Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret UFOs Read Online Free PDF

broken.”
    â€œI didn’t take them,” said Winslow. “I’m innocent.”
    â€œOh, really?” said Mr. Cuthbert. “Were you innocent earlier this afternoon when you came into my shop?”
    â€œI was just curious,” said Winslow. “The shop has a lot of nice things.”
    â€œEspecially the medallions,” said Mr. Cuthbert. “Do you deny asking to hold them?”
    â€œNo,” said Winslow.
    â€œWhere are they now?” asked Mr. Cuthbert.
    â€œI don’t know,” said Winslow. “All I did was come by for another look. When I got here, the window was broken and the medallions were gone.”
    â€œWill you empty your pockets, Winslow?” Chief Brown said.
    Winslow did as he was asked. He took out three bottle caps, a rusty skate key, and a bottle opener.
    â€œIs that all?” asked the chief.
    â€œNot quite,” said Winslow. From his other pocket he took out a fountain pen and a bent spoon. “I did some collecting on the way here,” he explained.
    â€œNo medallions, though,” said Encyclopedia.
    â€œThat proves nothing,” said Mr. Cuthbert. “Maybe he stashed them somewhere before I grabbed him. Or maybe he had a partner in crime.”
    â€œIs anything else missing?” the chief asked.
    Mr. Cuthbert glanced around the shop. “I can’t be sure without a thorough examination. It doesn’t look like the rest of the shop was disturbed.” He pointed a finger at Winslow. “He knew exactly what he wanted.”
    â€œHow valuable were the medallions?” the chief asked.
    â€œTaken together? Perhaps a few thousand dollars,” Mr. Cuthbert replied.
    Winslow whistled. “I’ve never found anything like that at the dump.”
    â€œNo, I imagine you wouldn’t,” Mr. Cuthbert said. “That’s why you robbed me. I caught you red-handed, boy. You watched me leave for the restaurant. You came up to the window. Maybe you hesitated at the last second, I don’t know. Whatever, the lure of the medallions was too strong for you. You broke the window, reached in, and stole them.”
    â€œWinslow’s always made his money fair and square,” said Encyclopedia.
    â€œOnly because he’s never been tempted before,” said Mr. Cuthbert.
    â€œDon’t you worry,” said Chief Brown. “I’ll get to the bottom of this.”
    â€œAs far as I’m concerned, the case is closed,” Mr. Cuthbert said. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have some plywood in the back that I can use to board up that window until I can get it fixed. If you could just wait here while I get it, I’d feel much safer.”
    â€œOf course,” said Chief Brown. He closed his notebook as Mr. Cuthbert disappeared. “It doesn’t look good, Winslow.”
    â€œI never stole anything,” Winslow said glumly.
    Encyclopedia had closed his eyes to think. Now he opened them. “Actually,” he said, “I have a pretty clear idea who the thief is now.”
    â€œYou mean you’ve cracked the case?” said his father.
    â€œYou could say exactly that,” said Encyclopedia.
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    WHO WAS GUILTY OF THE THEFT?
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    (Turn to page 82 for the solution to “The Case of the Missing Medallions.”)

The Case of the Shipwreck

    Sally fanned herself because of the heat in the Brown Detective Agency.
    â€œWe ought to open a branch office at the beach,” she said. “I’m sure the beach has mysteries all the time.”
    â€œIt’s a thought,” Encyclopedia said.
    â€œWe could be missing out on something big,” Sally insisted.
    Encyclopedia went so far as to say only, “The heat must be the record for this day of the month.”
    â€œIf the temperature goes up another degree, I’m going to melt,” Sally said, and took a swig of bottled water.
    Penny Nichols, a fourth grader,