Cam Jansen and the Sports Day Mysteries (8 page)

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Authors: David A. Adler

BOOK: Cam Jansen and the Sports Day Mysteries

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Jared’s third pitch was even slower than the others. Shane swung again and missed.

“Strike three! You’re out,” Mr. Day said.

Sometimes Jared threw the ball very slowly. Other times he pitched fast. Mr. Dane’s team swung at lots of his pitches, but they didn’t hit any. The next two batters struck out.

“That’s three outs,” Mr. Day said.

“Pow!” Danny said as Ms. Benson’s team walked off the field. “I’d hit one of Jared’s pitches a thousand feet. Jared would throw the ball. I’d tell a few jokes, eat a jelly doughnut, and then when the ball finally came over the plate, I’d hit it. Pow!”

Fernando was now pitching for Mr. Dane’s team. He threw the ball very fast. The players on Ms. Benson’s team had trouble hitting his pitches.

There were just a few hits over the next two innings, and no runs scored.

“Look!” Beth said.

She pointed to the narrow road that ran through the park. A police car was coming slowly toward them. It stopped by the baseball field. The driver’s door opened and a police officer got out.

Eric said, “It’s Officer Oppen.”

He held up two envelopes and walked toward Ms. Benson and Mr. Dane.

“We caught the two who stole these,” he said. He gave the envelopes to Ms. Benson. “They were a few blocks from the park, and they were running. Now they’re both in the car. With the beads, purple shirt, and purple hair, it was easy to find them. Officer Davis and I will be taking them to the station house.”

“Funny,” Cam said. “The bakery thief wore odd clothes and a big red floppy hat so he wouldn’t get caught. The two in your car wore odd clothes and that’s
why
they were caught.”

Officer Oppen said, “There’s something else that’s funny. Open the envelopes.”

Ms. Benson opened one of the envelopes. She took out a pack of papers and looked at them. “These are coupons,” she said. “Each one is for a piece of fruit at the Franklin Park Snack Bar.”

“No money?” Cam asked.

Ms. Benson shook her head.

“No money for cake or cookies or ice cream?” Danny asked.

Ms. Benson shook her head again.

Officer Oppen said, “The two we caught with these envelopes were really surprised when we showed them what they stole. They wanted money, not fruit.”

Tamika said, “I want fruit.”

“So do I,” Sarah said.

“Thanks to Cam,” Ms. Benson said, “you can all have snacks.”

Trill! Trill!

Mr. Day blew his whistle.

“The game is over,” he announced. “Ms. Benson’s class wins three to one.”

“We won because of Eric,” Danny said.

Ms. Benson and Mr. Dane gave out the coupons.

“You helped us catch the bakery thief and the coupon thieves,” Officer Oppen told Cam. “You solved two mysteries today.”

“No,” Eric said. “She solved three mysteries today. She also found a missing soccer ball.”

Officer Oppen laughed. “The day’s not over,” he said. “There’s still time for Cam to solve lots more mysteries!”

“There’s also time for lots more pictures,” Cam said.

Cam blinked her eyes. She said,
“Click!”
and took a picture of laughing Officer Oppen.

Cam Jansen Memory Games

Do you have a photographic memory?

Study the picture on the next page. Blink your eyes and say,
“Click!”
Then turn the page. See how many questions you can answer. Don’t turn back to check your answers until you have answered all the questions.

Repeat for all the pictures that follow.