Monster Detective Agency Mini-Mysteries

Monsters are always causing mischief, and so the Monster Detective Agency's adventures continue with our monthly mini-mysteries.  See if you can solve the case before our detectives do!

Our first mini-mystery,

The Case of the Missing Flashlight,

begins on the right.  After you read each segment, send us your solutions to help us find and capture the monster! 

            "Where's your hat?" Will Allen asked his friend and partner Jeannine Fitsimmons as she opened her front door and scooted out to join him on the landing.

            "Oh, you won't get me to wear one of those ugly things," she said, looking up at the ratty old Bowler Hat on Will's head.  "It's definitely not the fashion statement I want to make...not to mention that they give me hat-hair."

            "If you're going to be a monster detective, you should dress the part," Will said firmly.  "If you were pretending to be a detective in one of your theater productions, you'd wear it."

    Jeannine gave him a nasty glower.

            "It seems to me that it didn't matter what I wore when I saved you from being eaten alive by that Harpy in Timmy Newsome's room.  I dressed however I wanted then, and I'll dress however I want now.  And right now I do not want to look more hideous than the monsters!"

            "So let me get this straight - you're more worried about your looks than about facing a fearsome monster?"

            "Monster-schmonster," Jeannine chuckled. "What's the big deal?  If you've seen one, you've seen them all."

    Will apparently had no answer to this, so he and Jeannine walked quietly to the sidewalk and headed north down the street.  The two of them were on their way to Hedda Steinberg's house to help deal with a particularly curious monster.

            "So, has Hedda told you anything about her monster?" Will asked.

            "Only a little," Jeannine said.  "She showed up at our lunchtable with one of our magic business cards and began talking about how someone or something was taking her favorite things and hiding them on her.  But before she could tell me more, Gerald Hofsteadler showed up - you know how clingy he's been ever since I helped him with his monster - anyway, he sat himself down right next to us, and Hedda stopped talking.  I guess she didn't want anyone else to know about the monster."

            "Who does?" Will said.  "Now that we're in middle school, it's embarrassing to even say that you believe in monsters, much less admit you have one."

            "Well anyway," Jeannine continued, "I told her we'd get right on the case and got her to give me her address at least.  And there it is right up ahead."

    Will looked up, and knew instantly which house it was.

            "Right, the tan and brick one over there," he said.

    Jeannine stopped and gaped.

            "How did you know that?" she asked. "I didn't even tell you the address yet."

    Will just looked back at her.  He couldn't explain it, but there was something about houses infested with monsters that stood out to him.  Maybe it was the spooky shadows that clung to the roof, or the chill that ran down his spine when one came into view.  As he looked down the street, which was mostly straight, but curved at the end like a fishhook, he saw that it was lined with houses that were nearly identical in size and shape, like pieces on a Monopoly board.  Most were bright and cheerfully colored, but in the distance there were several more houses in the neighborhood that had the same spooky feel as Hedda's.  But those would be cases for another day.

            "Lucky guess," was all he said.

    Will walked ahead and led Jeannine down the walkway to Hedda's house, which was lined with finely trimmed bushes and shrubs, a lush green lawn, and flower beds sitting brightly under the windowsills.  Before they got to the door, however, Jeannine reached ahead and grabbed Will above the elbow.

            "Wait a second, Will," she said.

    Will turned back to look at her, but Jeannine was staring off to her left, her eyes squinting to see something on the far side of the house.

            "What is it, Jeannine?" Will asked.

            "I saw something," Jeannine answered.  "Something dark moved through the bushes, then ran around behind the side of the house.  Maybe we should check it out."

            "You think?" Will replied, whipping out his special spyglass, the MonsterScope, and peering around in all directions.  But nothing the least bit monstrous appeared.  "It's probably just a cat or something," he finally sighed.  "After all, we've never found any monsters outside someone's house.  Just in their rooms."

    Jeannine looked back at Will and glared.

            "Oh, so now we know everything about monsters, do we?" she growled.

    Will frowned.

            "No," he said.  "I just think we should go inside and have Hedda tell us more about the monster before we start off on some wild goose chase."

            "And I think we should follow the clues right in front of our faces.  We might catch this monster before we even talk to Hedda."

What do YOU think Will and Jeannine should do first?  Should they go talk to Hedda or follow the mysterious figure that Jeannine spied?