Church Camp Chaos Read Online Free Page A

for the sugar, it’s not there
.
    “Isaac!” A tone of urgency is in her voice. “Isaac! Sugar?”
    Suddenly she spots a plastic bowl filled with white granules sitting on top of the stove. “Never mind—found it!” EJ quickly shoves the half-cup measuring cup in the bowl and scoops out a level measure before dumping it into the mixing bowl and flipping the mixer’s switch to the O N position
.
    “Hurry, Chef EJ … just three minutes left!” the announcer voice annoyingly reminds her
.
    “Where’s that assistant of mine?” Chef EJ looks around for Isaac
.
    “May I help?”
    EJ looks up from the chocolate cream mixing in front of her to see her competitor—Chef Tabby—holding a cupcake pan in one hand and a sleeve of cupcake liners in the other
.
    “You want to help me?” Chef EJ can hardly believe what she’s hearing. “But we’re trying to beat each other! You know, the ‘epic battle for dessert dominance’?”
    “Well, my cupcakes are already in the oven, and it looks like you could use a little help.” Chef Tabby sets the pan on the counter and places a liner in each of the dozen cupcake wells
.
    “Sure. That’s—uh—great. Thank you,” Chef EJ stammers as she tries to remain focused. “Put in one scoop of cake batter for each of the cupcakes,” she says, handing Chef Tabby an ice-cream scoop, and then adds, “please.”
    “Right away, chef!” Tabby grins and salutes EJ with the scoop before getting to work
.
    “Ninety seconds!” the announcer voice says
.
    “Yeah, GOT IT!” Chef EJ yells back
.
    EJ turns off the mixer and removes the glass bowl just as Chef Tabby finishes adding the last of the batter to the pan. EJ spoons a dollop of cream filling on top of the batter of each cupcake
.
    “Oven is preheated to three fifty and ready to go, chef!” Tabby calls from the oven across the kitchen
.
    As she finishes the final dollop, EJ glances over the entire pan, pleased with the result. She closes her eyes and can already imagine what will come out of the oven: perfectly rounded domes of devil’s food hiding the surprise centers of heavenly chocolate cream. Her mouth starts to water
.
    “Chef! Ten seconds!” Tabby’s voice wakes EJ from her vision. “Nine … eight …”
    EJ grabs the cupcake pan with two hands and runs toward the oven. One step, two steps
.
    “Five … four …” Chef Tabby counts with the clock, opening the oven door as EJ sprints her way
.
    Three steps, four steps—EJ reaches as far as she can to slide the cupcake pan into the oven. Tabby slams the door just as the clock reaches zero
.
    “Well done, chef,” Mom said, grabbing the wet dishcloth from the sink and wiping the flour from EJ’s forehead. “The judges are going to have a difficult time deciding a winner.”

Chapter 3
T HE M YSTERIOUS C ASE Of THE B IRTHDAY B ARFS
     
    June 16
Dear Diary,
    Today is my eleventh birthday, and tonight is my par-tay! