Karen's Big City Mystery Read online

  The author gratefully acknowledges

  Gabrielle Charbonnet

  for her help

  with this book.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  1 What to Take?

  2 Hello, Little-House Family!

  3 Little-Apartment Family

  4 Life in Chicago

  5 Laundry in the Basement

  6 Rocky Escapes!

  7 Not a Fire

  8 The Mystery

  9 MY PROGRESS

  10 Rocky’s Second Great Escape

  11 Matt the Suspect

  12 I Was All Wrong

  13 My New Partner

  14 The Scene of the Crime

  15 A New Clue

  16 A Familiar Face

  17 The Suspect Trapped

  18 The Criminal Is Caught

  19 The Paintings Are Found

  20 And That Wraps It Up

  About the Author

  Also Available

  Copyright

  What to Take?

  Have you ever packed to go somewhere for a whole month? It is not easy. In fact, it is very hard. I was trying to pack to spend the month of July in Chicago with my mommy; my stepfather, Seth Engle; and my little brother, Andrew.

  I was sitting on the floor in my room at the big house. Three gigundo suitcases were in front of me. So far one was full of books and toys. One was full of my favorite sheets and towels. One was full of clothes. I was thinking that maybe I needed one more suitcase.

  Knock, knock. My stepsister, Kristy Thomas, poked her head into my room. Kristy is thirteen. I am seven. My name is Karen Brewer. (I will explain about Kristy and the big house and why my mommy lives in Chicago in a little while.)

  “Is everything okay in here?” she asked.

  “No,” I said. I put my chin in my hands.

  Kristy came in and sat next to me. “Are you excited about going to Chicago tomorrow morning?” she asked.

  I perked up. “Yes!” I said. “I cannot wait to see Mommy and Seth and Andrew again. But I have too much to pack. How will I fit everything into three suitcases?”

  “Hmm,” said Kristy. “Let’s see.” She looked in my suitcases. “I do not think you have to take sheets and towels, Karen. I am sure your mother has plenty.”

  “You think so?” I asked.

  “Yes,” said Kristy. “And maybe you should take only a few books from your summer reading list. And one or two small toys. Remember, a lot of your stuff is already in Chicago. And Andrew has things you can borrow.”

  Andrew is four going on five. I had not seen him for two months.

  “That is true,” I said. I put the sheets and towels back in the linen closet. I put most of the books and toys back where they belonged. I left out three books and my stuffed cat, Moosie, and my stamp set and ink pad.

  “Now your clothes,” said Kristy. “Remember that your mom has a washing machine and a dryer in Chicago. Take four pairs of shorts, eight tops, three dresses, one dressy dress, and seven pairs of socks and underwear. Wear your jeans and sneakers on the plane. Take a pair of sandals and your dressy shoes. Boom! You are all done.”

  Kristy is really, really organized. In the end, I fit everything into one big suitcase and my backpack. Now I was organized, but I had something else to worry about. What would happen to the rest of my big-house family? I am always such a help to everyone in my big-house family. How would they manage without me?

  That night my two best friends, Hannie Papadakis and Nancy Dawes, came to dinner. There are so many of us at the big house that we eat our meals at a long, long table with two long, long benches. Tonight I sat between Nancy and Hannie.

  “We will miss you,” said Hannie.

  “I will miss you too. I will miss everyone,” I said. “Who is going to help Nannie with her business?” Nannie is my stepgrandmother.

  “I will,” said Kristy.

  “Who will help Elizabeth set the table?” I asked. Elizabeth is my stepmother.

  “I hep!” cried my little sister, Emily Michelle. She is two and a half.

  “Hannie and I will take care of each other,” said Nancy bravely. “So you can have a good time in Chicago.”

  “Thank you,” I said. Suddenly I felt as if I might cry.

  We had a special going-away cake for dessert. I hugged Hannie and Nancy good-bye and promised to bring back souvenirs from Chicago for them. Then they went home and I got ready for bed.

  * * *

  After breakfast the next morning, I kissed everyone at the big house good-bye.

  “Good-bye, Karen!” said Nannie.

