The Case of the Mossy Lake Monster Read Online Free PDF

manager?”
    “That’s easy,” answered Haley. “It’s Bubba Baloney Mahoney.”
    Alexandra added, “Everyone knows they’re good friends.”
    “This confirms my suspicions,” murmured Drake as he scribbled in his lab notebook.
    “Ditto,” murmured Nell as she scribbled.



“I’m afraid we must skip class this afternoon,” said Drake. “Surveillance, you know. Top priority.”
    “Check,” replied Nell. “All in the name of science.”
    So, following lunch, they hid beside lockers and peered around corners. They watched Haley Glibb pin up new posters. They spied while Alexandra said things like, “A little higher” or “More to the left” or … ( sigh ) … “Aren’t I just so beautiful ?”
    And then they waited.
    And waited…
    At 3:25, the bell rang. School was out. Bubba Baloney went out one door while Frisco went out another.
    “You follow Frisco,” whispered Nell. “And I’ll follow Baloney.”
    “Check,” whispered Drake.
    Drake came prepared for such detective work. Whenever he was on assignment, he carried his detective kit. It was filled with handy gadgets like night-vision goggles, a periscope, a compass, specimen jars, a flashlight, code breakers, and a camera disguised as a teddy bear. He donned his fake glasses (complete with plastic nose and mustache) and pulled his hat down. Already he’d called his parents to say he’d be home late. Very late.
    He scurried across crosswalks. He slithered behind trees. He scampered under bushes. He slid between lawn chairs. And every now and then, just to be certain he wasn’t recognized, he walked with a limp. All the while keeping Frisco in his sight. It was detective work at its best. (Once, he even slipped in a dog pile but was up and after Frisco in a matter of seconds. Remember—detective work can be perilous. Absolutely perilous.)
    He tailed Frisco all afternoon, spying on everything Frisco did. Frisco littered. Frisco kicked cats. Frisco stole candy from babies. Frisco crossed streets on the DON’T WALK flashing red light. Frisco … well … you get the idea. It was well past the time that school closed for the day when Drake finally called it quits. At home and following a quick supper of meatball surprise, he called Nell. “Anything?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Ditto. The school doors open at eight o’clock in the morning. Have Alexandra meet us there at 7:55 sharp. That way neither Frisco nor Baloney can mark up the posters before we get there.”
    “Check.”
    Click.

O n Wednesday morning, Drake and Nell hurried to school.
    Alexandra was already waiting outside the front doors. She tossed her golden hair while her radiant smile reflected the morning sunlight.
    Blinded, Drake stumbled over the curb and fell splat! at her feet.
    “Oh, my!” exclaimed Alexandra, putting her hands over her dimpled cheeks.
    “Sorry,” Drake mumbled.
    Nell just sighed and rolled her eyes.
    (If truth be known, this was an extra- extra -challenging case for Nell Fossey. All this nonsense about beauty princesses, mascara, and dazzling smiles was starting to get to her. What Nell really wanted to do was punch Alexandra Landsright square in her pert little nose, but that wouldn’t be very scientific at all. Instead, Nell helped Drake up and brushed him off.)
    As soon as the school doors opened, they rushed in to check the posters.
    “Aaaaahhhh!” screamed Alexandra.
    “Great Scott!” exclaimed Drake.
    “Oh, no!” cried Nell. “This is awful!”
    And it was. Awful, that is. The posters—every single one—were ruined. Simply ruined. Black teeth and mustaches everywhere.
    Just then Frisco and Baloney walked by. “Gee, Alexandra,” Frisco said with a wink, “you look really good in a mustache.”
    “Yeah,” said Baloney. “Don’t you think you should go to the dentist before all your teeth fall out?”
    Alexandra groaned. “See what I mean? I’m ruined! I’ll never win!”
    “But it doesn’t make any sense,” Nell said, looking