From Russia with Lunch

  Case #12 Key Lardo

  Working this case, I nearly lost my detective mojo—and to a guy so dim, he’d probably play goalie for the darts team. True, he was only a cog in a larger conspiracy. But this big buttinsky made my life more uncomfortable than a porcupine’s underpants.

  Was he a cop? A truant officer? A gorilla with a grudge? Even worse: A rival detective. His name was Bland. James Bland. And he was cracking cases faster than a . . . well, much faster than I was.

  My reputation took a nosedive. And I nearly followed it—straight into the slammer. Fighting back with all my moxie, I bent the rules, blundered into blind alleys, and stepped on more than a few toes.

  Was I right? Was I wrong? I’ll tell you this: I made my share of mistakes. But I believe that if you can’t laugh at yourself . . . make fun of someone else.

  Case #13 Hiss Me Deadly

  When my sister got robbed, she turned to me for help. And like a dope, I jumped in with both feet.

  But a simple case of theft soon grew more challenging than playing Chinese checkers on a bucking bronco. Valuables started vanishing from school, and the top brass called me in. I followed the twisty trail of clues until I’d unearthed more suspects than a zombie membership drive.

  The heat was on. As I drew closer to uncovering the shadowy puppet master behind it all, I got myself in a spot tighter than a blue whale’s bikini. Would I make it out with my skin?

  Not to worry. As any detective will tell you, it’s always darkest before dawn. So if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper, that’s the time to do it.

  Case #14 From Russia with Lunch

  Whenever a mystery lands on my plate, I dig right in, like a hungry worm munching a dirt sandwich. But this time, I nearly choked on the clues.

  The investigation began simply enough, with a teacher’s pet acting wacko. But then the supernatural and the high tech collided, and my case took a turn for the weird. Kindergartners started beating up sixth graders, and my faithful partner and best friend Natalie Attired abandoned me in my hour of need.

  To say I landed in a tight spot is like calling the Ice Age a wee bit of cool weather. I found myself fighting for my life with my back to the wall.

  Would I be able to win back Natalie and return Emerson Hicky to normal? One thing’s for certain: The crazy, mixed-up mastermind behind it all was the last creature anyone expected.

  Case #15 Dial M for Mongoose

  My investigations often show me the seamy underbelly of school life, but this case threw me for a loop.

  A deadly stink bomb was unleashed, a school building fell to rubble, money went missing from the principal’s office, and that’s just a start! My endurance for trouble was tested, but so was my loyalty: Someone tried to get my mongoose janitor pal Maureen DeBree fired.

  A true-blue P.I. doesn’t take that kind of monkey business lying down. Standing up, maybe. And stand up I did—to some very shifty school bullies. I kept digging for the truth like a mole after an earthworm sandwich. Oh, foolish detective.

  Visit www.hmhco.com to find all of the books in the Chet Gecko series.

  About the Author

  BRUCE HALE is the author of Snoring Beauty, illustrated by Howard Fine, as well as the fifteen Chet Gecko mysteries. A popular speaker, teacher, and storyteller for children and adults, he lives in Santa Barbara, California.

  Learn more at www.brucehale.com