  “Good-bye, darling,” said Elizabeth. “Call us tonight.”

  “Okay,” I said.

  I kissed Emily Michelle good-bye. Then I said good-bye to my stepbrothers Sam, Charlie, and David Michael. Sam and Charlie are in high school. David Michael is seven, like me.

  Daddy and Kristy drove me to the airport. They waited with me until it was time for my plane to take off. Then we all kissed good-bye a bunch of times. The flight attendant helped me find my seat. And I was on my way to Chicago!

  Hello, Little-House Family!

  I like flying. I do not get airsick. I have even flown by myself before. Once I went all the way to Nebraska to see my stepgrandparents at their farm. But wait! I guess you are wondering about all the steppeople I have in my life. I will tell you how that happened.

  A long time ago, I did not have a stepfamily. I lived at the big house with Daddy, Mommy, and Andrew. Then Mommy and Daddy got divorced. Andrew and I moved into the little house with Mommy. Daddy stayed at the big house. It is where he grew up.

  Mommy got married again, to Seth Engle. Seth is my stepfather. And his parents are the stepgrandparents I visited in Nebraska. Daddy got married again too, to Elizabeth Thomas. Her four kids, Charlie, Sam, David Michael, and Kristy, are my stepbrothers and stepsister. Then Daddy and Elizabeth adopted my little sister, Emily Michelle, from a faraway country called Vietnam. And Elizabeth’s mommy, Nannie, came to live at the big house to help take care of everyone, and the pets too. The pets are Shannon, a humongous puppy, and Boo-Boo, Daddy’s cranky old cat. Plus I have my pet rat, Emily Junior. Andrew and I both have goldfish. And Andrew has his own hermit crab named Bob.

  So now Andrew and I have two families, one at the big house and one at the little house. We have two of lots of things — that is why I sometimes call us Andrew Two-Two and Karen Two-Two. (I got the idea from a book my teacher, Ms. Colman, read to my class. It was called Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang.) Usually Andrew and I switch houses every month. We stay at the big house for one month, and at the little house for one month. But a few months ago, Seth decided to take a job in Chicago for six months. (He is a carpenter.) So Mommy, Andrew, Seth, and I packed up most of our things and moved to Chicago. (Mommy rented the little house to another family while we are gone.) But I decided I did not like Chicago very much. I missed the big house. I was unhappy, so I came home to the big house.

  But now I was on my way to visit my little-house family for a whole month. I could not wait! I missed Mommy and Andrew and Seth soooo much. I missed Seth’s cat, Rocky, and his dog, Midgie. I knew I would have a good time in Chicago.

  Soon the plane was flying so high that all I could see were clouds below us. We had left the big house a long way back in Stoneybrook, Connecticut. The flight attendants handed out snacks to everyone. I ate my apple, my cookie, and part of my roll. Then I slept for a little while.

  When I woke up, I talked to my neighbor. He had been on a business trip to New York City, and now was going home to Chicago. I know all about New York City, because I have been there several times. So I told him everything I know about
it. He was very interested, but then he wanted to nap.

  Finally the pilot announced that we were circling O’Hare Airport. I reminded my neighbor to have his seat in the upright and locked position. Then I looked down and saw the runways and little buildings and teeny cars below us.

  Tap, tap, screeeech! I sat still until we had come to a complete and final stop. I am a very good flier.

  The flight attendant came to get me and let me off the plane first, because I was seven years old and traveling by myself. Guess who was waiting for me? Mommy and Seth and Andrew!

  “Karen! Karen!” cried Andrew. He hugged me hard. “I missed you. I am so glad to see you.”

  “I am so glad to see you too,” I told him.

  I hugged Mommy and Seth each about five times.

  “Now we are all together,” said Mommy. “I am very happy.”

  “Me too,” I said. “We will have a great month.”

  We got my suitcase from the baggage area and went out to Seth’s car. I could not stop smiling. I was with my little-house family again. Hooray!

  Little-Apartment Family

  In Stoneybrook, my little-house family lives in a little house. In Chicago, they lived in an apartment. The apartment building was six stories tall, with fancy carving on the outside. An awning over the sidewalk protected people from snow or rain.

