A Spy in the White House Read Online Free Page B

table. Marshall peeled a banana and started to eat.
    George was lying on the counter next to the refrigerator. His bushy tail swept back and forth.
    Both kids watched George as he reached for a mouse refrigerator magnet.
    The magnet fell to the floor. In a flash, George pounced. He grabbed the mouse in his paws and began chewing on the plastic.
    “No, George!” KC said. “Spit it out!” She got down on her knees and moved toward the cat. George jumped up and walked away.
    “Now what did you do with that sillymagnet?” KC asked, looking at the floor.
    “Maybe it’s in his mouth,” Marshall said. He slipped behind George and grabbed him.
    KC sat on the floor beside Marshall and tried to make George open his mouth.
    “Here it is,” Marshall said. “It’s stuck on his collar.”
    He pulled the magnet loose and held it out to KC. But she was examining George’s collar.
    “How could a magnet stick to a plastic collar?” she asked. Slowly, she slid the collar around, studying it closely.
    Suddenly KC gasped. She yanked her hands away from the collar as if it were red-hot.
    “What?” Marshall asked.
    With shaking hands, KC unbuckled George’s collar. She opened a drawer, laid the collar inside, and quietly slid the drawer shut. Then she scooted down next to Marshall again.
    “KC, are you gonna tell me what’s going on?” Marshall asked. “You look all funny.”
    “That plastic collar has a round metal thing on it,” KC whispered. “That’s what the magnet was sticking to.”
    “So? Why do you look so weird?” Marshall asked.
    “That piece of metal is a bug,” KC said. “A listening device!”
    Marshall blinked about seven times. “So … someone bugged George? A
cat
is the spy in the White House?”
    KC nodded. “George is usually with the president. That must be how the spy found out all the wedding stuff and reported it to Darla Darling!” she said.

    “But who did it?” Marshall asked.
    KC shrugged. “It could be anyone who can get close to George,” she said. The cat looked at Marshall and meowed.
    “So the snitch isn’t Arnold or the vice president?” asked Marshall.
    “It could still be one of them,” KC said. “But I doubt it. They’re both here all the time, so why would they have to bug George? But it could be anyone else who works here.”
    Marshall groaned. “What do we do now? I sure wish the president were here!” he said.
    “Well, he’s not, but you just gave me a great idea!” KC said. “We can pretend thepresident is here. And I think I know a way to make the spy come here, too!”
    “Am I gonna like this?” Marshall asked, looking worried.
    KC beamed. “You’re gonna hate it!”
    She opened the drawer, lifted out the collar, and carefully placed her hand over the little metal bug. Then she slid next to Marshall. “Just go along with whatever I say,” she whispered in his ear.
    Marshall gulped, staring at the collar. “You mean we’re gonna talk to that thing?”
    KC nodded. “Pretend you’re in a school play,” she said.
    “Oh, great,” Marshall said. “The last time I was in a play, I got so nervous I nearly puked.”
    “Well, no puking this time,” KC said.“We have to sound normal. Are you ready?”
    Marshall swallowed. “I guess so,” he muttered.
    KC took her hand off the bug. “Isn’t it exciting that Mom and the president are eloping today?” she said with her mouth near the collar.
    KC nudged Marshall’s foot and placed the collar in his lap.
    Marshall’s mouth fell open. He stared at the collar as if it were a rattlesnake. He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry.
    KC kicked his foot again. She mouthed the words,
Say something! Someone is listening!
    Marshall took a deep breath before he spoke into the collar. “Yeah, but it’s too b-bad they’re n-not having their bigw-wedding. I was really looking forward to all that c-cake and ice cream.”
    KC smiled at Marshall and took the collar back. “They have to do it this way to make