by Farheen Khan
“Yeah, he knows,” Ibrahim answered.
“Do you think I should apologize to him?” Zayn asked. “You know, for laughing at him and all.”
“That would be nice,” said Ibrahim. “It’s really not a good idea to laugh at our clients,” he added, grinning.
“I know, I know,” said Zayn. “But come on Ibrahim, hyenas and lions wandering our neighbourhood?!”
Both boys burst out laughing.
CHAPTER SIX
The Cat’s in the Bag
It was 8 in the evening when Ibrahim’s dad dropped the boys off at Yusuf’s house. They set up the large net, a few powerful lights and their recording equipment in the back yard before ringing the doorbell. Once the boys had prayed ‘Isha’ they began to prepare for bed. This time Zayn rolled out his sleeping bag under the window while Ibrahim’s sleeping bag remained packed by the door.
“Aren’t you going to sleep here too?” Yusuf asked Ibrahim.
“No,” said Ibrahim. “Tonight I’ll be sleeping in your tree house.”
“What?!” yelled Yusuf. “It’s not safe! What if – what if they get you in the night?”
“Don’t worry,” Ibrahim tried to reassure him. “Zayn will be watching me from inside and can get your dad if I need help,” he explained.
Yusuf still didn’t look happy about it, but finally agreed.
The crescent moon rose high in the night sky, bathing the yard in its pale light. As Ibrahim snuggled deeper into his sleeping bag, he checked his watch for the third time. It was only 9:30. Still early he thought. His eyes had adjusted to the dim light, so he could clearly see most of the back yard. There was nothing to do now but wait. Even though he couldn’t see Zayn without his binoculars, Ibrahim knew Zayn was watching him, ready to help. An hour passed with nothing but the sound of an owl hooting and the neighbour’s dog barking.
Ibrahim had almost dozed off when he heard a rustling sound nearby. Silently creeping to the edge of the tree house doorway, Ibrahim lay ready and waiting. Holding up two fingers to Zayn, he signalled him to stand by. Then he heard the sounds of twigs snapping as he grabbed the net.
“Do you think those nosy detectives are back?” asked a hushed deep voice.
“Nah, they probably thought Yusuf was going crazy like everyone else,” whispered a softer voice. “I still feel bad, you said this was supposed to be a joke but I think he’s really scared.”
“Well it’s his fault for being so selfish. Now come on Mariam play the tape so we can get out of here,” demanded the deeper voice.
“Mariam?” Ibrahim wondered. “Could it be Mariam Hamid from class? It did sound a lot like her,” he thought. Ibrahim signalled Zayn with all five fingers just as the sound of a ferocious lion split the night air. Dropping the net over the culprits Ibrahim flicked the switch to turn on the flood lights.
“What! What’s going on?!” demanded the deeper voice.
“Ahhh!” screamed the voice Ibrahim now knew was Mariam’s. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to! He made me do it! It was just supposed to be a joke!”
“Shhh!” said the deeper voice.
As Ibrahim came down the ladder he couldn’t help but chuckle at the scene in front of him. Tangled in a heap of arms, legs and sturdy fishing net was Mariam Hamid and her older brother Omar Hamid. Mariam was in third grade with Ibrahim, Zayn and Yusuf while her older brother was in tenth grade with Yusuf’s brother Kamran. As the back porch lights turned on, out rushed Zayn, Yusuf and Yusuf’s dad. Mariam let out a loud sob at the sight of the three. The moment of truth had arrived.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Confessions
“What’s going on here?!” demanded Yusuf’s dad. However, before Ibrahim could explain, Mariam cut in.
“I’m sorry Mr. Ali,” she sobbed. “Please don’t call the police!”
A moment later a sleepy-looking Kamran stepped out of the house.
“Omar? What are you doing in my yard?” he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Omar didn’t answer as he lay tangled on the grass.
“Why don’t we go inside?” Ibrahim suggested.
Mr. Ali nodded as he stepped back inside. The Khan boys began to free Omar and Mariam from the fishing net, as Yusuf and Kamran followed their dad into the house. Once everyone had assembled around the kitchen table, Ibrahim noticed how pale Yusuf looked.
“It’s okay Yusuf, it’s over now,” Ibrahim said, trying to comfort him.
“Why? Why would they do that to me?” Yusuf whispered.
At first no one answered. Then Ibrahim saw Omar’s face twist in anger.
“It’s all your fault!” he yelled. But to everyone’s surprise he wasn’t yelling at Yusuf, he was yelling at Kamran.
“What! What did I do!” Kamran yelled back.
Omar stood, shaking with anger.
“Don’t you remember when we were in Mrs. Morris’ class?” Omar began. “It was the same thing then. You never let anyone play with your ‘cool toys’, never let us come over and didn’t even let us climb the trees in your yard. It’s not like you planted them there!”
No one dared to speak as Omar continued.
“I remember when your dad built that tree house. You bragged to the whole class about it, but we all knew we’d never be allowed near it. Everyone knew how selfish you were. When Mariam came home from school last month complaining about how your little brother wouldn’t share his markers when she had forgotten hers, because he thought she would ruin them, I had had enough. It was time for revenge!”
Omar turned his attention to Yusuf who seemed to tremble under his glare. “What makes you guys think you’re better than the rest of us? Why is it so hard for you to share?” he demanded.
“Enough!” Kamran shouted as he too stood, but instead of facing Omar he stood looking out of the window by the backyard. “It’s not Yusuf’s fault,” he spoke in a whisper. “It’s me, I’m the one who doesn’t like to share. I know it’s not right, but I just can’t, I’m afraid to… It started after Yusuf was born, I was always scared he would take my things and break them. Whenever he came near my things I’d yell at him. Eventually I couldn’t share with anyone, not even my friends. Yusuf learned not to share… from me.” Kamran turned to face Omar as he continued. “But you had no right to scare my little brother.”
As the boys fell silent, Mr. Ali addressed both his sons.
“Boys, I’m really disappointed in you. Your mother and I have always thought that by giving regularly to charity ourselves, the two of you would also learn to be generous,” he said. “Omar, I’ve known you for a long time and know you’re a good boy, but jealousy can make people do things they wouldn’t normally do. Scaring Yusuf like that wasn’t very nice.”
“No it wasn’t, Mr. Ali,” replied Omar, in a much calmer voice. “And I’m sorry. I figured if Kamran and Yusuf wouldn’t let us play in their yard, then they shouldn’t get to play in it either. And that was very, um—selfish of me.”
Omar looked down at his hands. “I’m sorry I scared you Yusuf. Mariam, I’m sorry I dragged you into this. The markers really weren’t a big deal. I… I was jealous and wanted to get back at Kamran, through Yusuf.”
Kamran was the first to extend his hand to Omar.
“It’s okay man, we all make mistakes,” he said, with a smile.
Soon all the boys shook hands and forgave each other.
“I have a question,” said Mariam. “How did you guys figure it out? I’ve been snooping around here quite a lot and I was pretty sure you guys didn’t believe Yusuf’s story. When did you realize there were no wild animals around?”
Everyone turned to look at Ibrahim for an answer, but he just shook his head.
“Sorry Mariam, that’s between me and my brown sack. I’d be out of business if I gave all my secrets away,” Ibrahim replied with a smile.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Another Case Solved
Since it was so late Ibrahim and Zayn decided to spend the rest of the night at
Yusuf’s house while Mr. Ali walked Omar and Mariam home. After Fajr prayer the boys began to dismantle and pack up their equipment.
“You’re really not going to tell anyone how you figured it out?” Zayn asked Ibrahim as they unhooked the flood lights.
“You know you’re my partner Zayn,” Ibrahim answered. “What do you want to know?”
“Well, I still don’t know exactly when you realized you were catching a couple of kids and not a wild animal,” said Zayn.
