues but didn't find anything. Shirley said, "Not one piece of evidence." While she was looking, she heard rustling coming from the bushes. Shirley said, "What was that?" Shirley looked behind her and saw a boy named Mike Grant walking out of the bushes with a sharp knife on his belt. Shirley said, "Boy, with a knife, the knife could have cut the ropes. He's the culprit." Mike walked by Shirley and stopped. Shirley said, "Hey you, freeze." Mike saw Shirley and ran off. Then Shirley jumped over the bushes and chased after him. Mike ran into Central Park and tried to lose Shirley by hitching a ride on a horse-drawn carriage. When Shirley saw Mike escaping, she brought out her scooter and raced. Mike looked behind him and saw Shirley still chasing him. Then Mike jumped off the carriage and ran for it while Shirley headed in the wrong direction. Then Shirley turned around and rode her scooter after Mike, but Sherry stuck out her foot, tripped him, and Mike fell into the fountain. Sherry said, "End of the line."

Shirley jumped off her scooter, folded it, and put it back in her backpack. Then she ran up to Mike and Sherry and saw that Sherry had caught Mike before she did. Shirley said, "Great job Sherry. Now, let's take him in for questioning." Sherry said," "Not we. I'm the only one asking the questions." Shirley said, "But I can help." Sherry said, "I know, but I don't need your help." Shirley said, "Maybe you will." Sherry said, "Well, when you put it that way. No." Shirley said, "But I have to investigate. I can't solve the mystery if I don't." Sherry said, "Too bad. It looks like I'll be the one solving this mystery." Shirley felt left out when Sherry didn't include her. Shirley took a stroll across town, thinking about what Sherry said. Shirley then looked at a building's window and saw Sherry and Mike's reflections walking across town on the other side of the street. Shirley said, "Hmm. If she asks the questions, I'll get the answers."

Sherry took Mike to the other side of town, sat him down on a bench in Central Park, and started to ask him questions. Shirley hid behind a tree and listened in on their conversation. Sherry and Mike didn't know Shirley was listening to their conversation. Mike said, "I didn't cut the ropes. You have to believe me." Sherry showed Mike his knife and said, "Then what's this for?" Mike said, "I carve wood sculptures and use that knife to do it." Mike showed Sherry some of his sculptures, and Sherry liked them. While Sherry looked at the sculptures, Shirley wrote down everything Sherry and Mike said on her notepad. Finally, Shirley whispered, "He could have done it. Maybe he used the knife to cut the ropes and frame Warren to get extra attention for his wooden sculptures." Sherry said, "You still could have used it to cut the ropes." Mike said, "But I didn't." Sherry snapped her fingers and said," "Wait. When I investigated the crime scene, I saw the ropes got cut with an ax, not a knife." Shirley whispered. "That's right. I saw that, too."

Shirley quickly left before Mike or Sherry saw her. After Shirley left, she went to the library and used the computer to research Mike. Shirley said, "According to my web search, Mike's a great student at his school. He has lots of friends, gets good grades, entertains people with all his talents, and gives free wooden sculptures to people. But all his wooden sculptures lost entertainment when Warren transferred from England with his magic act. Warren then performed at theaters, and Mike saw each show." Shirley thought it through, saying, "Mike's wooden sculptures lost all purpose with Warren in theaters. It makes good sense. He sets up the attacks, frames Warren, Warren gets arrested, and Mike's wooden sculptures go back to being popular again." Shirley left the library and saw a hooded figure run by her and into the library. Shirley said, "Hey, stop." The librarian then shushed Shirley for being too loud.

Shirley chased the hooded figure to the history section. Once Shirley got there, the hooded figure took a book off the shelf and threw it at Shirley. Shirley then hit the deck, and the book missed her. Then Shirley jumped and tried to kick the hooded figure, but the hooded figure jumped out of the way and then jumped out the window. When he did, Shirley saw him drop a piece of paper and run away. Shirley said, "Who was that?" Shirley then looked at the ground and saw the thing they had dropped. Shirley said, "Hmm. I don't know who that was, but they did drop something." Shirley opened the piece of paper and saw a flyer for Sherry's detective agency on it, and the bottom was torn off. Shirley thought about it and still thought Mike was her best bet.

Shirley then walked outside upset and saw a giant game board set up. When Shirley got into position, somebody wearing gloves pushed a red button on a remote, and a stampede of huge game tokens with mini rockets attached to them came at Shirley. Shirley saw the game pieces, ran for her life, and thought the attack through. Finally, Shirley said, "This is just like in chess. Somebody moves their pieces to kill another piece, which I think is me." While Shirley was running, somebody on a motorcycle rode by Shirley, grabbed her, and put her behind him. Shirley got on the bike with the motorcycle guy and held onto him. The motorcycle guy drove them away from the pieces and to a safe place. Shirley said, "Thanks for saving me. But, who are you?"

The motorcycle girl removed her helmet, shook her head, and revealed her identity. Shirley said, "Sherry." Sherry said, "Yes. Plus, I think it'll be best that you stay away from this case and let me solve it." Shirley said, "Why?" Sherry said, "You almost got killed." Shirley said, "I know, but that means I'm getting close to solving the mystery." Sherry said, "Shirley, they even left another threat. 'I'm Playing To Win. You'll Never Beat Me.'" Shirley said, "Sorry, Sherry, but I'm not leaving New York City until this case is solved." Sherry said, "Have it your way." Sherry left mad, and Shirley walked over to Lady Liberty.