The Homemade Stuffing Caper Read online

  “Well, yeah,” I said. “Whenever you need some extra muscle, you can count on us.”

  “I’m glad to hear you say that,” Eugene said, “because I need you.”

  “Really?” I said.

  “Just Charlie?” Henry said.

  “No, I want to hire all of you. I need three more sets of eyes and ears for a pending case.”

  “Wow,” I said. “What’s it all about?”

  Eugene closed the door and spoke softly. “Yesterday I got a call from …” He paused. “Let’s just say … from someone who shall remain nameless.”

  We looked at one another and smiled nervously.

  “It seems there’s a problem at …” Eugene paused again. “At a location that shall remain nameless.”

  “This sounds really important,” I said. “So, what exactly is the problem?”

  “The problem is regarding a subject … that shall remain nameless. So, are you kids with me?”

  “To be perfectly honest,” Henry said, “I’m a little confused.”

  Eugene smiled. “How about if I explain everything to you tomorrow? At my office. After school. How’s that sound?”

  I had no idea what we were about to agree to, but I knew that Eugene would never put us in harm’s way. I tried to imagine what Sam Solomon might have done under these circumstances. I knew that he’d never let a friend down no matter how mysterious a case appeared to be.

  “Count me in, Eugene,” I said.

  “Me, too,” Henry said.

  It was now Scarlett’s turn to chime in. We’d soon find out just how committed she was to all this cloak-and-dagger stuff.

  “If you really think I can be of some help, I’d love to,” she said.

  “Scarlett, Charlie’s grandma and I both think that you’d make a great addition to this team. What do you say?”

  “In that case,” she replied, “I’m in.”

  “Great,” Eugene said. “So, I’ll see all of you tomorrow at … shall we say four o’clock?”

  We looked at one another and nodded our approval.

  Eugene turned to leave, then hesitated. “I shouldn’t even have to say this … but not a word to anyone. This is a matter of national security.”

  “Don’t worry,” I said.

  Eugene winked, threw open the door, and disappeared.

  And just like that, we found ourselves about to embark on a new journey—one that promised to be more exciting, more suspenseful, and undoubtedly more dangerous than the last. We had no idea what to expect. Eugene had been tight-lipped. And perhaps that was best. One never knows who may be listening in on a private conversation. I was fairly certain that our garage had not been bugged, but who really knew for sure? In his line of work, One would assume that Eugene performed frequent and painstaking sweeps of his office in search of listening devices. It made perfect sense.

  I wondered what sort of adventure was awaiting us. All Eugene had said was that it was a matter of national security. I could only guess that it involved double agents, diabolical plots, and international intrigue. Would I be up to the challenge? Were the others aware of exactly what they were about to undertake? Either way, we had accepted Eugene’s invitation—there was no turning back now.

  So, yours truly, Charlie Collier—Snoop for Hire, my partner, Henry Cunningham, and our newest team member, Scarlett Alexander, are about to be tested … again. Will we ultimately prevail? Only time will tell. Will we turn back the forces of evil? We can only hope so. Will we get on each other’s nerves? Umm … I’d rather not say. And who knows, if the business continues to grow, we may be looking to add another associate to the agency someday. Perhaps, someone like you. But in order to be considered, you’d have to pass a series of tests. Tell you what—consider this as your first exam. Here goes: Can a man in Illinois legally marry his widow’s sister? Think about it. Real hard. Read it again—slowly. Can a man in Illinois legally marry his widow’s sister? Do you have a guess? I hope you said that since she’s a widow—then he’s dead. The answer is no. Congratulations! You’ve passed the first test. You’re almost a full-fledged member. But there are more tests to come. So keep solving brain busters. And keep sharpening your powers of deduction. ’Cause you’re gonna need ’em.