One Book Crook Gets Off the Hook

The next morning Nancy, George, and Bess were filing into school.

“How was dinner at your grandmother’s?” Nancy asked.

“Great!” George said. “She made meat-loaf with lots of ketchup.”

“And strawberry shortcake for dessert,” Bess added, rubbing her tummy.

“But the mystery’s more important than our dinner,” George said as the girls approached the school library. They had to pass the library to get to their classroom. “So, what do you think about Mr. Sandback’s missing book, Nancy? Any suspects?”

“Well, there is one —” Nancy started to say. Then something caught her eye. Andy Nixon was standing at the library door. He was writing his name on the Internet sign-up sheet.

Every recess period two Carl Sandburg students were allowed to sign up for computer time in the library. Then Mrs. Goldstein would help them surf the Internet.

Nancy darted to Andy’s side. She peeked over his shoulder at the sign-up sheet. Yes! The line next to his name was blank. Nobody else had signed up yet.

Andy finished writing his name and turned around. “Oh, hi, Nancy,” he said. “I’m skipping recess today, and it’s not just because I hate dodgeball. I have some very important research to do.”

“What kind of research?” Nancy asked.

“Oh… just research,” Andy said. Then he showed Nancy the back of his hand. “Check out my temporary tattoo. It’s one of my favorite comic book heroes, Slugman!”

“Ewww!” Nancy squealed. “Good thing that tattoo washes off.”

Andy gave her a funny look and headed down the hall.

Nancy sighed. “Why are my suspects always gross boys?” she whispered.

Then she remembered the Internet sign-up sheet. Nancy dug into her book bag for a pencil. She jotted her own name next to Andy’s.

George and Bess ran up behind Nancy.

“What’s going on?” Bess demanded. “Why did you dash off like that?”

George peered at the sign-up sheet. “You’re skipping recess for computer time? But it’s dodgeball day!”

“Do you see who else has signed up?” Nancy said.

“Andy Nixon,” Bess read off the sheet.

“Make that Andy Nixon, chief suspect in the missing book mystery,” Nancy whispered.

“Really?” George whispered. “You think Andy took the book?”

“I can’t be sure yet,” Nancy said. “But maybe at recess I’ll find out.”

• • •

Nancy sighed. The morning seemed endless! First Mrs. Reynolds had given the class a spelling quiz. Next they’d done math worksheets. Three math worksheets.

Finally the bell rang for recess.

“Yay!” yelled most of the kids, popping out of their chairs and racing to the classroom door.

“Dodgeball day,” Mike Minelli yelled. “My favorite!”

“Yuck,” Bess said. “I’m jumping rope!”

Nancy didn’t say a word. She just grabbed her clue notebook and hurried to the library. She didn’t want to miss out on Andy Nixon’s “research.”

• • •

In the library Andy settled into the computer chair. Mrs. Goldstein stood at his side. Today her cardigan sweater had green and purple stripes. She turned to Nancy as she walked into the library.

“Hello, Nancy,” she said. “Andy and I are just getting started. Would you like to look at a book while you wait?”

“Sure,” Nancy said, grabbing the first book she saw. It was about antique cars. Bo-ring. But that didn’t matter. Nancy wasn’t really going to read the book. Instead, she was going to see what Andy was up to. She sat down in a chair near the computer and listened hard.

“So, what can I help you with, Andy?” Mrs. Goldstein asked.

“Can you help me find some graphic novels?” Andy said.

“Like Foul-up at the Floss Factory?” Mrs. Goldstein replied.

“Yup,” Andy said. “I want to know if there are other books like that.”

This proves it, Nancy thought as Mrs. Goldstein and Andy began pointing and clicking with the computer mouse. Andy must have stolen Mr. Sandback’s book. Now he wants other graphic novels to add to his collection!

Click.

Click-click.

Click.

Nancy fidgeted. She pretended to read her antique car book while Mrs. Goldstein and Andy went from Web site to Web site.

Finally, Mrs. Goldstein said, “Well, we’ve found ten books, Andy. Would you like me to see if we have any of them here?”

“Yes, please,” Andy said.

But as Mrs. Goldstein went to check on the books, Nancy peered around her chair. Andy looked a little sad. “What’s wrong, Andy?” Nancy said.

“Well, those other graphic novels might be okay,” he said, “but I bet they’re not as cool as Foul-up at the Floss Factory.”

“Why do you say that?” Nancy said.

“Because Mr. Sandback was really neat,” Andy said. “I bet that was a really great old book. And it’s a collector’s item! I hope you catch whoever snatched it.”

Nancy’s eyes widened. Mr. Sandback had turned Andy into a book lover! And a book lover would never steal a rare book. Andy seemed to be innocent after all.

Mrs. Goldstein returned, bringing Andy a small stack of graphic novels to check out.

“Thanks a lot, Mrs. Goldstein,” he said. Then he looked at the library clock. “Recess isn’t over yet? Ugh — I guess I’m going to play… dodgeball.”

Andy slumped out of the library while Nancy bit her lip. Well, that’s one suspect down the drain, she thought. But if Andy didn’t steal Foul-up at the Floss Factory, who did?

“So, Nancy,” Mrs. Goldstein said, turning to her with a kind smile. “Were you wondering about great books, too?”

Nancy gasped. Mrs. Goldstein’s words had reminded her of something Anderson Quilling had said the day before: “I’m trying to be a writer myself. Maybe someday I’ll have a book published.” And he had looked really sad. Anderson dreamed of being an author just like Mr. Sandback.

Maybe, Nancy thought, Anderson is jealous of Mr. Sandback.

“Um, maybe I’ll come back another day, Mrs. Goldstein,” Nancy told the librarian.

Then Nancy opened her clue notebook. She crossed out Andy’s name and wrote in: “Anderson Quilling — angry author?”

As she wrote it, Nancy felt bad. Anderson was really nice. She hated to think he had taken the book.

One thing’s for sure, she thought. I need proof. And that means going back to the Book Nook with Bess and George!