My reputation took a nosedive. And I nearly followed it—straight into the slammer. Fighting back with all my moxie, I bent the rules, blundered into blind alleys, and stepped on more than a few toes.
Was I right? Was I wrong? I’ll tell you this: I made my share of mistakes. But I believe that if you can’t laugh at yourself . . . make fun of someone else.
Case #13 Hiss Me Deadly
When my sister got robbed, she turned to me for help. And like a dope, I jumped in with both feet.
But a simple case of theft soon grew more challenging than playing Chinese checkers on a bucking bronco. Valuables started vanishing from school, and the top brass called me in. I followed the twisty trail of clues until I’d unearthed more suspects than a zombie membership drive.
The heat was on. As I drew closer to uncovering the shadowy puppet master behind it all, I got myself in a spot tighter than a blue whale’s bikini. Would I make it out with my skin?
Case #14 From Russia with Lunch
Whenever a mystery lands on my plate, I dig right in, like a hungry worm munching a dirt sandwich. But this time, I nearly choked on the clues.
The investigation began simply enough, with a teacher’s pet acting wacko. But then the supernatural and the high tech collided, and my case took a turn for the weird. Kindergartners started beating up sixth graders, and my faithful partner and best friend Natalie Attired abandoned me in my hour of need.
To say I landed in a tight spot is like calling the Ice Age a wee bit of cool weather. I found myself fighting for my life with my back to the wall.
Would I be able to win back Natalie and return Emerson Hicky to normal? One thing’s for certain: The crazy, mixed-up mastermind behind it all was the last creature anyone expected.
My investigations often show me the seamy underbelly of school life, but this case threw me for a loop.
A deadly stink bomb was unleashed, a school building fell to rubble, money went missing from the principal’s office, and that’s just a start! My endurance for trouble was tested, but so was my loyalty: Someone tried to get my mongoose janitor pal Maureen DeBree fired.
A true-blue P.I. doesn’t take that kind of monkey business lying down. Standing up, maybe. And stand up I did—to some very shifty school bullies. I kept digging for the truth like a mole after an earthworm sandwich. Oh, foolish detective.
Visit www.hmhco.com to find all of the books in the Chet Gecko series.
About the Author
Learn more at www.brucehale.com