Winning BIG, a little love story for all ages

by Judith Keim

  “Yo! How’s it goin’?” Bandit didn’t bother to wait for an answer, but headed right over to Lila’s table.

  Theodore watched him, wondering what it was about Bandit that made him so appealing to Lila. Sure, he had muscles and was considered very cool, but he didn’t seem Lila’s type.

  His mother approached him. “Remember, Theodore,” she warned him softly, “no socializing with the hotel guests.”

  Theodore nodded sadly and went to his room, where he changed into jeans and a black turtleneck. Determination filled him. He wasn’t sure how to go about finding clues, but he had to do something to win Lila’s heart and to keep everyone safe.

  He decided to start in Zanna’s room. He scurried up, up, up through the plumbing of the hotel, to the very spot where he and Lila had entered her room. He crawled through the hole and pushed so hard against the loose piece of baseboard inside the closet that he toppled onto the carpet. He was about to head for the half-open door when he noticed a mouse-like shadow behind one of Zanna’s silvery shoes.

  He crept over to it and pounced. “Gotcha!”

  “Squeeak!” Cynthia glared at him and adjusted her glasses. “What did you do that for? And just what, may I ask, are you doing here, Doorman?”

  “That’s for me to know, not you,” Theodore said snappishly. Cynthia brought out the worst in him, but she was so irritating he couldn’t help himself. Theodore heard Zanna’s sweet voice in the background and the deeper tones of a man. Suspicion growing, he turned to Cynthia. “Why are you listening to them?” Was she the one who’d put alcohol in Zanna’s glass?

  Cynthia gave him a smug look. “I not only can read human language, I can write it. Juliet isn’t always aware of it, but I help her find stuff out and leave her notes. It’s important to our career. Uh, I mean her career.”

  “Ah, so you’re her little spy. That’s not very nice.” He himself knew how to read the people’s words, but he’d refused to learn how to write it. Now, he wished he’d listened to his teacher.

  Cynthia clamped her paws on her hips and glared at him. “Not nice you say? So why are you here? Huh?”

  Theodore tried to think of a quick reply, but couldn’t think of any. He certainly didn’t want Cynthia to know he was investigating a possible attempt at murder. Not when she could be the very one who did it.

  “Just stay out of my way,” Cynthia warned.

  Theodore sighed and did his best to ignore her. He couldn’t leave. He had to find out who Zanna was talking to. He crept to the door and peeked around its frame.

  Samuel Horner, the producer, was sitting in a chair by the window. Zanna sat on the couch, facing him.

  “You gave us a real scare,” the producer said to Zanna. “I thought you might have to go home. Simone has been after me to give her the starring role in the movie, but I’m not so sure she’s the one I want for it.”

  Zanna pressed her lips together. “That woman would do anything to get that part. And Juliet is no better.” She lifted an ice pack to her bruised eye.

  Theodore noticed Cynthia taking notes. The film business was not as much fun as some people made it seem. Everyone, it appeared, wanted the same thing and would do anything to get their way.

  Sam rose. “Well, we’ve got all week to iron things out. It’s important for all of us to get along, even if we have to pretend to be friends. We need to do whatever it takes to make this movie; it’s one of the best scripts I’ve read in a long, long time.”

  They were staying in the hotel for a week? Theodore’s spirits lifted. That would give him a whole week to win Lila’s heart.

  Zanna drew up from the couch, capturing Theodore’s attention. “I’ll be all right, Sam. Don’t worry. I’m not giving up on working hard for that wonderful role in your movie.”

  Cynthia put away her pen and paper. “See you later, Doorman. Don’t linger too long. Lila is downstairs with her boyfriend, but they might arrive at any moment.”

  She made her way through the hole in the wall, leaving Theodore alone. He sank down on the carpet and clasped his face with his paw, deep in thought. It appeared not one person, but two would be glad if Zanna didn’t get the part in the movie. But did that mean Simone or Juliet had tried to kill her?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Theodore was about to leave the closet when a knock came at the door to Zanna’s room. He paused as Zanna went to open it.