  I had met the doorman, Donald, before. “Welcome back to Chicago, Karen,” he said.

  “Thank you,” I replied.

  The apartment was on the fifth floor, so we took the elevator. Everything looked the way I remembered. The floors were made of tile. The walls were covered with patterned green wallpaper. In the hallway I could smell what other people were making for lunch.

  Mommy unlocked the apartment door. Seth stood right by the door, and as soon as Mommy opened it, he jumped into the apartment, blocking the door with his feet.

  “Back, Rocky!” he said. “Go on, now.”

  Mommy explained, “Rocky misses being able to go outside to play. He does not like being an apartment cat. So he keeps trying to sneak out the door when we open it.”

  I giggled. Inside, Seth was holding Rocky in his arms.

  “You have to be very careful, Karen,” said Andrew. “If Rocky gets out, he could get hurt.”

  “I will be careful,” I said.

  Seth carried my suitcase into my room. It was the room Mommy and Seth were using as an office. There was a big desk in one corner, covered with papers. This room did not feel like a bedroom at all. But it was just for a month.

  “I have presents for everyone!” I said. “Wait for me in the living room.”

  I dug my gifts out of my suitcase and brought them to the living room. For Mommy I had a nice box of Nannie’s famous homemade chocolates.

  “Oh, how wonderful,” said Mommy. “Thank you.”

  “This is for you,” I said to Seth. I gave him a picture frame I had made myself. In it was a picture of me holding up a baseball glove that I had caught on a fishing trip.

  Seth laughed. “I love it!”

  Andrew was squirming on the couch, waiting for his present. I gave him a set of stamps and an ink pad like mine.

  “See?” I said. “These stamps are all different animals. You stamp them on the ink pad and then you can decorate notes and papers and books and stuff. I have some too, and we can switch.”

  “Cool!” said Andrew. “Thanks, Karen.”

  “I have to get back to work now,” said Seth. “But I am very happy you are here, Karen. I will see you tonight at dinner.” Seth hugged me and left the apartment. “Get back, please, Rocky,” he said as he opened the door.

  That afternoon, after a snack, Mommy and Andrew showed me the neighborhood again. I remembered it a little bit from when I had been here before, but a lot of it seemed new. My little-house family had been living here for two months now. People smiled and said hello to them, just the way they do in Stoneybrook.

  Mommy and Seth and Andrew had friends here, and a favorite grocery store, and neighbors and everything. But they did not like Chicago better than Stoneybrook, did they?

  I asked them at dinner.

  “You are coming back to Connecticut, aren’t you?” I asked as Seth passed me the rice.

  “Oh, yes, honey, definitely,” said Mommy. “Seth will have work here for several more months. But then we will pack up and come home. I promise.”

  “Okay,” I said. I started eating my chicken.

  “Now, let’s see,” said Mommy. “Andrew has summer preschool every day until one o’clock. Seth goes to work around eight-thirty. And I’ve been learning how to make jewelry in the mornings. A friend of mine is teaching me.”

  “When I come home from preschool, we can do lots of fun stuff,” said Andrew. “Mommy and I want to take you to the zoo and the children’s museum and any other place you want.”

  I smiled at him. “I cannot wait.”

  That night I slept in “my” bed, with the noises of Chicago down below me in the street. It was nice to hear Mommy’s voice in the other room.

  Life in Chicago

  The next morning Seth left for work before I even finished breakfast. Then Mommy and I walked Andrew to his preschool two blocks away. On the way home, Mommy and I stopped at a fruit stand and bought some bananas and some nectarines.

  In Stoneybrook, we usually drive everywhere. Here, it was easier to walk.

  Back at the apartment, Rocky almost made it out the door when we opened it. But I blocked him with my feet. “No, no, Rocky,” I said. “We do not want you to get lost.”

  I helped Mommy make the beds and load the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher. Then I picked up Andrew’s and my toys and put them neatly in our rooms.

  Mommy hugged me. “I have really missed having my special helper,” she said.

