Chapter 2

Shirley was reading a magazine when her cell phone started ringing, and she answered it. Shirley said, "Hello." Susan said, "Hello, Shirley." Shirley said, "What?" Susan said, "This is Susan Matane from St. Charleston High." Shirley said, "What's the mystery?" Susan said, "Somebody has stolen our snake mascot." Shirley said, "I'm on it." Shirley drove her car to the high school and went to the crime scene. When she got to the crime scene, she saw Susan and asked her a few questions. Shirley said, "Is this where the crime took place?" Susan said, "Yes. I went outside for five minutes when I heard somebody playing Snake Charmer on the flute. When I came back, he was gone." Shirley said, "Guess I should start here." Shirley used her magnifying glass to check the crime scene for clues but found nothing. Shirley said, "No forced entry, no prints, no clues, nothing." Susan asked, "Are you telling me somebody stole a beloved mascot without leaving any clues?" Shirley said, "It would appear so."

While Shirley was investigating, Principal Michele came into the room madly. Principal Michele said, "Shirley." Shirley said, "Principal Michele." Principal Michele said, "Shirley, Slimy is our mascot. We'll lose if you don't find him by the football game. Now find him." Shirley said, "I will." Principal Michele said, "Good." Susan walked up to Shirley and showed her what she had found. Susan said, "Hey, Shirley. Check this out. I checked Slimy's tank and found this." Susan showed Shirley the note she found, and Shirley read it. Shirley said, "'This Is Just the Beginning.' Well, it's nice of whoever did this to tell me. But the bad news is, they were careful; they cut out all the letters from magazine headlines. No handwriting."

The next day, Shirley went outside, investigated the school's perimeter, and found a snake trail leading away. Shirley took a picture of the snake route and put it in her backpack. Then she saw a piece of paper in the pathway, opened it, and read what was inside it. Shirley said, "A detention slip for this morning. It looks like Toby wanted a little revenge." Shirley heard the bell ring and went over to St. Glisten. When she got there, she saw Toby getting on the bus. Then she got on the same bus and spoke to Toby. Shirley said, "Freeze, Toby." Toby said, "I don't think so." Toby jumped out of the back of the bus, and Shirley chased after him.

Toby headed for the gym at the school. Shirley said, "He's heading for the gym." Toby tried to open the gym doors, but they were locked. Then Shirley jumped on Toby and pinned him to the ground. Shirley said, "OK, Toby, where's Slimy?" Toby said, "Slimy, the snake from St. Charleston. I didn't take him." Shirley took Toby to Principal Michele's office, set up a tape recorder to record everything Toby said, and questioned him. Toby said, "I didn't steal any mascots. I was only running because I thought you wanted more from me about that exploding football." Shirley said, "Fine; you're free. But I'll be watching you."

Shirley was walking to her hotel when she got a phone call from the owner of the town's bookstore telling her that all his books had been stolen. After Shirley got off the phone, she got in her car and drove to the bookstore. When she got there, Shirley dusted the shelves for fingerprints. Shirley said, "No forced entry, no prints, no clues, nothing." Mr. Bouncer said, "You have to find my books, Shirley. Please." Shirley said, "Don't worry, Mr. Bouncer, I'll get the books back."

When sunset came, Shirley walked across town looking for clues and heard somebody playing See the Rabbit on a Flute. Shirley ignored the music and kept looking for clues around town. While the music played, somebody unlocked the jewelry store's door with a carrot. Then, they opened a jewelry case with a carrot and stole a diamond necklace. After they stole the jewelry, they locked the jewelry case and the jewelry store's doors up and ran out of the jewelry store. Shirley heard somebody scream when the music stopped, and then she ran towards where it was coming from and saw a pet store. Shirley ran into the pet store and saw the owner crying. Shirley said, "Mr. Fletch, what's wrong?" Mr. Fletch said, "Somebody stole all my rabbits." Shirley said, "Looks like I got an animal thief on my hands."

Shirley took a picture of the empty rabbit cages with her camera, put it in her backpack, and started to look for clues. She took her fingerprint kit from her bag and dusted the pens for fingerprints. Shirley said, "No fingerprints. How can somebody steal a bunch of rabbits and not leave any clues behind?" Shirley put her fingerprint kit back in her backpack and questioned Mr. Fletch. Shirley said, "Mr. Fletch, does anybody other than you have a key to the cages?" Mr. Fletch said, "No." Shirley said, "Then how could anybody get the rabbits?" Mr. Fletch said, "I don't know."

When she finished questioning Mr. Fletch, she heard a scream across the street. Shirley ran across the road to the jewelry store and saw the owner, Miss. Twinkle was crying because her favorite necklace had been stolen. Shirley walked into the store and looked around for clues inside it. When she investigated the jewelry case, she saw that nobody had broken into it. So, Shirley said, "No clues again, but what's this?" Shirley found another note by the jewelry case, opened it, and read it. Shirley said, "'Leave these crimes alone, or you'll never see the light of day again.' And they cut out the letters from a magazine again. Clever." Shirley returned to the high school and reviewed the school files the following day. Shirley said, "Here's something, Lizzy Fletch. She's an expert mascot stealer, and she's the sister of Toby Fletch, the guy I questioned yesterday."

Shirley went to St. Glisten and found Lizzy at her locker. When Lizzy shut her locker, she saw Shirley behind the door. Shirley said, "Lizzy, I want you to come with me." Lizzy said, "Or maybe..." Lizzy tripped Shirley, and Shirley fell to the ground. Lizzy said, "Not." Lizzy ran off, but Shirley chased after her. Lizzy ran into the girl's locker room, but Shirley ran after her. Once Shirley got in, she lost Lizzy's trail. Lizzy came out from inside a locker and knocked Shirley down. Then Shirley got up and chased after Lizzy. When Shirley ran around the corner, she saw three doors labeled Laundry Room, Restroom, and Exit. Shirley said, "Door #1." Shirley ran into the laundry room and saw Lizzy trying to open the exit door, but somebody had locked it. Shirley pushed a laundry cart at Lizzy, and she fell in it. Then Shirley walked up to the cart and helped Lizzy out. Shirley said, "I got you, Lizzy. Now, you tell me where you hid the animals." Lizzy said, "Animals? I don't know anything about that."

Shirley took Lizzy to the principal's office, set up a tape recorder to record everything she said, and questioned her. Lizzy said, "Yes, I stole many mascots in the past." Shirley said, "But you didn't steal the snake from St. Charleston." Lizzy said, "No. I've been guarding our hawk mascot." Shirley said, "Do you have anything against rabbits?" Lizzy said, "Not unless you count their record of stealing vegetables." Shirley said, "OK, you're free to go." The mystery puzzled Shirley when she went to her hotel and sat on her bed. Shirley said, "I have no suspects, no clues, and no idea what animal could be next." Shirley's cell phone started to ring, and she answered it. Shirley didn't speak on the phone because she just listened to what the person on the other line had to say. Shirley hung up the phone when the person on the other line finished talking. Shirley said, "Looks like Principal Michele wants an update on the case."