  A maid stood there. “Turn-down service, Ma’am.”

  While the maid gathered fresh towels from her cart and headed for the bathroom, Zanna went back to the couch and flipped through a magazine. Theodore was about to leave when a movement on the maid’s cart caught his eye. A familiar white head appeared behind a roll of fluffy, white toilet paper. His heart pounded with alarm. Lila!

  She looked over at him and frowned. Quick as can be, she jumped down from the cart, scurried across the carpet, and into the closet.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked in a tone that didn’t sound too friendly.

  He swallowed nervously. “I’m trying to find out if anyone actually tried to harm Zanna.”

  Lila’s demeanor instantly changed. Her eyes moistened as she clasped her paws together. “You would do that for her?”

  “I ... I ...” he stuttered, wishing Lila would understand he was doing it for her, not Zanna.

  “That’s so very thoughtful! How wonderful! I’ll even help you.” Lila flashed him a smile. “You don’t mind, do you?”

  Theodore shook his head, too shy to say anything.

  “So, how do we start?” Lila said.

  “We need to investigate all the stars and the producer. Someone doesn’t want Zanna to get the starring role in the movie. It could be any one of them.”

  Lila frowned. “Yes, it sometimes is a nasty business. When do we begin?”

  Theodore checked his watch. “I’ve got to get back to my family. We’ll start tomorrow night. I’ll meet you here after dinner.”

  “Thanks.” Lila gave him a deliciously wide smile that warmed his racing heart.

  As he found his way back to the nest his mother had made for the family, Theodore couldn’t help humming a song. Just when he thought things were going to get worse, they got better. Lila and he were a team now.

  ###

  The next evening, Theodore choked down his dinner, barely able to recall the day’s comings and goings from the doorman’s post. He’d checked his watch all afternoon, wondering when his shift would be over. Each minute had seemed like an hour.

  Lila wasn’t in the dining room. He suspected she might be as excited as he to take on the job of detective.

  He got up from the table and waved goodbye to his mother. “I’ve got to go. See you later.”

  His mother gave him a questioning look, but, to his relief, she made no comment nor asked any questions.

  As he walked away from the table, he noticed Cynthia staring at him. Careful not to appear too anxious to leave the room, he strolled toward the entrance and ... bumped into Maurice.

  “Sorry,” Theodore said.

  Maurice glanced at him, but made no comment. Instead, he hurried to get into the food line. Theodore shook his head. Maurice was one weird mouse. So far, he’d never heard a squeak out of him.

  Making sure no one was tailing him, Theodore entered the plumbing system and raced up the pipes to Zanna’s room. He took a moment outside to brush off his uniform and smooth back the fur on his face, and then he entered the closet. He looked around expecting to see Lila, but she was nowhere to be found. Puzzled, Theodore studied the area once more.

  A shadow emerged from the corner of the closet.

  Theodore jumped with surprise.

  A soft, tinkling laugh filled the air. “Oh, good! Did I scare you?”

  Lila tiptoed toward him. A black kerchief was tied around her head. She was dressed in a black sweater and black pants. “How do I look?” She twirled around. “Detectives like us can’t be seen. Right?”

  “Right,” s
aid Theodore, thinking she looked adorable.

  “I’ve been thinking about this,” said Lila. “We need to begin our investigation with Simone. I’m sure she’s the one who gave Zanna some kind of drug. I want to prove it and report it to the producer.”

  “Okay, we’ll start there,” said Theodore, “but real detectives don’t make up their minds about a case until they have all the evidence.”

  “Oh, right, but I’m sure it’s Simone.” Lila gave him a big smile. “Call it women’s intuition.”

  Theodore shook his head. Working with Lila wasn’t going to be as easy as he’d thought. “Do you know the way to her room?”

  She nodded. “Follow me. It’s just down the hall from Zanna. #2410.”

  Theodore peeked out through the opening in the closet door. “Where’s Zanna now?”

  “She’s gone out to dinner with the others. Simone, Juliet, and Rocky came to her room to talk, and then they decided to try a new restaurant.”

