30 Days: "THE FURRY CAPER" by VS Grenier

“Mom!” Jennie shouted from her room, “I can’t find my lucky rabbit’s foot.”

     “Check your sister’s room,” her mom called from the kitchen.

     “I looked everywhere!” Jennie pulled her blonde hair back into a ponytail. Walking into the kitchen she said, “I only found Max’s rat toy.” She threw it to the over sized black cat, Max, who pounced on it.

     “You’ll do fine at the spelling bee without it,” said her mom. “You were the only 1^st grader to ever win the Riverdale Elementary spelling bee championship.”

     Jennie’s ears reddened. “What if I lose this year because I don’t have my good luck charm?”

Hearing the doorbell, Jennie raced out of the kitchen.  She knew it had to be Peter, her best friend who was the greatest detective in the second grade.

     “Peter, I need your help,” begged Jennie closing the door behind him. 

     “What do you need help with?  You already know the words for tonight,” he replied.

     Jennie fought back tears. “It’s my lucky rabbit’s foot.  I can’t find it.”

     “What? You’ve never taken a spelling test without it!” Peter rubbed his chin. “You’ll need it for tonight, where did you see it last?”

     “On my dresser, last night,” replied Jennie.

     “Let’s start there,” he said.

     Peter paced Jennie’s room. Trying to think he rubbed his chin again.  Pushing his glasses up on his nose he stopped.

“What do we have here?” He picked up a tiny red plastic shoe and turned to Jennie.

     “That’s Beth’s Barbie doll shoe.  How did it get here?” replied Jennie.

     “Your sister needs to answer a few questions,” said Peter.

They headed outside to question Beth.

     “Beth why were you in my room!” demanded Jennie.

     “I wasn’t in your room,” said Beth.

     “What Jennie means is...We found a red Barbie shoe under her bed.” Peter handed Beth the red shoe.

     Beth looked at it. “Why did you smash it?”

     Jennie’s eye widened.  “I didn’t do anything to your shoe. Maybe you should stay out of my room!”

     “Beth,” said Peter pushing his glasses back, “you didn’t go in Jennie’s room?”

     “I said I didn’t,” replied Beth.

     “Do you know how it got under her bed?” he asked.

     “I don’t know. It looks like someone chewed on it.” Beth tried to put her Barbie’s foot in the shoe.

     “I think I might know who did,” said Peter grabbing Jennie’s hand.  He headed back inside the house.

     Jennie stopped short pulling Peter backwards.  “You don’t think Trent, my baby brother...” Jennie burst out laughing.

     “Maybe he thought it was something to chew on,” Peter said shrugging his shoulders. “Who else would chew on a Barbie shoe?”

     Jennie stopped giggling. “Mom would have stopped him, Peter.” 

     Trent was sitting in his high chair eating.

“Raisins,” said Trent.

     “Oh yuck!” shouted Jennie.

     Peter spun around. “What’s wrong with raisins?”

     “Not the raisins—Max just ate the raisin Trent dropped.” Jennie looked at Max, “Gross cat.”

     “Your cat eats raisins?” Peter looked shocked.

     “He’ll eat just about anything.  Beth even feeds him green beans when Mom’s not looking.” Jennie picked up Max and put him outside.

     Peter rubbed his chin. “I’ve been looking in the wrong place,” he said taking Jennie’s hand and walking outside to watch the cat.

     Max strolled over to the tree by the swing set. He stretched his front claws out and started to climb. Peter watched Max disappear into the tree house.

“I’m going up for a look,” Peter said.

Peter started to climb the ladder. He paused to look inside before entering. Max was lying on top of a small white furry object. 

Peter pulled himself up into the tree house half way. He gently tried to push Max aside. The cat rolled over playfully batting Peter’s hand.

“I hope this isn’t a dead mouse,” he said reaching his hand under the cat and pulling out Jennie’s rabbit’s foot. 

“You found it, Peter!” she shouted.

“Jennie! Peter! It’s time to go,” called Jennie’s mom.

“Coming Mom!” Jennie called out happily. 

Peter climbed down handing her the rabbit’s foot.

“Thanks, Peter,” she said with a smile, “now I’ll have good luck tonight.”