Diary of a 6th Grade Spy - Book 1 - Zero to Hero

by Katrina Kahler

  Chapter 5 - Crime Scene Investigation...

  The school bell rings and everyone lines up ready to go into their classes. “Psst..” whispers Abigail. She is dying to talk to me but I silence her with a stare and she nods and turns away looking very innocent. We cannot be seen talking to each other and from now on we must act like under-cover cops.

  I pass Abigail in the passage and slip her a note.

  Next time I see Abs she gives me a thumbs-up and so I know she has got the message. We will meet in the library and sneak down to the Botany section. I am not sure if we will both get into Gardinia but I have to hope that what worked for me will work for Abs. Otherwise I am on the crime scene by myself.

  The library doors are open for afternoon study groups and avid readers who want to change their books. I look at the Read-athon chart as I go in. My name tag has not moved up and I know I returned all my books last week. I am still at zero!

  Miss Sorrel is waiting at the librarian’s counter but she is not really focused on the children wanting to change their books. Her attention is taken up by gazing at a strange creature she has on the counter. She gazes at a glass jar that is upside down and full of leaves. A large and brightly colored caterpillar is munching the leaves. Miss Sorrel clucks and tuts like a mother hen over the rather ugly, creepy caterpillar. It’s bright shades of green, blue and yellow are beautiful, but it has an ugly horn at the end of its body and an ugly sort of mouth to chomp at the leaves. It reminds me in a way of Beauty and the Beast.

  Most of the girls are making strange noises like “eeewe” and “gross” and they keep their distance from the library counter. Boys on the other hand are fascinated by this brightly colored creature and are getting close to the glass jar. I decide to join the boys and get closer to the jar to catch a glimpse of Miss Sorrels ‘pet’. As I look over someone’s shoulder in-front of me, the caterpillar stands up on its back legs and tries to gnash at the jar with what looks like kind of pincers. Abs tells me after wards they are mandibles and can bite if you get close enough.

  Miss Sorrel continues to be totally in awe of the caterpillar and so I signal to Abs to pick out her browser stick and follow me to the Botany section of the library. I am hoping that what worked for me will work for Abs and we can both travel to Gardinia together. I feel excited and nervous at the same time. I am busy concentrating on my plan for the investigation when I bump into Abs who is waiting round the corner of the Botany aisle. We both get a fright and gasp but manage to keep in control of our mutual excitement.

  “Okay Abs,” I whisper, “We need to find the book called ‘How to grow your own Herbs’. That’s the book I was trying to get out of the library. Then we must put out our browsers as if we are going to take that book off the shelf.”

  Abigail nods with a serious look on her face. I can see she is concentrating very hard and I’m actually glad that she is coming with me this time.

  “I think if we stand on the stool together and you put your arms round my waist we should be taken up to Gardinia together. Have you brought your 3D glasses?”

  I can feel Abs nod behind me as she wraps her arms around my waist. Clearly this is not a time to be thinking about a girl having her arms round my waist!

  “Hold on tight, close your eyes and away we go!”

  Suddenly the library whirls round and round and with a mighty whoosh we are lifted up and land with a bump in Gardinia.

  “Abs,” I call out, “Are you here? Are you okay?”

  I am so relieved when I hear a rather shaky voice reply.

  “Yes, I am fine. Just a bit dizzy and I can’t seem to focus on anything,” says Abs.

  “Put your 3D glasses on and see what happens.”

  Suddenly I hear a gasp of surprise from behind me and I know it is Abigail. She has put on the 3D glasses and Gardinia has come to life in front of her.

  Abs crawls over to sit next to me and together we look up the path leading to the castle.

  This is our crime scene and we need to have a plan of action. Abs has her notebook out, “Sam, I’ve listed all the people and animals we need to talk to.” I am impressed.

  The list starts with Lupa and as I am looking at his name I see that he is walking down the path towards us. “Abs, Lupa is the leader of the guard and we need to greet him with respect.”

  I bow down and Abs copies me. We wait for Lupa to acknowledge us.

  I did not have time to prepare Abs for the sniffing process but she is very brave and keeps still while Lupa makes sure she is a friend.

  “Welcome friends,” says Lupa. “I see you have brought someone with you, Sam. An addition to your pack. Always a good idea to have some help, what is your friend’s name?”

  “Her name is Abigail, Abs for short.” They bow to each other and I know Lupa has accepted Abs as a fellow helper and friend.

  “Lupa, we are here as crime scene investigators. We need to be able to talk to anyone who knew Princess Gazania and can remember anything important before she disappeared,” I say in a serious tone.

  Abs reads out some of the names on her list. Lupa is shocked to hear his name! “Why is my name on that list Sam? Surely you don’t think I would ever harm the Princess!” said Lupa.

  “Trust us Lupa, this is how crimes are solved. We must investigate thoroughly. Just remember that everyone is innocent before proven guilty.” This is a useful expression that I had picked up from Uncle Bert.

  Lupa fur lowered on his spine, he seemed to understand that we were not picking on him. “Come follow me,” says Lupa.

  Together we follow Lupa and I can see Abs staring in wonder at everything. “Isn’t it beautiful Abs,” I say to her, but she hardly hears me, her eyes looked glazed as she takes in the beautiful surroundings.

  When we walk up the steps of the castle through the line of white wolves she stares in amazement. Finally we reach the castle door and the old door man lets us into the castle. “Welcome back Samuel, I see you have a friend with you,” and he smiles at Abs. Then he announces, “Unfortunately, the King and Queen are not able to see you today.”

  “That’s okay Lupa, today we need to visit all the places where Princess Gazania used to spend her time. You can help us to look for clues and any unusual changes to the scene of the crime. If we meet anyone connected with the Princess...then we’d like to talk to them and add them to our suspect list.”

  “I think we should start with the Princess’ bedroom,” says Abs. That’s where we will find out about her daily life. There will be lots of clues in her bedroom, maybe some secret letters or even a diary. Princesses always have diaries!” Lupa and I agree and so we set off into the castle to Princess Gazania’s bedroom.

  What a beautiful room she has. All decorated in pink and white with flowers everywhere. It is obvious that Princess Gazania loves flowers.

  She is named after a beautiful flower and her flower name means treasure. I am sure that is exactly what she is to her parents. Looking round the room we see photos of her parents and pets and friends. All the typical things you would see in a twelve year old’s bedroom...that belongs to a princess!

  “We need to see if she had a diary,” says Abs. “Let’s look under her pillow and see if it is there.”

  Sure enough there was the diary. Lupa and I looked very impressed. “How did you know that the Princess would have a diary under her pillow?” Lupa asked.

  “Boys surely you know that every girl hides her diary under her pillow.” She laughs, “Oops, I forgot, you two are not girls so how would you know that!”

  We take the diary and put it in a bag as evidence.

  “Where else did Princess Gazanis spend her time?” I ask Lupa.

  “Our Princess loved the herb garden and she spent a lot of time there learning how to grow herbs and how to use them to help the animal kingdom.”

  “’Well let’s go to the herb garden then. Please lead the way Lupa.”

  Off we went, following Lupa, down a long passage in the castle
. On the walls are pictures of the royal family, past Kings and Queens. A row of family portraits. I stop and stare at some of them. Most of the Kings have kind faces and look handsome but one picture looks kind of mean and has very small and dark staring eyes. His eyes seem to look at you as you walk by. I shudder and have a quick look at the name under the portrait – Rumex, son of King Rhizome the second it says.