  “I see. Simone’s room could be free now, but what about Fifi? If that nasty dog is inside Simone’s room, we’ll have to search a different place.”

  Lila waved away his concern. “We’ll be fine. Fifi goes everywhere with her.”

  They scurried across the living room. Stepping into the hallway, Theodore almost stumbled onto a tray sitting on the floor outside the door.

  “They had room service?” Theodore asked.

  Lila nodded.

  Theodore studied the tray. An empty wine bottle, three used wine glasses, and a cup and saucer sat atop it. Lila had told him Zanna didn’t drink, so if the other three had wine, the coffee cup must have been used by Zanna, proving she doesn’t drink alcohol. He’d smelled alcohol along with something else in the glass beside Zanna’s bed. Another reason to suspect she might have been drugged.

  “Hurry!” whispered Lila. “A maid is coming down the hall.”

  Staying as close as possible to the walls, the two mice ran down the carpeted hallway.

  A sliver of light shone into the hallway from the bottom of the door at room 2410. Theodore studied the space. It looked too narrow for them to slide through.

  The rattle of the maid’s cart sounded closer and closer.

  Theodore’s heart pounded. If either he or Lila were discovered, the whole mouse colony would be in trouble.

  “I think I can make it.” Lila lay on her belly and inched her way through.

  Theodore sucked in his stomach, pushed into the opening, and came to a stop. One arm and one leg stuck out through the opening. “Help me, Lila!” he squeaked.

  Lila grabbed hold of him.

  “Hurry!”

  Pulling and scrambling together, Theodore made it under the door and into the room just as the maid’s cart came to a noisy stop nearby. Letting out a sigh of relief, he stood and straightened his uniform. His gaze swept the room. It was dimly lit by a tableside lamp next to an overstuffed chair. All was quiet.

  “What do we do now?” Lila asked, clasping her paws together eagerly.

  “Check the area for any sign of drugs. We have to be quick. The maid is next door.”

  They sprinted for the bathroom.

  “Detective work is so exciting!” Lila gushed, stopping to straighten her sweater.

  “Better keep up with me,” Theodore warned her. “We have to get in and get out of here before anyone comes.”

  “Oh, right.” Lila gave him a wide grin and followed him up onto the vanity counter.

  A large number of bottles and jars were scattered atop the surface. Theodore studied the pots of blush and wands of mascara. He looked over the skin creams and bottles of makeup. But he saw no sign of anything that could be used to drug Zanna.

  “I wonder what Simone really looks like underneath all that makeup. My Zanna doesn’t need all this stuff. She’s beautiful as she is.” An unmistakable note of pride filled Lila’s voice.

  Theodore checked his watch. “C’mon! Let’s go! The maid will be here any minute, and we have to check out the other rooms.”

  A knock at the door froze them in place.

  “What are we going to do?” whispered Lila. “We’re as far away from the door as possible.”

  Theodore held a paw to his lips.

  The door opened. “Maid service. Anyone here?”

  At the silence, the maid walked inside, carrying clean towels.

  “Hide!” said Theodore. “She’s coming in here.” He jumped down to the floor and tucked himself in the shadows behind the toilet. He turned, expecting to see Lila behind him.

  “Lila? Where are you?” he squeaked softly.

  He saw movement in the bunch of used towels thrown into the corner of the room. He was about to call out a warning when the soft-soled black shoes of the maid appeared next to him. Too late!

  The maid grabbed the used towels and threw them, along with Lila, onto the cart ...

  ... and then into a clear plastic bag. Theodore’s heart skipped a beat. He waited for a sign of movement inside the bag, but all was still. His pulse pounded with dismay. Had Lila been injured by the weight of the wet towels on top of her? Or worse, smashed to death?

  The flushing of the toilet sent Theodore cowering behind it. Worried sick about Lila, he huddled there as the maid continued to give the bathroom a quick freshening.

  Moments later, the maid picked up the bag and left the room. The slamming of the door sent Theodore racing to it. Panic helped him squeeze under the door and into the hallway. He had to save Lila.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The maid stood by her cart talking to another woman—someone she called Mary.

