Chapter 4: False... or true?
The next morning everyone had breakfast, and then they decided to go to the beach. Charlotte wasn't too happy about this, because she wanted to do some sleuthing. But when they got there, Charlotte suddenly realized something very important. Elizabeth Pearl had received the very mysterious secret-code message in a capsule on the collar of a dog. And before they had come to Florida aunt Olivia had said something about dogs going missing in the town that she lived in. Mama and Daddy had thought that she was just imagining it, but Charlotte had still been suspicious. And that gave Charlotte an idea.
There were a few other families on the beach besides the Buttercups and aunt Olivia, and Charlotte needed to ask them something. Unfortunately, she never got the time. Oh well, she thought. I can ask the people in aunt Olivia's neighborhood. So when they got back in the afternoon, Charlotte asked if she could take a really, really quick walk around the neighborhood. Daddy said she could, as long Paige went with her. Oh, no, Charlotte thought. That will never do. Paige will spoil everything! "Oh, Daddy, Daddy please, please let me just go to that house down there and back, PLEASE!" Daddy looked confused, but he let her go. Charlotte quickly ran to the room they were sharing, and got her Detective Kit. The people who made it were clever, and it was like a back-pack so she could carry it easily. Then she rushed out the door.
"Hello. My name is Charlotte. I am very sorry to bother you, but, um, I was just wondering… uhh… well, I was just wondering if… oh, yes! If you have seen or heard anything… suspicious? Uh, um, I am a detective, and I… am looking for clues for a mystery that I am solving." Charlotte finished in relief. She was at the house of a neighbor of aunt Olivia's, asking questions. The lady who had answered the her knock managed to give Charlotte a tiny smile. "Oh, a young Detective are you? Well, a good one I'll bet." Charlotte beamed, and the lady continued. "And, oh, yes I am afraid I DO have some information for you. My dog Sweatie, is missing." Charlotte's eyes opened as wide as they could open. "Anyway, she may have just ran away. But the thing is, my friend said that her dog is missing also. But, maybe they ran off together. Or perhaps it is just a coincidence. But somehow I am still concerned." Charlotte nodded gratefully. "This has been an extreme help. Thank you very much. Oh, and please let me know if you see or hear anything, and also if Sweatie ever shows up. I'll be staying in that house down there for one week. Goodbye!" Charlotte waved as she went out the gate and to the next house.
Once the lady went inside her house, Charlotte swiftly pulled out the notebook and pencil of her Kit, and wrote:
1st House: Two missing dogs
Then she put the notebook and pencil back and headed to the green cottage next door. After three more houses she returned to aunt Olivia's house, Paige was helping Mama and aunt Olivia make apples and goat-cream-cheese for a snack. "What took you so long?" "I, uhh……" "And why did I see you at that house 7 minutes ago ringing the doorbell?" Charlotte froze. "I ummm-er……" She didn't want to lie, but she couldn't tell everyone the real reason. But then Paige started laughing. "Kidding! I didn't really see you ringing a strangers doorbell! I just wanted to see how surprised you would be if I said that!" Charlotte gave Paige a pretend giggle. Whooof! She thought. Saved! Then she went to the room the Buttercups were sharing to look at her note-book where no one could see her. When she opened it up, she gasped. Almost all the people she had talked to had one or to dogs that were missing!!!
She quickly shoved the book in her Detective Kit, and hid it in her suitcase. But then she decided she should have her Kit with her at all times, because you never know when a mystery or clue is going to appear!! She took it out again, slung it over her shoulders, and then went to the living room to eat apples and cream-cheese after a hard days work!
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