The Case of the Bug on the Run by Martha Freeman

Author:Martha Freeman
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 2013-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Mr. Amaro, Tessa and I walked to the other side of the Kitchen Garden, where James Madison couldn’t hear us. Tessa crossed her arms over her chest, getting ready to ask questions. But before she did, I wanted to say something: “We’re really sorry about our pets last night at the dinner, Mr. Amaro. They don’t mean to be bad. They just have too much energy.”

Mr. Amaro laughed. “Are you kidding? They were awesome! I never got so much publicity for a gig in all my years as a celebrity chef.”

“So you’re not mad?” Tessa said.

“Not me, chickadee,” said Mr. Amaro.

“In that case,” said Tessa, “where did you go last night when you had to leave the dinner early? Were you upstairs in our room putting James Madison back in his tank?”

My sister does not fool around when she interviews a suspect.

Mr. Amaro looked puzzled. “Say what?”

I tried to help him out. “You can skip the second part if you want.”

“Awesome,” said Mr. Amaro. “As for where I went when I left the dinner—that was to the restroom. It was, uh . . . kind of an emergency.”

“Which restroom?” Tessa asked.

Mr. Amaro raised his eyebrows. “You sure you want the details?”

My little sister doesn’t like to talk about burps, let alone restrooms. She shook her head. “That’s okay. Forget I asked. And I guess you don’t have proof?”

“Ick!” said Mr. Amaro.

“How about a new line of questioning?” I suggested.

“Good idea,” said Tessa. “Mr. Amaro, where were you yesterday after lunch?”

“Why, I was in and out of the kitchen all afternoon, helping to make dinner. There’s a pile o’ witnesses if you need ’em. But what’s the deal, huh? Are the famous White House sleuths investigating a case? Hey”—he grinned—“and am I a suspect? How cool is that? Who is it you think I murdered?”

“We mostly investigate stolen things,” I said.

“And I only have one more question,” Tessa said. “What do you know about teeny tiny transmitters?”

Mr. Amaro shrugged. “Not much anymore. I was a radio guy in the army, but that was a long time ago, and the technology has changed.” He pulled out his phone to check the time. “Will that do ya? I’ve got a meeting with the ambassador from a certain nearby nation.”

“No kidding?” said Tessa. “His niece is our friend, Toni. We gave them their dog!”

“Awesome!” said Mr. Amaro. “The deal is their president wants a personal chef. Could be a good gig.” He shrugged. “I like to travel.”

Walking back around the Kitchen Garden, I was thinking Mr. Amaro was still a suspect. He hadn’t been in the kitchen every minute of the afternoon. He could’ve been lying about the restroom. And maybe he knew more about radios than he would admit.

As for his motive, could it be something to do with a certain nearby nation? There had been political trouble there lately. And Mr. Morgan had said whoever bugged the bug might be from a foreign power.

Mr. Amaro was about to hop up on the mini-tractor when all of a sudden he shrieked and staggered back.

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