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Authors: Donna Jo Napoli

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I crushed it in my hand and threw the bread crumbs on the ground near Clarissa.

Clarissa looked, but she didn't move.

The sparrows flew down and ate the crumbs.

Clarissa watched them. Then she rolled onto her back.

“Well, your cat didn't get fat eating birds,” I said. “I bet she'd be too slow to catch them even if she tried.”

“Poor Clarissa,” said Kate.

The Search for Clues

Clarissa slept.

While she slept, I went around the yard looking for clues.

Kate followed me. “What are you doing?”

“Looking for clues.”

“Like what?”

“I don't know.”

“What good is it to keep looking, then?”

This was not an encouraging question to hear on my first case. I held my head high.“That's what sleuths do,” I said.

“That seems dumb to me,” said Kate.

“Do you want Clarissa to lose weight or not?” I asked, which was not a fair question for two reasons. First, I knew the answer. Second, I wasn't sure I could help make Clarissa lose weight.

“I do,” said Kate.

“Are you hiring me or not?”

“I am,” said Kate.

“Then go away.”

Kate went into her house.

I looked harder for clues. I found none.

Clarissa woke up. She walked slowly to the bushes and disappeared under them.

I followed her.

Another Fat Cat

Clarissa was not under the bushes.

I crawled through and watched Clarissa cross the backyard of Kate's neighbor.

Maybe Clarissa was a friendly cat who visited the neighbors for fun.

But Clarissa kept on going. She came to a hole in the fence and struggled through to the second neighbor.

The hole was large enough that I could get through just by holding my breath. I could see why Kate was worried. Clarissa sure was a fat cat.

By the time I got out on the other side, Clarissa was nowhere in sight.

I walked around the fence, looking for another hole. There wasn't one.

Clarissa had disappeared.

“Boo!”

I jumped.

But it was just my friend Jack, jumping at me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked Jack.

“This is my yard. What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I didn't recognize your house from the back.”

“You didn't answer me,” said Jack.

“I'm being Sly the Sleuth today. And I'm looking for Clarissa.”

“You're not supposed to go in other people's yards unless they invite you. Didn't anyone ever tell you that? And there's no Clarissa here.”

“Did you see a fat cat?”

“Of course I saw a fat cat,” said Jack.“That's my cat.”

“Your cat is fat?” I said. Maybe it was something in the water on this block.

“I think she looks tough,” said Jack.

“That's fine with me,” I said. “Could I meet her?”

“She's eating, and she doesn't like to be bothered when she's eating. Then she'll nap. And she doesn't like to be bothered when she's napping either.”

“I'll wait,” I said.

“Good.You can practice passing the soccer ball with me.”

“Uh, I play baseball. I stink at soccer. I'll go wait on the front sidewalk,” I said.

All Cats Do

“What are you doing sitting on the sidewalk?” It was Kate. She was standing over me. “You're supposed to be working.”

“We never talked about my fee,” I said.

“What is it?”

Since this was my first case, I had no idea. “The usual,” I said.

Kate blinked. “Will two doll dresses be enough?”

“I don't like dolls,” I said. “I don't even have any.”

“Well, that's what I have.”

I could always trade doll dresses for something better. “Okay,” I said.

“So get up and work,” said Kate.

“I am working,” I said. “Do you drink the same water that Clarissa drinks?”

“Sure,” said Kate. “Except she also drinks from rain puddles, and I don't.”

Kate was thin. So that ruled out the idea that the water was the cause.

“Get up and work,” said Kate. Boy, she could be bossy.

“I happen to be working very hard,” I said.“I'm tracking Clarissa.”

“Well, if you're tracking her, you better go before she gets out of sight.”

“What?” I looked where Kate pointed. There was Clarissa, trotting slowly along the sidewalk toward the corner. “Does your cat wander a lot?”

“Of course,” said Kate. “All cats do.”

I didn't know if that was true.Taxi always came when I called. But maybe she knew when I wouldn't call her and that's when she wandered. Maybe she wandered far when I was at school or sleeping. “Bye,” I said. I followed Clarissa.

Two Too Many

Clarissa turned the corner and cut into someone's yard. She went around the side of their house.

I remembered what Jack had said about going into other people's yards. But what choice did I have? I followed Clarissa.

When I got to the side of the house, she was gone.

I ran to the backyard.

No Clarissa.

I could see a woman standing at her kitchen sink. I went up and knocked on the side door.

The woman opened the door. “Yes?”

“I'm looking for a fat cat.”

“My cat is slightly overweight,” said the woman with a sniff. “But I wouldn't call her fat.”

“You have a fat cat?” I practically yelped. This was remarkable.

“I told you that's not the word I would use. Although I admit that's what our vet's assistant said.”

Now I was totally suspicious.Three fat cats was two too many. “Is her name Clarissa?”

“No. She's Punky.”

Punky was not half bad for a cat's name. This woman surprised me.

“Is she gray?”

“Yes.”

“I've got it,” I said. “Please bring your cat to Kate's house.”

“I beg your pardon,” she said. “I don't know who or what you're talking about.”

“Kate has something in common with you, and she lives in the green house around the corner. Be there in fifteen minutes, please. It's important. Please? Bye.”

Getting It Together

I ran back around the corner and stopped at Jack's house. I rang the doorbell.

When he opened the door, he said, “You're too late. My cat went out already.”

“I know,” I said.

“Oh. Did you change your mind about soccer?”

“No.”

“Then why are you here?” said Jack.

“You have to come to a meeting at Kate's house in ten minutes.”

“Kate? Why? She's so bossy.”

“She's all right,” I said.

Jack made a face. “What's this all about?”

“Something important. Be there. Bye.” I ran to Kate's house.

She was waiting for me on the front steps. “Did you follow Clarissa?”

“Yes,” I said.

“So where is she?”

“She'll be here in a few minutes,” I said. “Have you got any cookies and milk?”

“Cookies and milk are the last thing Clarissa needs,” said Kate.

“Right. But they're exactly what the people will need.”

“What people?” said Kate.

“You'll see. They'll be here soon. And they'll need a treat.”

“I thought you liked fruit,” said Kate.

“I do.” I'm a fruit fiend.

“Then everyone else gets cookies and you get cherries.”

Sometimes I'm glad Kate's bossy.

Sharing

The woman showed up with Clarissa in her arms. I knew she would.

“Why are you holding Clarissa?” said Kate.

“Why are you holding Fluffy?” said Jack.

“This is Punky,” said the woman.

Kate's mother came down the stairs. “I thought I heard an adult's voice. Hello.” She held out her hand to the woman. “I'm Sarah, Kate's mother.”

The woman looked at Kate's mother's hand. She couldn't shake without putting Clarissa down. She blinked. “I'm Julie. I live around the corner. That child . . . ” She looked at me. “That child told me to come here with my cat.”