Page 22 of The Case of the Vanishing Valuables

But just as I was about to settle back into a comfortable nap, something on Ray’s screen caught my attention. I raised my head, my ears twitching.

Ray frowned as he stared at the screen again. “Here’s something on missing items, though.”

I jumped up and padded over to the screen to get a closer look. Ray clicked on the article, his brow furrowed in confusion. The headline read: “Thefts at Green Pines Retirement Facility—Residents Report Missing Items.”

Ray sat up straighter, reading the article out loud. “This is from last year. A series of small thefts were reported at Green Pines, a retirement home similar to Tranquility Terrace. The items stolen included jewelry, family heirlooms, and other valuables. The thief was never caught.”

His eyes widened. “Wait a minute...”

I could practically hear the gears turning in his head.You’re onto something, Ray. Green Pines... why does that sound familiar?

Ray paused, the memory clicking into place for him. “Daisy mentioned she used to live at Green Pines,” he said, his voice laced with suspicion. “She told us that back at the beginning of the case. She was a resident there.”

Now you’re thinking. But was she the only one?

Ray’s fingers flew over the keyboard, searching for records of who had been at Green Pines during the thefts. But nothing came up—no resident list, no mention that Benedict was there. Still, the connection between the two facilities nagged at both of us.

Ray’s eyes darted back to the screen. “What if Benedict was at Green Pines too? Daisy might not have been the only one who moved from place to place. Maybe it’s common.”

He scribbled a note on a scrap of paper. “We need to find out if anyone else—especially Benedict—was there during the time of the thefts.”

I flicked my tail.Finally. It’s all starting to come together.

Ray glanced down at me, a grin spreading across his face. “You know, Earl, I think we’re getting close. Real close.”

Chapter

Nineteen

We were back at Tranquility Terrace the next morning. Ray sat across from Mrs. Hargrove, leaning forward like he was about to break the biggest case of his career. Mrs. Hargrove, on the other hand, was perched on the edge of her seat, looking more nervous than I’d ever seen her. She was wringing her hands together, her eyes wide behind those oversized glasses.

“I think I know who’s behind the thefts,” Ray said, his voice low, dramatic.

Mrs. Hargrove’s eyes widened even further. “You do?” she gasped. “Oh my, Mr. Leonard! Who is it?”

Ray sat back, looking confident, like he had all the answers in the world. “It’s Benedict.”

“Benedict?” Mrs. Hargrove almost squeaked. “The magician? But why?”

Ray cleared his throat. “Think about it. He’s a magician—he knows how to make things disappear. And we know he’s got lock-picking skills. I found out last night that he used to do anescape act. You know, the kind where they’re chained up and locked in a box, and they get out by picking the locks.”

Mrs. Hargrove was still staring at Ray, her mouth hanging open in shock. “Oh dear... I never would’ve suspected Benedict. He’s always been such a gentleman.”

Ray nodded like he had it all figured out. “That’s how these things usually go. It’s always the person you least expect.”

Mrs. Hargrove stood up from her desk, looking ready to faint at any moment. “We should talk to him right away. If he’s really the one behind the thefts...”

Again, Ray nodded, standing up too. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

We left her office and made our way to the common room, where I could already hear the faint murmur of residents chatting and clinking teacups. Sure enough, Benedict was there, sitting in one of the armchairs by the window. He was chatting with Mr. Billings and Martha, who were laughing about something I didn’t care to investigate.

Ray walked in with all the swagger of a detective in a crime novel, and I followed close behind, already sensing this situation was about to get interesting.

“Benedict,” Ray said, striding up to him with purpose. “We need to talk.”

Benedict, always the showman, looked up from his conversation, raising an eyebrow. “Mr. Leonard! What a surprise. What can I do for you?”

Ray stood tall, arms crossed. “It’s about the thefts.”

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