The Triceratops Pops Mystery
Page 1
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
A CD thief?
“How would anyone get out of here with stolen CDs?” Eric asked. “They’ve got a security gate that beeps.”
“That’s a mystery,” Cam said. “How did someone steal the CDs and get them past the exit gate?”
Eric clapped his hands and said, “I knew it! I just knew it! Wherever we go, you find a mystery.”
Cam picked up a CD. It was in a closed plastic case. Stuck to the inside of the case was a white rectangle.
Cam showed Eric the white rectangle and said, “Here’s the magnetic strip. It sets off the alarm when you leave the store.”
Cam thought for a moment. Then she whispered, “Maybe a thief broke open the cases, took off the white rectangles, and stuffed the CDs in his shirt.”
“Maybe,” Eric said.
“I’ll look for the broken cases,” Cam told him.
Eric said, “I’ll check the registers.”
Near the back of the store Cam felt a draft of cold air. She turned and saw that the back door was open. And there was no security gate there.
Cam was just starting toward it when she heard a loud “Beep . . . Beep . . . Beep” coming from the front of the store.
PUFFIN BOOKS
Published by the Penguin Group
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Registered Offices: Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R ORL, England
First published in the United States of America by Viking,
a division of Penguin Books USA Inc., 1995
Published by Puffin Books, 1997, 2004
This edition published by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2011
Text copyright © David A. Adler, 1995 Illustrations copyright © Susanna Natti, 1995 Logo illustration copyright © Penguin Young Readers Group, 2010 All rights reserved
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS HAS CATALOGED THE VIKING EDITION AS FOLLOWS: Adler, David A.
Cam Jansen and the Triceratops Pops mystery / David A. Adler ;
illustrated by Susanna Natti.
p. cm.—(A Cam Jansen adventure)
Summary: When Cam Jansen and her friend Eric go to the music store at the mall for the latest CD by the Triceratops Pops band, Cam uses her photographic memory to foil a crime.
eISBN : 978-1-101-52532-6
[1. Mystery and detective stories. 2. Memory—Fiction. 3. Compact discs—Fiction.]
I. Natti, Susanna, ill. II. Title. III. Series: Adler, David A. Cam Jansen adventure.
PZ7.A2615Car 1995 [Fic]—dc20 95-4576 CIP AC
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.
RL: 2.4
http://us.penguingroup.com
For my son Eitan,
who is just learning
to read
Chapter One
Honk! Honk!
A clown sitting on a huge tricycle honked his horn. Then he handed Eric Shelton a flyer.
“Thank you,” Eric said.
Someone dressed in a large frog costume handed him another flyer.
“Thank you,” Eric said to the frog.
“Ribbit. Ribbit,” the frog answered.
“Put your hands in your pockets,” Cam told Eric. “If you don’t people will keep giving you papers.”
Cam Jansen and her friend Eric Shelton were walking through the Hamilton shopping mall. It was a sale day, and the mall was crowded.
“Listen to this,” Eric said. He read from one of the flyers. “Today only! Big sale at Jason’s Sneaker Palace. You’ll run faster in Jason’s sneakers.”
Then Eric read from the second flyer. “Today only! Free sprinkles, nuts, and syrup on any two-scoop ice cream cone at Mama Minnie’s Sweet Shop.”
“I get interesting things in the mail, not at the mall,” Cam said. She gave Eric a card. “Listen to what Aunt Molly sent to me.”
Cam closed her eyes and said, “Click.” Cam always says “Click” when she wants to remember something.
Cam recited the poem that was printed on the card:“I love giraffes and elephants,
chickens, ducks, and geese,
but not as much as I love
my eight-year-old niece.
Happy Birthday.”
“That’s silly,” Eric said. “You’re not eight years old. You’re ten.”
Cam opened her eyes and said, “And it’s not my birthday. That was four months ago.”
Cam smiled, and said, “Aunt Molly is nice but very forgetful.”
Cam closed her eyes again and told Eric, “Now look on the back of the card. There’s a smiling hen sitting on an egg. In the egg is the number 125-98976. That’s the number of the card.”
“You’re right,” Eric said. “You have an amazing memory.”
Cam has a photographic memory. She remembers just about everything she sees. It’s as if she has photographs stored in her head.
Cam’s real name is Jennifer. When she was a baby, people called her “Red” because she has red hair. But when they found out about her amazing memory they began calling her “The Camera.” Soon “The Camera” was shortened to “Cam.”
“There was money inside the card,” Cam said. “Aunt Molly wrote that I should buy myself something for my birthday. That’s why I’m looking for the music store.”
Someone in a rabbit costume gave Eric a flyer.
“Thank you,” Eric said to the rabbit.
Eric read from the flyer. “Hoppy news! There’s a pajama and sock sale at Benders.”
