The Jewel Thief

Uncle tells a Story

Now I definitely cannot sleep. I stay up for ages trying to think of who could have committed the crime. I think back to Oscar and Marissa's visit. The person in the attic had big eyes. I don't remember anyone having big eyes. Maybe whoever did it saw that people were visiting us, which meant we were distracted by them, and decided to sneak in! Maybe that was when the footprints were made! And why the ladder was still there! They must have seen us looking in the cabinet (probably through the window) and, noticing the compartment, thought that it was a good idea to hide the stolen jewels there instead of in the attic, where we could find it easily (because we already have). And they also might think that we don't know about the compartment. They might have gone upstairs by quietly entering through the front door and tried to climb the ladder to retrieve the jewels from the attic, but having seen me, rushed to climb up and, in their haste, had left the ladder there. They probably jumped out the window with the jewels, accidentally leaving the key in the attic in haste, and made their escape, swinging down some ivy. Then they must have run to the door and quietly re-entered the house unnoticed. I think I do recall hearing a door shut. The person could've then put it in the cabinet using the secret latch! And the person must have taken the sapphire necklace with them for some reason! What a genius hypothesis of mine! But then what was Uncle's phone call all about? It was certainly suspicious... After writing all this down in my notebook I decide that it is too late to think about all of this more so I try again to fall asleep. I finally manage to drift off eventually.

The next morning I wake up very late. I find Maddie downstairs eating a bowl of porridge. Uncle isn't there so I inform her on all my new suspicions and hypotheses. She gasps.

"Wow. That could really be true. Good job figuring that one out. But then who could it be? I feel awful now for being rude to Uncle. He's actually quite nice."

"We mustn't completely believe that Uncle didn't do it, because there's still that mysterious phone call that he made, remember? And him meeting someone," I remind her.

"Well, maybe the phone call was just an ordinary phone call and he wants to meet a co-worker from another country or something. Ever think of that?"

"Why would he want to meet a co-worker at his house?"

"Maybe it was a friend of his from out of town or something."

"But there was this whole thing about Uncle having something. Your hypothesis has nothing about having something in it. Nor does it have a surprise in it!"

"I suppose you are right. But it is still very difficult to figure this out. You know what? I think we should cease the casework. After all, the only proof is that jewels that are supposed to be at Buckingham Palace were in Uncle's attic and then got moved to the cabinet, and some footprints which may or may not be involved. It's impossible. Uncle is mostly ruled out and we have no other suspects."

I am devastated but I know she is right. "I suppose that is true. It is getting too difficult to continue. We should carry on with our lives. I was just hoping this would end up like the Famous Five or something. I feel awful that the coronation is soon and Princess Margaret Rose has nothing to give her sister."

"Good. I am sad also but it is risky to be working on this sort of thing. We are only children after all."

"Yet children should get more respect around here! I wish we could be lawful detectives instead of keeping this a secret. I dislike secrets."

"Well, that would make it less fun, because being secret detectives is really fun. Anyway, what shall we do today?" Maddie asks me.

"I don't know."

"After breakfast we could play a game."

"Like what? Uncle doesn't seem to have any games." I ask.