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Category: Children's Fiction
Description: Teen detectives Emmy Budd and her friend, T.J. Blake can't help but notice the ominous, black sedan rolling down main-street on a Sunday afternoon. When the drug store blows up in the middle of the night, Emmy and T.J. suspect foul play. Working together, they uncover clues leading to an illicit pharmaceutical operation, Volume 2 of the series.
eBook Publisher: Charles River Press, 2010
eBookwise Release Date: August 2010

Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [126 KB]
Words: 25981
Reading time: 74-103 min.

This is a good book. She should write another one. Mia Garret, age 9

CHAPTER 1

Emmy Budd was standing in front of the theater, staring at the opposite corner curiously. T.J. came riding up behind her on his bike. He jumped off quickly, locked his bike, and hurried over to where Emmy was standing, waiting.

"I know," he said, "I'm late." He was out of breath. "Has the movie started? Why aren't you in line? You got the tickets?"

Emmy said nothing. She seemed unaware that T.J. was anywhere around.

"Em! You turned to stone?"

Emmy shushed the boy she'd been waiting for almost an hour.

"Are you mad 'cause I'm late? I couldn't help it. I had to help my mom move this heavy..."

Without looking at him, Emmy whispered, "Will you be quiet? Look over there."

T.J. looked across the street. "Where?"

"That man in the phone booth. Oh, Oh," she murmured. "He's looking right at me again. Look someplace else." She immediately bent down and pretended to be tying her shoe.

"What man?" T.J. said.

"Duck down here, dummy." Emmy pulled T.J. to his knees.

"Emmy!" T.J. cried. "We're missing the show!"

"Never mind. This is better. Keep your eye on that guy in the phone booth, but don't let him see you."

T.J. grumbled. "Oh, yeah, this is much better than Guillotine. Shorty Rogers said if you miss the beginning, you might as well not go in."

"You still see him?" Emmy whispered. She was bent over her shoe, but lifting her head to see. Suddenly, she realized that the man was gone, and she stood up quickly. "How'd he get away so fast?" she said, looking around.

"He's in that black car," T.J. said disgustedly.

Emmy's eyes followed a black car that was just turning the corner. "Get the license number," she cried anxiously. "Seven, nine...is that a three?"

"Seven, nine, eight, D...L...N."

Emmy stared at T.J. "You got that just like that? You have a pencil?"

"Oh, of course. I always carry a pencil."

"T.J....don't forget that number till we get to Jimmy's. Come on!"

Emmy Budd hurried across the street with T.J. straggling behind her. He gave one last look at the movie scenes of Guillotine on display outside the theater before he reluctantly followed Emmy down the street and into Jimmy's ice cream parlor.