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Cracking the Case

Chocolate Cake Caper

By Paula ShabloPublished 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago 6 min read
35

Millicent MacMurphy had seen it all.

She stood with her hands on her hips, staring at her friends indignantly. “Why would you do such a thing?” she demanded.

Julian and Arthur grinned up at her through chocolate-smeared lips and teeth, and Millie wrinkled her nose, disgusted. “Y’all are awful. Mrs. Duncan is going to shit a brick. Then she’s gonna tell your mamas and for what?”

“For what?” Arthur asked. “Chocolate cake, that’s for what. Chocolaty deliciousness, that’s for what.”

Julian cut off a huge hunk with his pocket knife. “Want a slice, Millie?

Jaw agape, Millie stared at him. “No, I don’t want a piece!”

Of course she wanted a piece. Mrs. Duncan made the best chocolate cakes any of them had ever tasted. Millie’s mouth was watering just thinking about it. But—

“It’s stolen goods!”

“It’s good, alright,” Arthur agreed. He uttered a groan of satisfaction as he sank his teeth into the slice he clutched in his hand.

“Your hands are filthy!” Millie admonished.

Julian shrugged. “It’s just chocolate. Not dirt.” He waved the forbidden slice enticingly.

“You’re going to be in so much trouble.”

“Worth it.” Arthur spoke around a mouthful of cake, and Millie wrinkled her nose again.

She couldn’t understand how they could have done it—Mrs. Duncan worked hard preparing that cake for the county fair, and now it would never be judged.

“It looked so pretty,” Millie sighed. “It was the prettiest cake on the table!”

“Yeah, it’s pretty good, too,” Julian informed her, taking a gigantic bite of the slice he’d offered her.

Millie put her hands on her hips. “I can’t be the only one who saw you take it,” she warned. “You weren’t even careful about it.”

“Temptation will be the death of me,” Arthur declared, placing the back of his hand to his forehead for dramatic effect. He licked his lips and smacked them appreciatively.

“Chocolate will be the death of me,” Julian added, pretending to swoon.

“Yeah, well, your idiocy will be the death of me!” Millie stamped her foot and turned to leave the two cake thieves to their ill-gotten gains.

“Hey!” Arthur yelled. “Are you going to tell on us?”

“I should,” Millie said. She sighed. She knew she wasn’t going to tell. She’d be labeled a tattle-tale for life if she did.

No one wanted that.

“Come on, Millie,” Julian pleaded. “There’s plenty to share!”

“No, I don’t want any,” Millie lied. “And I have to get back before Mom knows I left.”

“Millie,” Arthur warned, “you better not tell!”

“Arthur Roberts, you can just—go to hell!” Millie actually felt good, saying such a thing. “You will, too! Cake bandit!”

She stomped off.

“Will she tell?” Arthur asked.

“Nah. But she’s not going to let it go, either. We’re in for some chore time at Millie’s, I bet.”

Arthur took another hunk of cake. “Still worth it,” he said, and took a bite.

Millie went back to the cake booth just in time to see her mother and Mrs. Duncan returning from the bingo game all the ladies had gone to. She had bought a corn dog on her way, just to have an excuse for being gone.

“I got me some lunch, Mom,” she said, waving the corn dog. “I was hungry.”

“Fine, fine.” Mrs. MacMurphy was tucking a wad of dollar bills into her pocketbook.

“Did you win the Bingo, Mama?”

“Yes, I did!” Her mother beamed at her and handed her two dollars. Like magic, her brother appeared out of nowhere, so she handed him some money as well. “My fortune—gone!” she cried dramatically.

There was general laughter at this declaration. The other ladies were returning to the cake booth.

“Don’t let her fool you,” Mrs. Miller said. “She won a good deal more than four dollars!”

“Maybe she’ll win for her cake, too,” Johnny suggested.

Millie smiled at her brother. Yes. With Mrs. Duncan’s cake gone, it was entirely possible.

Then she felt guilty. Her mother wouldn’t want to win like that!

“What on earth?”

That was Mrs. Duncan. Millie struggled to keep her face impassive, but she knew by the look on Johnny’s face that she hadn’t fooled him.

“What is it, Aggie?” Mrs. Miller asked.

“My cake is gone!”

The women all gasped.

The judges would be coming soon!

“Millie, have you seen Mrs. Duncan’s cake?” Mrs. MacMurphy asked.

“Why, yes, Mama,” Millie answered. “You were with me, don’t you remember? I told you how beautiful it is!”

“Well, where is it?”

“It’s—it’s—isn’t it on the table?” Millie choked. Johnny moved up alongside her and stepped on her foot.

“No, it’s not on the table!” Mrs. Duncan cried. “You can see that it’s not on the table!”

“Oh, no!” Millie cried. “I shouldn’t have gone for a corn dog!”

“You weren’t set as guard of the cakes,” Mrs. Miller said, and although her tone was scolding, she smiled warmly at Millie. “Why don’t you and Johnny run along now? We’ll find it; it can’t have gone far.”

“It didn’t grow legs and walk away!” Mrs. Duncan exclaimed. “Where is it, Millie?”

“Now, see here, Agnes!” Mrs. MacMurphy was incensed. “Don’t you talk like that to my daughter!”

“It’s okay, Mom,” Millie said, shoving Johnny out of the booth. “I’m sure she’s upset. It has to be around here somewhere.”

“Yes, indeed.”

The children fled.

When they were far enough away, Millie grabbed Johnny by the arms. “Still think you’re a great detective?” she asked.

“Better than Sherlock Hemlock.”

“Wh—Sherlock what?”

“Just kidding.” Johnny grinned. “What do you know, Mill?”

“Just everything. But I don’t want a thing to do with it.”

“Clue?” Johnny’s eyes were sparkling. He had a feeling that he was going to get some of Millie’s friends in trouble. They constantly picked on him; he relished the idea of revenge.

“One clue: chocolate.”

“Chocolate? What kind of clue is that?”

“You’re the brilliant detective. Figure it out.” She gave him a shove. Coincidentally, it was a shove in the direction of the closed ticket booth where Arthur and Julian were devouring a stolen cake. “I’m going to ride the Ferris wheel. You go that way.” She turned and ran.

Johnny, who could see the ticket booth from here, but not the “closed” sign, decided he’d rather ride a few rides himself. He had nothing to prove; he knew he was a good detective.

He headed for the booth.

He was still several yards away when he saw Arthur poke his head around the corner, motion to someone and start running off toward the roller coaster.

Julian popped out from behind the booth, took one cursory look around and followed Arthur.

They were both covered in chocolate.

Johnny waited until they were gone, and then went to the booth. Behind it, he found the remains of the cake: a plate and some frosting.

He left the evidence and went running for his mother.

This might be the best day of my life, he thought.

Johnny had no problem with being labeled a tattletale. He’d carried the honor for years when it came to Millie and her friends.

Millie was going to owe him some chores for this!

SFS #2 Chocolate cake and kids just naturally go together, and this challenge deserves a little kid-fun. Enjoy!

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Mystery
35

About the Creator

Paula Shablo

Daughter. Sister. Mother. Grandma. Author. Artist. Caregiver. Musician. Geek.

(Order fluctuates.)

Follow my blog at http://paulashablo.com

Follow my Author page at https://www.amazon.com/Paula-Shablo/e/B01H2HJBHQ

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  • Denise E Lindquist2 years ago

    Fun story.

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