  For awhile Mommy and I sat together on the couch, talking. Although we talk every day on the phone when I am in Stoneybrook, it is not the same. I was so happy talking to her face-to-face. I told her what I had been doing all summer. She told me how she had been learning to make beautiful jewelry out of silver and pewter (which is like silver, only not as shiny). Mommy told me about the art projects Andrew had been doing at preschool, and about Seth’s work. Seth had been working very hard here.

  “We are looking forward to moving back,” said Mommy.

  I was glad to hear it.

  Soon Mommy decided to practice making her jewelry. She showed me her tools — tiny pliers and tiny clamps and even wax, to practice designs on. “I cannot melt silver or pewter here in the apartment,” she said. “I do not have some of the equipment. And it would be a fire hazard. So I have to go to my friend’s studio for that. But I can do other things.”

  Mommy needed peace and quiet to work, so I wandered around the apartment, looking for something to do. At the big house, I could have watched TV or played with my Moonbeam video game system. But Mommy and Seth do not approve of watching too much television. And I did not have my video game system with me.

  For awhile I sat on the radiator cover in the living room and looked out the window at the street below. From five stories high I could see up and down the block. I could see people on bicycles making deliveries from the grocery store and the pharmacy. I saw many people walking dogs.

  Soon I realized something: I was bored, bored, bored. I wished I could ask Mommy to think of something for me to do, but I did not want to disturb her. I wanted to show her that I could be a big girl and entertain myself. But it was not easy.

  I wandered around the apartment some more. Andrew had gotten a few new books and games, and I read them and played with them. But books for a four-going-on-five-year-old are not what a seven-going-on-eight-year-old wants to read. And I could not play the games by myself.

  Rocky was napping. Midgie was napping. That had not changed, I thought. I lay on the couch, looking up at the ceiling. I tried to read one of my books. This is not good, I thought. It is my second day here and I am already bored.
/>
  I decided to work on drawing. Andrew was doing all sorts of art projects at preschool. Mommy was making jewelry. Seth made beautiful furniture. I should do something artistic too.

  That is what I did until lunchtime. I drew. I drew Rocky and Midgie. I drew Mommy’s spider plant. I drew Andrew’s bed with his stuffed animals on it. I drew things I saw out the living room window.

  Finally it was lunchtime. Mommy and I ate turkey-and-cheese sandwiches with potato chips. Then we put Midgie’s leash on her and walked her to the small park around the corner. At last it was time to pick up Andrew — hooray! Mommy and Midgie and I walked to his preschool. I went into Andrew’s classroom. I was very glad to see him.

  Once we got home, it was much more fun. Andrew and I played board games. We played word games. We told each other stupid jokes. I was having a good time in Chicago.

  Laundry in the Basement

  By the end of the week I almost felt as if I belonged in Chicago. This visit was very different from my last visit. This time I already knew I would be going back to Stoneybrook at the end of the month, so I was not worried or unhappy. It was easy for me to feel comfortable in Chicago.

  Every day was the same and also different. In the mornings, after Seth went to work and Andrew went to preschool, I helped Mommy around the apartment. I do not know how she had managed without me. I was helpful in so many ways.

  First we tidied up the apartment together. Then Mommy practiced her jewelry making. After a few days, Mommy let me take Midgie for her morning walk all by myself. I could only go up and down our block, where Mommy could see me from our windows. Of course, I could do this in Stoneybrook. But Chicago is a big city.

  Sometimes I helped Mommy with the laundry. Back in Stoneybrook, our washer and dryer are in the basement of our house. Here, the washers and dryers were in the basement of the apartment building. Mommy went with me the first couple of times to show me where everything was.

  This is how we did our laundry: First we put it in a little cart with wheels. (We also used the cart for groceries.) Then we rolled the cart down the hall to the elevator. We pushed the button that said B, for basement. The basement was gigundo. It had bright white walls and gray tile floors and signs on the walls. One sign said EXERCISE ROOM. One sign said SUPERINTENDENT. The superintendent is the person who takes care of the apartment building. (Sometimes he is just called the super.) Another sign said LAUNDRY ROOM.