  “Better let me take those wet towels to the laundry,” Mary said. “I’ve got a bunch of my own to take down to the basement.”

  No-o-o-o! Theodore screamed in his mind. Trapped like that, how would Lila ever escape?

  The maid handed Mary her bag of towels. Horrified, Theodore watched Mary toss Lila and the bag of towels onto her cart and wheel it away.

  As soon as the maid left the hallway, Theodore raced as fast as he could after the cart. At the sound of people approaching, he stretched out alongside the gray-painted baseboard. He lay there trembling, hoping his dark uniform would help hide him.

  Footsteps came closer and closer.

  Theodore’s heart pounded with alarm. He had to save Lila! Where was she now? How would he ever find her?

  “Hey, look!” said a young girl, pointing at him. “That looks like a mouse! Amouse wearing a funny costume!”

  Theodore’s whole body weakened inside his stiff uniform. He couldn’t decide whether to run or stay still.

  “Don’t be silly,” said her mother, tugging on the girl’s arm. “You’re just making up more stories. Come along now. We can’t dawdle. You’ve caused enough problems as it is.” Her mother marched her along the hallway. The girl looked back at Theodore and waved.

  As soon as the hall was clear once more, Theodore took off following the route the cart had taken down the long hallway and around the corner. He came to a stop in front of a sign that said Service Elevator. His heart fell. He couldn’t manage to ride on an elevator without help.

  The sound of a cart rolling toward him sent him into the shadows of the nearby corner. Hope filled him when he noticed two bags of soiled towels mounded on top of the cart. As soon as it rolled to a stop, Theodore took a deep breath and scurried aboard. He poked his way between a box of soaps and a box of silver-wrapped chocolates and hunkered down. Normally, the smell of chocolate would excite him. Not tonight. His stomach was tied in worried knots.

  The elevator doors opened.

  As the maid pushed the cart inside, Theodore clung to the boxes, telling himself not to be scared. But when doors closed behind them, and the elevator began its descent, Theodore held back a squeak of dismay. He knew about elevators, of course, but he’d never ridden in one. The ride made his stomach feel squishy inside, as if he’d eaten a big piece of spongy marshmallow.

  The elevator stopped and
the doors opened. The maid pushed the cart out into a room alive with sound and heat. From his place on the cart, Theodore gazed at the many mounds of white sheets and towels scattered about the floor. His throat closed with worry. How, he wondered, would he ever find Lila in all this confusion?

  He jumped off the cart and raced over to a bunch of towels piled in front of one of several large, stainless-steel, washing machines. Through the front glass window of the machine, he saw towels swished around and around in soapy, deadly circles. The thought of Lila ending her life in such a way made Theodore’s knees wobbly. He sank onto the floor and held his head in his paws. It was his fault. He never should have accepted Lila’s offer to help him. He’d done it because he’d wanted to spend time with her and have a chance to win her heart. She was the most beautiful mouse he’d ever seen, and now, she might be dead!

  He forced himself to his feet and rushed from one pile of towels to another, trying to stay out of view as he continued his hopeless search. Sadness filled him. What would he say to the others when they found out what had happened? He sank to the floor once more, not caring how dangerously dark his uniform was against the white of the towels.

  A light tap on his shoulder brought him to his feet. He whipped around.

  “What are you doing down here? It’s dangerous with all these people,” squeaked a familiar voice.

  Theodore didn’t stop to think about it. He pulled Lila into his arms and kissed her. When he realized what he’d done, he pushed her away. “I’m sorry ... Miss ... Lila ... I thought I’d lost you!”

  Lila’s pink eyes were round with surprise. “No, no. I understand. It’s been a difficult night. We’ll just pretend this didn’t happen.”

  Theodore nodded, but he would never forget how right she felt in his embrace. But he knew nothing would come of it. It couldn’t. She was a hotel guest, and he was not.

  He focused once more on their situation. “C’mon! We’ve got to get out of here.” He grabbed hold of Lila’s paw and tugged her toward the door.