The Last Clue
His dad got up and knelt next to his son, pulling him into his arms. "I love you, kid. You mean more to me than you can ever know, and that's all that matters to me."
"Dad, no offense, but. . . . I mean, I really appreciate all your help." He pulled back from his hug and looked at his dad. "I want this so badly. I know it sounds dumb, but I want this. I've never really done anything important before, and Professor Atticus said I might be able to save peoples' lives."
"Then by golly, we'll figure it out, okay? Give me that dia—"
His words were cut off when a thunderclap of broken glass shattered the silence, followed by the tinkle of falling shards and a loud thump on the floor. Dad fell onto his back with a yelp, and Tom's hands went to his chest, clutching his shirt like an old woman shocked by the spectacle of kids skateboarding in a church parking lot.
Someone had wrapped a note around a rock and then thrown it through the window.