Pinky Bloom and the Case of the Missing Kiddush Cup
For my mother Esther Abraham J.P.
Chapter One On Sunday morning I Penina Pinky Bloom Brooklyn's greatest kid detective was lying in bed thinking of ways to get rid of my little brother I could have slept late but someone set my alarm clock to go off at 7:00 a.m. Avi had been in my room last night so he was the prime suspect He's officially the most annoying and sneaky second grader I've ever met I couldn't fall back to sleep so I got dressed and went to the kitchen My cat D.J. was prowling around on the counter He's named for Derek Jeter the greatest 1
Yankee ever to play shortstop I'm in the fourth grade at Ohav Shalom Day School and play catcher on the girls softball team Last year our team went to the playoffs and almost beat B'nai Israel's girls team in the first round I was in the middle of pouring myself a glass of orange juice with one hand and petting D.J. with the other when I heard a knock on the front door Mom Dad and Avi were still asleep so I ran to see who was there Who is it I whispered standing on tiptoes and squinting through the peephole Open up Pinky It's me Lucy Lucy Chang my best friend lives two floors below me I slipped off the chain and opened the door Lucy what are you doing up so early My mom and dad are arguing so I thought I'd see if you were awake Lucy's parents own the Lotus Blossom Kosher Chinese Restaurant It opened just a few weeks ago wondered if Mr. and Mrs. Chang were fighting about something related to the restaurant but I figured it would be rude to ask So I just led Lucy to the kitchen and found the box of cookies my mother had hidden in the back of a cabinet Let's have breakfast I said handing Lucy a cookie I 2
Lucy and I sat down at the kitchen table There's trouble in the restaurant she told me The chef says he hears weird noises and the smoke alarm goes off for no reason I shoved a cookie in my mouth Maybe the place is haunted I said with my mouth full Brooklyn has lots of ghosts But there's more Pinky The fortune cookies have really bad fortunes and customers are so mad they've started eating at the Happy Hunan Restaurant instead What are your parents going to do I asked My dad said he might have to sell the restaurant and then we'd move to a faraway place like Queens That news was worse than when the dentist told my mom I needed braces I took a swig of juice What do your parents think is going on My dad thinks someone gave the restaurant the evil eye Pinky you're Brooklyn's greatest kid detective detective You've got to help us Evil eyes are a little out of my league but Lucy is my best friend and she lets me borrow her pink hoodie with the sparkles on the back I shoved another cookie in my mouth Okay I said I'll take the case 3
