Monkey Trouble Read Online Free PDF

lead to her?” Jessie asked.
    “Only that she and Blake both want to win the contest,” Henry said.
    “She didn’t want Blake to have two cameras,” Violet added. “He could be right. She might have taken one to make things more fair.”
    “Or to win their deal that I was the witness for!” Benny said. “But Annika keeps telling Blake she’s innocent.”
    “But isn’t that what all thieves do?” Violet asked. “Say they are innocent?”
    “Hmm.” Henry rubbed his chin, thinking. “It’s also what innocent people say.”
    “I’ll put her down as suspect number two for now,” Jessie said, typing.
    “Who else?” Violet looked at her brothers and sister.
    “Well,” Henry said after a quiet pause. “There’s Nico. He really wished he had a camera. And he was all alone at the picnic table at lunch when everybody’s stuff was on the table. Maybe he took Blake’s camera then. I guess we’ll know whether or not he took Blake’s camera if he has his own camera tomorrow and he doesn’t buy one from Mr. Newton.”
    “We need to watch everyone coming in tomorrow morning,” Jessie said. “Some kids will buy new cameras. But we have to be on the lookout for anyone who might have a zoo camera but did not buy it.”
    Benny petted Watch’s head and thought for a moment. “I am Mr. Newton’s assistant zoologist,” he said. “I helped him sell the cameras today. Tomorrow, I’ll be able to help again and make sure everyone who has a camera paid for it.” Then he added, “This has been a very exciting spring break. Maybe the most exciting one ever.”
    “It certainly has been interesting,” Henry agreed. Turning to Jessie he asked, “So we have three suspects, right?”
    “We can add one more,” Jessie said. “I think Griffin should be on our list.” She typed his name down. “He and Matthew got into that big fight at lunch over the camera they were sharing,” she explained.
    “So you think one of them took Blake’s camera?” Henry asked her. “Why Griffin and not Matthew?”
    “Well,” Jessie said, “he was the one who stomped off without a camera saying he’d get himself one.”
    “Oh!” Violet said, figuring out what her sister was thinking. “But when Simio was running around loose, it was Griffin who took the picture! Where’d he get the camera?”
    “That’s right,” Henry said. “I remember thinking that a picture of the monkey might be a good one for the contest. But I was helping with the fruit trap. Okay, then, Griffin is suspect number four.”
    Benny finished the last little bit of popcorn. “I need a drink,” he said, standing and picking up the bowl. “All that popped air made me thirsty!”
    “Are we done for tonight?” Violet asked.
    Jessie nodded yes. She printed out the suspects page and taped it into her notebook, ready for the next day at the zoo. “I could use a drink, too,” she added.
    “Hot chocolate?” Henry suggested.
    “Yum!” Jessie said, turning off the lights in the boxcar. “And then to bed!” She gave Benny a kiss on his head. “We all need a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow, we are going to find Blake’s camera.”
    When they arrived at the zoo the next morning, Violet and Henry put all the Alden lunch bags in the cooler. Meanwhile, Jessie and Benny got permission to go to the main office to check the lost-and-found.
    Benny dug deep through a cardboard box filled with lost items. There were sweaters and hats and other things the zookeepers had found after the zoo closed.
    “Here’s a tennis shoe!” Benny said, reaching to the bottom of the collection. “How do you think someone lost a shoe? Did they wear only one home?”
    “That’s an interesting mystery for another time,” Jessie said with a laugh. “Any cameras?”
    Benny sorted through everything. “Nope,” he said. “But wait a second.” Benny leaned so far over the side of the box that his feet came off the floor. He rummaged around for a minute, but then he