The Case of the Barfy Birthday Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Rudest girl I ever met. Called me a bonehead, with a brain no bigger than the earwax of a pickle.”
    Nell glanced at Drake. “Sounds like Sloane, all right.” (Sloane was, by far, the rudest girl in the entire fifth grade. Perhaps even the rudest girl ever , fifth grade or otherwise.)
    Drake asked, “And what was she doing here?”
    “She bought some ice.”
    Drake cocked his eyebrow. “Let me guess. Was it dry ice?”
    The man nodded. “Bought a whole bunch of it, too.”
    Nell and Drake glanced at each other. This was the break they’d been looking for.
    Nell shook Mr. Watson’s hand. “Thanks. You’ve been a great help.”
    Outside, they climbed on their bikes.
    “To the lab,” said Nell. “For analysis.”
    “Check,” said Drake. “We have a ghost to bust.”
    Back at the lab, Nell pulled a book off the shelf. She found the section titled: “Ghosts in the Tree House: What to Do When You’re Having a Slumber Party, Your Hair Looks Like Poodle Fuzz, and a Ghost Breathes on the Back of Your Neck.” After she read aloud, she and Drake discussed all of their clues.
    Then they developed a plan. A ghostly plan. A ghostly ghost-busting plan.
    Nell called Valerie. “Ms. Applegate? Nell Fossey here. We’re on the verge of a breakthrough, but we need your help. . . .”
    That night, Nell took cover behind a bush in Valerie’s backyard. The moon was full, and the stars twinkled nicely. (The perfect sort of night for busting ghosts.) Across the backyard and on the other side of the tree house, Drake also hid behind a bush.
    Nell spoke into her walkie-talkie. “Coffee Nut to Muffin Man. Coffee Nut to Muffin Man. Come in. Over.”
    “Muffin Man here,” replied Drake’s voice. “Over.”
    “I’m in position. Over.”
    “Roger that. I’m in position, too. Over.”
    “Roger that, Muffin Man. Let me know if you see anything. Over.”
    “Copy that, Coffee Nut. Over and out.”
    And so they waited. And waited.
    Meanwhile, Nell heard giggles coming from the tree house. As Nell had requested, Valerie had organized another slumber party and invited every snob except Sloane. If all went according to plan, then . . .
    Suddenly, a twig snapped. Someone was out there!
    “Muffin Man, come in,” Nell whispered into the walkie-talkie. “Did you hear that?”
    “Loud and clear, Coffee Nut. Our ghost has arrived.”
    Nell peered through the bush. Sure enough, Sloane stood under the tree. She fiddled a few moments with something, put it on the end of the long board, and then raised the board high above her head and into the tree.
    There was a rustle of leaves.
    A scream. (According to plan.) “The ghost! Aaahh! The ghost!”
    Nell said into the walkie-talkie, “Now, Muffin Man, now!”
    “Roger that, Coffee Nut!”
    And out they pounced, shining their flashlights into Sloane’s surprised face.
    “Drop it!” they cried. “Hands in the air! You’re busted!”
    The PVC pipe clattered to the ground as Sloane dropped the board. She put her hands on her hips and glared at Drake and Nell. “I should’ve known you two would mess up my brilliant scheme of terrifying revenge. Don’t you beaker brains ever get any sleep? And quit shining that thing in my face, will you?”
    Drake ignored her and spoke into his walkie-talkie, “Muffin Man to Snob Club. Muffin Man to Snob Club. Come in, Snob Club.”
    “Snob Club here,” came Valerie’s voice.
    “Ghost apprehended. Over.”
    It took a few moments for Valerie and her friends to climb down from the tree house. Of course, they weren’t surprised to see Sloane. “Drake and Nell, like, told us it was you,” said Valerie.
    “Get lost, poodle puff,” said Sloane.
    Drake put himself in between them. “Now, now. Let’s be civilized and get on with it, shall we? I’m sure you’re all wondering exactly what Sloane was doing, and how we cracked the case.”
    “Not really,” said Sloane.
    Drake ignored her. “It was quite simple, once we had all our clues. Allow