THE NEWEST MEMBER

A Story by jo

Who will be the newest member of the We Always Catch Our Crooks Club

THE NEWEST MEMEMBER

A couple of weeks ago Puppy and her friends decided to open their own detective club. Which they named the We Always Catch Our Crooks Club

And so far, since starting the club they have solved many cases. But today’s club meeting was not about a new case. Today’s meeting was about deciding on which of their friends, would become a new member

‚For the hundredth time you can’t nominate Tracy, she’s a girl‛ Tommy Cub whined

‚Umm, hello Tommy, news flashes! If you haven’t noticed but Puppy, Vicky and I are girls too‛ Daisy Penguin frowned

‚My point exactly! We don’t need another one‛ I nominate Toby‛ Tommy smiled

‚Toby Cats? Vicky Dragonfly frowned

‚Yup, he’ll fit right in he’s funny, smart and well-liked by�"‚Tommy began

‚Not by everyone‛ Vicky interrupted. ‚The only reason he’s so popular is because. He’s always trying to buy friendships instead of making them‛

‚Whatever! What do you think Sammy? Tommy asked

‚He’s not so bad I guess‛ Sammy Turtle shrugged

‚Well we can at least ask him and see if he’d like to try out. Who knows he could say no?‛ Puppy added

‚I sort of mention it to him the other day already that we were looking for a new member‛ And that he might get voted in,‛ Tommy mumbled

‚Oh terrific Tommy, how could you do that without talking to us first? Vicky scowled him

‚I’m sorry you guys, it just slipped out‛ Tommy cried

‚Still Tommy, that wasn’t cool,‛ Puppy, answered. ‚And what did he say?

‚At first he didn’t seem to be so interested in joining. But I guess he thought about it and told me, that if we ever needed. Talkie talkies that he’d get it for us‛ Tommy explained

‚You see he did it again! Daisy cried out

‚Oh give me a break; he’s just trying to be friendly what’s wrong with that? Tommy shrugged

‚Okay, let’s vote. All in favor of letting Toby join raise your paws? Sammy asked. Only Tommy raised his

‚Aww! You guys!

‚Real detectives don’t take brides and that’s what he’s trying to do. But I got an idea‛

‚You want Toby, to join and both Daisy and Vicky would like Tracy to join�"‚Puppy began

‚But Tracy, just moved to Rocky Shores. A couple weeks ago we hardly know her, for all we know she could be some crazed psycho killer‛ Tommy interrupted

‚Well if she’s I know who her next victim should be! Daisy laughed

‚Okay, okay arguing with each other isn’t going to solve anything. Like I was saying I‘ve an idea who ever helps us solve our next case. Gets to join agreed. Puppy explained

‚That’s a great idea!

‚Then it’s settled. You and Sammy talk to Toby, and we will tell Tracy what we decided and what our club rules are. All we need now is a new case to test them on‛ Puppy added

The next afternoon Sammy told them that he wanted to meet at their clubhouse. Right after school every one showed up expect for Tracy

‚So where’s Tracy? Sammy asked

‚I bet she couldn’t figure out what to wear that’s why she didn’t show up! Tommy smirked

‚Zip it Tommy,‛ Daisy frowned

‚Cool it you guys, okay Sammy, what’s up? Puppy asked him

‚We got our new case. Ms. Cow’s wallet was stolen she had to go to a staff meeting during lunch today‛

‚And forgot to take her purse and when she returned her purse was still there. But her wallet was missing she hopes that whoever took it will turn it in‛ Sammy explained

‚Wishful thinking‛ Puppy frowned. ‚For now everyone in her classroom is a suspect‛

‚Hey! Isn’t Tracy, in her class? Maybe she can tell us who she thinks would be the perfect suspect,‛ Vicky added

‚That’s a great idea.‛ You girls talk to Tracy, while we look for Ms. Cow’s wallet‛ Sammy answered her

‚But doesn’t the crook have the wallet? Toby frowned

‚I don’t think so, the way I figure they probably stashed it some place by now.‛ We just have to find it,‛ Sammy explained

The next day Toby was washing up at the bathroom sink. Before the lunch bell rang when Tommy walked in

Hey Toby! How’s it going?