“Do you remember the first time we came to Yusuf’s house?” Ibrahim asked. “I had sent you in the yard so I could discuss the case with Yusuf in peace.”
“How could I forget?” Zayn said a little sheepishly.
“Well,” Ibrahim continued, “when you burst out laughing you were very close to Yusuf’s bedroom window. I knew it was you laughing, but it got me thinking. If someone, not quite so loud and a little further away were laughing in the back yard, it could quite easily be mistaken for the sounds a hyena makes.”
Zayn nodded in understanding.
“So when we were adding the weights to the net, you knew we’d be catching kids?” he asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wasn’t totally sure until I played the tape from two nights ago again at home. We were too busy talking in your lab and we missed something.”
“I thought there was nothing but the sound of wind blowing and that annoying dog next door on that tape,” said Zayn.
“So did I, at first.” Ibrahim explained. “But when I was listening to it at home I’m sure I heard a conversation. A whispered one, and it was kind of far from where the mike was set up, but definitely a human conversation.”
Once the boys were inside they heard Yusuf call them from the kitchen.
“Up for some pancakes guys?” he asked.
“If it’s with some of your homemade syrup, definitely!” Zayn replied. “Ibrahim told me all about your maple trees.”
As Ibrahim filled his glass with cold milk he noticed Yusuf looked a little anxious.
“You okay Yusuf?” he asked.
“Yeah,” said Yusuf. “I was just thinking about what you said, you know, about the class coming here for a field trip. Do you really think Mrs. Morris would let us?”
“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” Ibrahim answered. “I can talk to her on Monday if you’d like.”
“That’s okay, I’ll talk to her myself.”
Yusuf chuckled at the Khan boys’ surprised faces. “I’m trying to make some changes, and the first thing on the list is ‘talk to people’,” Yusuf declared.
Ibrahim, Zayn and Yusuf spent the next hour eating pancakes dripping with sweet golden maple syrup, laughing and chatting like old friends.
As the boys headed home, Yusuf paid them $2.50 each. Once he got home Ibrahim put his earnings straight into his tomato-soup can, which he used to save up for a new bike. He had a long way to go before he could get the new ZX50, but every case got him a little closer. It was one model up from Zayn’s bike the ZX45 and had a few new features that would come in handy when he’d need to get somewhere in a hurry.
“Then I’ll be faster than Zayn again,” Ibrahim thought to himself as he took out his homework. Opening his maths text book, he wondered when he’d get his next case. “I hope I don’t have to wait too long,” he thought, as he began working on his fractions.
Glossary
Salah
Prayer.
Fajr
Prayer before sunrise.
‘Asr
Late afternoon prayer.
Maghrib
Prayer immediately after sunset.
Assalamu ‘Alaykum
Peace be on you. (Muslim greeting)
Wa‘alaykum as-Salam
And on you be peace. (reply to greeting)
Masha’ Allah
As Allah wills.
Abbu
Father.
Quiz
What is the name of the street Yusuf lives on?
In which season did Yusuf collect sap from the maple trees?
What is Ibrahim saving for?
What animal sound does Ibrahim record during his first night at Yusuf’s house?
When did Zayn get his bike, the ZX45?
What would you have done differently if you were Ibrahim Khan solving the case of The Roaring Lion?
What did Kamran learn about himself at the end of the story?
What was Omar sorry about?
Hidden Words
Can you find the following words hidden in the grid on page 51?
• Detectives • Kamran • Tree House
• Roaring Lion • Yusuf Ali • Mariam
• Laughing Hyenas • Zayn • Omar
• Ibrahim • Brown Sack • Rocket Boosters
• Khan Boys • Maple Syrup • Stanley Lane
Keep a look out for two more exciting adventures by Ibrahim Khan …
• Ibrahim Khan and the Mystery of the Haunted Lake
• Ibrahim Khan and the Mystery of the Lightening Hovercraft
and more to follow thereafter….
Visit Ibrahim Khan and friends on-line at
www.Ibrahim-khan.com
