Ghost and Max Monroe, Case #2: The Missing Zucchini
CHAPTER 1 THE BIGGEST POOP I’VE EVER SEEN Max woke up to the sound of a train whistle The sound made him think of traveling and traveling made him think of his dad a reporter who covered the news all over the world Max’s mom had died two years ago and his dad’s latest assignment had taken him to China so Max was staying with his grandpa Harry and his great uncle Larry in a big old house in the country Max slept in a room just down the hall from his grandpa And Uncle Larry Well who knew where he slept or even if he slept being a ghost and all But if he did it was probably in the old detective agency in the backyard Max rolled out of bed pulled on his jeans and headed downstairs for breakfast Grandpa Harry was in the kitchen lying in his hammock with a frog on his head Why is there a frog on your head Grandpa asked Max His name’s Fred and he’s helping me get rid of my headache I
don’t believe in taking pills for every little thing Just then Larry poked his head through the pane of the big bay window His hand on the other side of the window held a filled pooper-scooper What the heck are you feeding that dog Harry Puppy Chew I had a coupon Buy one get one free Puppy Chew said Larry This is the biggest poop I’ve ever seen No way this mutt is a puppy It doesn’t take a detective to figure that out BUMBLING DETECTIVE Back when Larry was alive he was a detective But he wasn’t very good His nickname was the Bumbling Detective because he never solved a case Everything changed when Max came to stay with his grandpa Harry After Max got used to the idea of living with a ghost he and Larry became a successful detective team Max loved solving mysteries and an invisible grown-up made a great partner Fred jumped off Harry’s head and hopped away along the floor Harry sprang out of the hammock Where d’you think you’re going He’s behind the fridge shouted Larry coming in through the window There he is There he is Harry crouched down Get back here you little rascal
Max left the frog hunting to his grandpa and Uncle Larry He grabbed a bowl of cereal walked out the back door and waded through the waist-high grass toward the run-down coach house where the Monroe Detective Agency office was Instead of entering through the door he climbed in through the window The door key had been lost long ago ANSWER IT ANSWER IT Max was just coming to the end of a Starchy comic when the phone rang The phone The phone shouted Larry rushing into the office through the wall and waving his arms Answer it Answer it Max picked up the receiver of the old rotary phone Hello Larry shifted excitedly from one foot to the other like a kid who needed to pee
Max Monroe said the voice on the other end of the line Yes said Max a little surprised that someone would be asking for him on the detective agency phone This is Zeeta and Zelda Zamboni We need your help Our most prized possession has been stolen Larry leaned in to listen As he did he caught sight of the Starchy comic on the desk Oh oh I love that Starchy he gushed It’s the one where he has to save Chihuahuas that have landed on Pluto the planet not the dog Then he gets Max frowned at him putting his finger to his lips to try to shush him Larry nodded then leaned back in to listen FOR CRYING OUT LOUD We’re friends of Marty the magician said Zelda and he told us how you got him out of a sticky situation by finding Daisy Dee He said you’re a great detective Will you help us Please Larry’s eyes almost popped out of his head Say YES YES Max didn’t look too sure so Larry grabbed the phone Would you hold the line for one moment please he said sweetly then threw the phone into the desk drawer and slammed it shut Max don’t you realize what a great opportunity this is It’s another chance to redeem the Monroe name and another chance
