The Green Toenails Gang
Page 2
We went for a walk in the woods.
We watched the fog gather over the Pacific Ocean.
Then I packed to go home.
I looked at my watch. The twenty-four hours were almost up.
The telephone rang.
“It’s for you this time,” I said.
Taffy picked up the receiver.
She said the following: “Hello.” (Pause) “Really?” (Pause) “Yes!” (Pause) “What?” (Pause) “Well, I’ll get used to it.” (Pause)
“Bye.” (Pause)
She hung up. She shouted, “It was Jasmine. She asked me into the club and I said yes!”
Success!
“They’re going to tell me their secret at the next meeting.”
I hugged Taffy. “Aren’t you glad we didn’t start the Green Toenails Gang?”
“You bet,” Taffy said.
I picked up my overnight bag.
“Just one thing,” Taffy said. “Jasmine called me Plimp. Isn’t that a silly nickname?”
“No, I rather like it,” I said.
My visit was over. My client was happy. Now all I had to do was go home and face E.J. and my own nickname.
Willie brought the limo around.
“So long, best friend,” Taffy said.
“So long, Plimp,” I said.
Willie started the limo and we rolled out of the circular driveway.
I pulled my file on the case.
I wrote:
The fog was creeping in.
Willie turned north, and we drove toward San Francisco.
I was glad I would never have to ask him to paint his toenails green.
Published by
Yearling
an imprint of
Random House Children’s Books
a division of Random House, Inc.
New York
Text copyright © 1991 by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Mitchell Sharmat
Illustrations copyright © 1991 by Denise Brunkus
All illustrations of Nate the Great copyright © by Marc Simont
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eISBN: 978-0-307-55654-7
v3.0