"Yes," Rockhound howled, "you and your sticky ice pop have solved the mystery!”
How would Chip’s ice pop put mean old Myrtle the Cafeteria Lady out of business?
Read on to find out!
Copyright 2011
Published by Mark Newhouse Books at Smashwords
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold.
Rockhound the detective heard someone tapping at his door. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see ... two wide-eyed pups!
"Hello! I'm Crystal. My brother is Chip. We need a detective." Rockhound was not used to such young clients.
"What's the problem?" asked Rockhound.
"We're being cheated, but we can't prove it!" Crystal said. "It began when we got that new cafeteria lady, Myrtle. Our other cafeteria ladies were really great, and our lunches were delicious, but now the food Myrtle gives us is terrible."
"Yeah, it's awful! Especially the juice," Chip interrupted. "Yuck!"
"We think she's adding a lot of water to it," explained Crystal. "She charges us for pure juice and keeps the extra money."
"She says we're just puppies and we don't know nothing," Chip yelped.
"Anything, Chip. Anything! How many times do I have to correct you?" complained Crystal.
Chip growled, "Anything! Okay?"
Rockhound sighed, "This doesn't sound like a case for a detective. Did you tell your parents?"
"They don't believe us. We have no proof," Crystal replied. "We thought a detective could prove we're right."
"How?" Rockhound asked. "By tasting the juice? I don't see how we can prove that the juice is being monkeyed with. I'm really sorry."
"Let's get going, Chip," Crystal muttered. "He won't help us."
Chip followed along with his sister. "Good-bye, Mr. Detective," he said. "Thank you for listening anyway."
"Dog biscuits!" Rockhound grumbled. "If only there were a way I could help them."
Rockhound decided to visit the Canine School.
At the school, Rockhound followed the scent of kibble until he came to the cafeteria. It looked dark. He thought he was all alone, but suddenly he heard a voice.
He crept inside to take a closer look. He saw a gigantic dog talking on the telephone. She looked like a ghost.
"I think those bratty pups are getting wise to me. I'd better be more careful." Her voice became icy. "I tell you now, nobody better get in my way. Nobody!" Suddenly she whirled toward the door. "I think I heard something!"
She threw the door open and called out, "Is someone there?" Rockhound jumped under a table. If that cafeteria creature found him, there would be no telling what might end up in the school lunch the next day!
He held his breath until he heard her speaking on the phone again. Whew! Rockhound's breath rushed out of his lungs.
Rockhound hurried to his car. As he drove away, he tried to think of a way to trap Myrtle.
Suddenly he spotted Crystal. She was licking an ice pop, not missing a drop. Nearby, Chip was slobbering the sticky liquid all over his chin.
"Isn't he a pig?" Crystal teased. "Look at that mess!"
Chip stopped slobbering long enough to make a face at her.
"He's enjoying himself," Rockhound laughed. He explained that he was working on their case, but still couldn't think of a way to prove that the cafeteria juice wasn't pure.
"Taste it," Chip suggested.
"We need scientific proof," explained Rockhound.
"Don't worry," Chip snorted. "You'll figure out something. I've got confidence in you."
Rockhound quietly watched Chip struggling with his ice pop. Suddenly Rockhound gasped. "It's simple! You've given me the answer!"
"Me?" Chip asked, juice trickling down his chin.
"Yes," Rockhound howled, "you and your sticky ice pop have solved the mystery! Why didn't I think of it before?"
"Think of what?" Chip asked.
"A test to prove your juice isn't pure! If I'm right, that cafeteria lady will soon be 'on ice' herself!"
Rockhound bought a container of pure orange juice and headed back to the school. It was time to confront the conniving cafeteria lady!
"I'd like to perform an experiment for the students," Rockhound explained to Myrtle, the cafeteria lady. ''I'm going to make ice pops for the pups."
"How nice," Myrtle wheezed.
Rockhound said, "I'll need some orange juice...”
Myrtle grumbled, but got the juice. Rockhound poured it into some paper cups and placed sticks in the cups.
"Oh," Rockhound said, "I forgot one thing. I've brought some of my own orange juice with me." He smiled at her as he poured the juice into cups and labeled them "100% juice."
Myrtle wondered why he had brought his own juice.
"There," Rockhound announced. "We're ready for the freezer. You know, it amazes me how different liquids freeze at different rates of speed."
Myrtle was suddenly nervous.
"Yessiree," Rockhound chatted, "all this juice should freeze at the same time."
Myrtle was sweating. Her heart was pounding. This dog knew! He was trying to trap her!
Myrtle blurted out, "I have work to do, Mister ... what did you say your name was?"
"Rockhound," he smiled. "Rockhound the detective."
Myrtle was startled. "Did you say 'detective'?"
Rockhound nodded. Myrtle worked nervously while Rockhound sat calmly waiting. Then Rockhound announced, "It's time to check the cups to see if they're frozen."
Rockhound looked at the cups. "I wonder why that happened! All of your juices are frozen ... but not the pure orange juice.”
Myrtle didn't wait for anything else. She screamed, throwing the tray of juice cups on Rockhound. She ran out of the door with Rockhound holding on.
Suddenly she slammed to a stop and Rockhound fell to the ground. "Let go of me!" she bellowed.
Just then, Myrtle noticed the hallway was clogged with every puppy in the school. She roared, "Get out of my way you brats!"
The puppies refused to move. Suddenly Chip, his voice trembling, said, "You're under arrest, cafeteria lady. Rockhound has proven you water down our orange juice. You won't be cheating us anymore."
”I'll bite your ears off," Myrtle growled, showing her teeth.
"I don't think so," Rockhound said, slapping handcuffs on her wrists. "I think your days of bullying these pups are over."
Myrtle collapsed like an emptied bag of flour.
"Well, pups," Rockhound said when it was all over, "I guess this case is closed."
"Yeah," Chip laughed. "You could say it was a tough squeeze."
Crystal playfully swatted Chip across his head while Rockhound laughed.
THE END… FOR NOW
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Episode 2: THE FIZZLING FOSSIL PUZZLER
Episode 3: JACK AND THE GREENSTALKS
Episode 4: THE CASE OF THE ROTTEN EGG
Episode 5: THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR MOUSEY MYSTERY
Episode 6: THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JERKYL AND DR. HIDE
Episode 7: THE FRAZZLED FORTUNE TELLER
Episode 8: ROCKHOUND'S DIRTIEST CASE
Episode 9: THE MIDNIGHT RIDE OF ROCKHOUND
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