Cam started walking quickly through the shopping mall. Eric had to hurry to keep up.
“Let’s get pajamas, or a pair of Jason’s sneakers,” Eric said, “or some of Mama Minnie’s ice cream. I love ice cream with sprinkles.”
Cam said, “No, I want to get the new Triceratops Pops CD. I heard one of the songs. It was great.”
“I’d rather have ice cream,” Eric said. “Close your eyes,” he told Cam, “and imagine strawberry ice cream covered with chocolate syrup. Now imagine red, blue, yellow, and green sprinkles sinking into the syrup. On top of all that are walnuts, sliced almonds, and pecans.”
Cam closed her eyes. She imagined Eric’s ice cream sundae. And she walked right into a man carrying two large shopping bags. Apples and oranges fell from one of the bags.
Cam opened her eyes and said, “I’m sorry.” Then she and Eric chased after the rolling frui
t and returned it to the man.
Cam told Eric, “I’m not imagining ice cream anymore. It only gets me into trouble. I’m looking for the music store. We have to hurry. My dad said he’ll meet us by the bank in an hour.”
Now Eric’s eyes were closed.
“I’m imagining the ice cream,” Eric said. “And it’s delicious.”
Eric walked into a sign.
“Excuse me,” Eric said to the sign.
“Keep your eyes open and watch where you’re going,” Cam told him.
Cam and Eric walked past a jewelry store, a candy shop, and a pet store. Then Cam said, “There’s the music store. And they’re having a sale, too.”
Chapter Two
Cam ran to Ernie’s Everything in Music and Video store. She was about to go in when Eric yelled, “Stop! You’re going in the wrong way.”
Cam stopped. She looked at the gate. It was clearly marked EXIT. Near the bottom of the gate were two tiny red lights.
Cam turned around and walked back to Eric. “That gate has an alarm,” Cam told Eric. “Each CD and tape in the store must have a magnetic strip on it. If you go through the gate without taking off the strip the gate beeps. When you pay, they take off the strip so you can get out without setting off the alarm.”
Cam and Eric walked in through the entrance. It was a big store with lots of departments. The store was crowded with shoppers.
Cam stood by the entrance and looked around. Near the front of the store videotapes of movies and old television shows were displayed. Above them were a few television screens showing scenes from some of the tapes on sale.
Eric said, “Let’s buy a movie tape.”
Cam shook her head and said, “No.”
“Then let’s buy some blank tapes,” Eric said. “We can tape television shows that are on while we’re in school.”
“Look,” Cam said. “There’s a map of the store.”
Cam went to the map.
“We have to go past the movie tapes to the end of aisle seven,” Cam said.
Cam started to walk away. Then she came back. She looked at the map, blinked her eyes, and said, “Click. ”
“That’s in case we get lost,” she told Eric. “I’ll have a picture of the map stored in my head.”
Cam and Eric walked down aisle seven.
Music was playing throughout the store. Then the music stopped.
“Make Ernie happy,” someone announced. “Buy a CD or tape. You’ll be happy, too, with Ernie’s low, low prices.”
The music started again.
“The CDs in each department are in alphabetical order,” Cam told Eric.
Cam walked to the end of the aisle. Eric stopped near the middle.
Cam searched for the new Triceratops Pops CD. She couldn’t find it.
“Look at this,” Eric said.
He showed Cam a CD.
“It’s the new Ripe Banana Band CD,” Eric said. “The group’s music is soft and sweet, just like a ripe banana. I love it.”
Cam closed her eyes and said, “Click. ”
“I’m looking at the store map,” she told Eric.
Cam opened her eyes.
“Let’s try aisle four,” she said.
Cam and Eric went to aisle four. But they didn’t find any CDs by Triceratops Pops.
“Hm,” Cam said. She put her hands on her hips and looked around.
Eric looked, too.
“Maybe he can help us,” Eric said. “He works here.”
Eric pointed to a tall young man wearing a yellow and green striped jacket. He was in aisle six next to a cart loaded with boxes. He was taking CDs from an open box and putting them on a shelf.
“Could you please tell me where to find the new Triceratops Pops CD?” Cam asked the man.
On the front of the man’s jacket was a name tag that said: HELLO. I’M ERNIE’S HELPER. MY NAME IS JORDAN.
“Aisle two. Case five. Top shelf,” Jordan said without turning around. “I put six discs there just a few minutes ago.”
“Aisle two? Why aisle two?” Cam asked.
Jordan turned and looked down at Cam and Eric and said slowly, “Because that’s where they belong.”
Cam closed her eyes and said “Click” while she walked. Eric held her hand, so she wouldn’t walk into anyone.
“He’s wrong,” Cam said with her eyes still closed. “Aisle two is for Country music. Triceratops Pops is not Country.”