‚Okay, how’s the case going? Any new leads yet?‛ Toby asked

‚Nope, but don’t worry we always catch our crooks! Tommy laughed. Toby didn’t reply he just walked into the bathroom stall

After a few minutes Tommy heard a weird noise coming out of the stall and asked

‚Hey! Toby, are you okay?

‚Yah, it’s just this paper dispenser it’s jammed up. I can’t get any paper out of it‛

‚Oh, do you want me to get you some? Tommy asked him

‚No, that’s okay I managed to pull out enough.‛ Thanks‛ Toby answered. A few minutes later, he came out

And walked out with Tommy so they could go to lunch together

They all met by the monkey bars inside the playground after school. All expected for Tracy and Daisy. Who arrived ten minutes later to talk about the case

‚Well it’s about time you two showed up‛ Tommy scowled them

‚We’ve got a very good excuse for being late‛ Tracy smiled

‚Oh, yah? What? Tommy frowned

‚We found Ms. Cow’s wallet! Daisy cried out

‚That’s great! Where did you find it? Puppy smiled

‚Inside the boys bathroom, actually Tracy’s the one who found it‛ Daisy answered her

‚What! ‚You can’t go inside the boy’s bathroom! What were you two doing in there? Tommy smirked

‚Shut up Tommy, and let them explain‛ Vicky frowned

‚Any way when Daisy, told me about the case I started thinking. If I were the crook where would be the perfect hiding place?‛

‚And then it came to me. So before class I checked out the girls bathroom then the boys‛ Tracy started to explain

‚And was the wallet there? Toby asked mumbling

‚Yep, it was hiding inside the paper dispenser by the corner stall. I was about to walk out when I heard some kid walk in‛

‚So I had to hide until they left. Which made me late for homeroom and had to stay twenty minutes after school for it?‛ Tracy added

‚Oh wow! Good job Tracy! Puppy cried out

‚So Trac, what’s it like inside the boys bathroom? Vicky asked laughing

‚Gross and smelly! Tracy laughed back

‚So I guess that’s it our case is closed. Where’s the wallet now? Sammy asked. Tracy opened her book bag and handed it to him

‚Hey! Hold on a second this wallet is empty! What happened to the money? He frowned

‚I knew it! It was you! You stole Ms. Cow’s wallet! Tommy cried out

‚What! No way! It was like that when I found it! I didn’t steal anything! Tracy cried back

‚Tommy, how can she be the one who took it. When she’s the one who found it? Daisy frowned

‚Exactly! Don’t you guys; find it a bit weird that only she knew where to look for it? Tommy hinted

‚No, cause---

‚Yah, yah the whole thing was a set up! You can’t fool me Toby and I was in the bathroom earlier today. Toby, even went into that same stall you claim you found the wallet in‛

‚And he didn’t see anything. Why? I’ll tell you why! Because she set the whole thing up just so she could solve the case! Tommy explained

‚No, I didn’t! And I’m not going to stay here and be blamed for something I didn’t do! Tracy cried. Puppy didn’t believe that Tracy did it

But how was she going to prove it?