Cam opened her eyes. She and Eric found aisle two, case five, top shelf. There was a large empty space on the shelf. But no Triceratops Pops CDs.
Chapter Three
“Maybe Jordan put them on another shelf. Maybe they’re in another aisle,” Eric said.
Cam closed her eyes and said, “Click.” Then she told Eric, “There are ten music sections in this store. We’ve already checked Popular, New Releases, and Country. It won’t take long to check the others.”
Cam checked the Show Tunes section. Eric checked Jazz. Then Cam checked Classical and Rap. Eric checked Easy Listening, Rhythm and Blues, and Specialty Recordings. They didn’t find the Triceratops Pops CDs.
“Let’s ask Jordan,” Cam said. “He put the CDs on the shelf. Maybe he can find them.”
Jordan was still in aisle six. A woman was talking to him.
“I’m looking for a tape. My daughter asked me to get it for her and I said, ‘That’s just what I’ll do.’ The tape is called Cupcake Love, or Cup Lake Glove, or Pups Above. I’m sure you know the one I mean.”
Jordan said very slowly, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The woman smiled. “I’ll tell you about the people who made the tape. That’s just what I’ll do. It was a group called Teacher Creature or Fixture Mixture or Peach and Picture.”
Jordan looked at the woman for a long while. Then he said slowly, “You want me to find a tape for you. You don’t know the name of the tape and you don’t know the singing group.”
“That’s right,” the woman said.
“Well,” Jordan told her, “if the tape came out in the last five years, we probably have it. Why don’t you just look at all of our eight thousand tapes until you find one that looks right.”
The woman nodded her head and said, “That’s just what I’ll do.”
As the woman walked past, Eric whispered to her, “You could call your daughter and ask her the name of the tape. There’s a pay telephone right outside the store.”
“Oh my yes,” the woman said and smiled. “That’s just what I’ll do.”
“Could you please help me?” Cam asked Jordan.
She told him, “We looked in aisle two, case five, top shelf for the Triceratops Pops CDs. They are not there.”
“Yes they are,” Jordan said. “I put them there myself.”
Jordan took two CDs from the box he was still holding and put them on display.
“Please,” Cam said, “could you show us where the CDs are?”
Jordan dropped the box onto the cart. He started to walk toward aisle two. As he walked, he mumbled: “Next, I’ll have to show them where their pockets are so they can find their money. Then I’ll have to show them the exit. Maybe I’ll even have to walk them home.”
Jordan stopped. He pointed to a large 2.
“This is aisle two,” he told Cam and Eric. “We keep our Country music here. Now I’ll show you case five.”
Jordan brought them to case five. He pointed to the top shelf and said, “And here are your CDs.”
“No, they’re not,” Cam said.
Jordan turned. He looked on the top shelf. He looked on the other shelves, too. The CDs were gone.
“Well, this is where I put the CDs,” Jordan said.
“Maybe someone stole them,” Cam said.
Jordan said, “No. You can’t steal from here. We have a great security system.”
He thought for a moment. Then he said, “Maybe we sold all the CDs. Six is a lot to sell in just a few minutes. But this is a busy store
and Triceratops Pops is a popular group. I’ll check the computer.”
Chapter Four
Cam and Eric followed Jordan to the end of the aisle. Jordan pressed a few buttons on the computer and then pointed to the screen.
“Do you see this? It’s just like I said. We have six CDs and they haven’t been sold.”
“Then where are they?” Cam asked.
“Maybe someone took them off the shelf but hasn’t paid for them yet. Maybe he’s looking around the store for something else to buy.”
“No one would buy six of the same CD,” Cam said. “You mean six people took the T-Pops CDs off the shelf.”
“So, six people are buying the discs,” Jordan said as he turned and walked away. “That’s possible. Ernie’s Everything is a very busy store. And I have to get back to my work. I am a very busy man.”
“Forget about Triceratops Pops,” Eric said. “Let’s get a Ripe Banana Band CD.”
“No one would buy six T-Pops CDs,” Cam said. “But someone might steal them from here and sell them at a flea market or yard sale.”
“How would anyone get out of here with stolen CDs?” Eric asked. “They’ve got a security gate that beeps.”
“That’s a mystery,” Cam said. “How did someone steal the CDs and get them past the exit gate?”
Eric clapped his hands and said, “I knew it! I just knew it! Wherever we go, you find a mystery.”
Cam picked up a CD. It was in a closed plastic case. Stuck to the inside of the case was a white rectangle.
Cam showed Eric the white rectangle and said, “Here’s the magnetic strip. It sets off the alarm when you leave the store.”
Cam tried to open the plastic case. She couldn’t.
“They open up the case and take out the CD at the register when you pay,” Cam told Eric.
Cam put the CD down.
Eric hummed a tune. Then he sang softly, “Fields of green, yellow, too. I love the fields and I love you.”