Suddenly an idea popped into her head. She whispered something into Vicky’s ear

‚Tracy, can you come with me? I forgot something back inside my locker,‛ Vicky asked. ‚You too Daisy‛

‚What was that all about? Toby frowned. As he watched them walk, off

‚Never mind them. Okay, you guys, good job I guess another case solved‛ Tommy smiled

‚What? This case ain’t solved we still don’t know what happened to the money yet? Sammy interrupted

And before Tommy could answer him back. Puppy interrupted joining them

‚Doesn’t matter we’ll just turn it in as we found it‛

‚And Toby, since you did such a nice job in helping us‛ If you like you can join our club too,‛ She added

‚Yah great‛ Toby shrugged

‚Great! Now why don’t we put our money together and see if we can buy.‛ Those talkie talkies that you and Tommy were talking about‛ Puppy smiled

‚No sweat! But I promise Tommy, that I’d buy it. My dad gave me some money last night we can go get them now if you guys, want to‛ Toby told them

‚Cool! How much do you’ve? Tommy asked him

‚Around ten bucks--.‛

And before he could continue, Daisy interrupted him

‚Hey Puppy! You were right!‛

‚Right about what? Tommy frowned. ‚What is she blabbing about?

‚She’s blabbing about what really happened‛ Puppy frowned back

‚I found it really weird that Toby missed seeing the wallet. ‚When he was in the same stall but I know why he didn’t‛

‚It’s because he stole the wallet‛

‚What? ‚No way! Toby cried out

‚Yes way! You stole the wallet then you hid it inside the boy’s room‛

‚You thought that no one would ever think of looking for it in there. But got nervous when you found out we were working on this case‛

‚You were afraid that one of us would find it.‛ Am I right so far? Puppy asked him. Toby just slowly nodded his head yes

‚But why Toby? You told me that your dad gives you money all the time! You didn’t need to do that! Tommy cried out in disbelief

‚I lied. He only gives me a couple of bucks a week. Which barely covers all the stuff that I’ve to buy every day‛ Toby sobbed

‚But you don’t have to buy all that stuff Toby,‛ Vicky began

‚Oh yes, I do! If I don’t no one will like me! He cried out

‚Toby, if they were really your friends. They wouldn’t care if you brought them stuff or not‛ Vicky added

‚Please, please don’t turn me in! If you do they’ll call my dad and he’ll kill me.‛ If he ever found out, I promise to never ever do it again! He yelled

‚Toby, hold a second okay? Guys, can I talk to you over here for a minute? Tommy asked them

‚Tracy, I’m sorry that I didn’t believe you earlier‛ He began

‚That’s okay, but what are we going to do about Toby? Tracy smiled. ‚I kina feel sorry for him‛

‚Yah me too. He looks so scared if we could only think of a way to help him,‛ Sammy added

‚That’s it! Puppy suddenly cried out

‚That’s what? Daisy asked frowning

‚You’ll see. Hey Toby, we decided not to turn you in! Puppy yelled over to him

‚You did? Oh, wow! Thanks guys�"

‚Whoa, whoa, don’t thank us just yet. You didn’t let me finish I said we weren’t going to turn you in‛ ‚You’re going to turn yourself in‛ Puppy interrupted

Huh?

‚You’re going to tell Ms. Cow�"‚

‚But if I do then she’s going to call my dad‛ Toby cut her off whining

‚Not if we go and explain what you just told us. You’re going to write the whole thing down‛

‚And promise never to do it again or get into any more trouble. But if you do we’ll personally go and show the letter to your dad.‛ And even worst the cops do we’ve a deal? Puppy explained

‚Deal, but do you think Ms. Cow will agree? Toby asked

‚I don’t know we’ll just have to wait until tomorrow‛ Puppy shrugged

The next day they all talked to Ms. Cow and returned her wallet to her. At first, she was very upset

But after hearing the deal, that Puppy made with Toby. She agreed

Toby also kept his end of the deal. He even helped Ms. Cow clean up her classroom for a week. He also helped Tracy with her math homework to make it up to her

In addition, although they were both very grateful for the offer. Both Toby and Tracy decided not to join the We Always Catch Our Crooks Club

But the most important and valuable lesson that Toby learned in all this. Is that stealing isn’t worth the price you’ve to pay. And if you’ve to pay to be some one’s friend. It isn’t a true friendship because real friendships are priceless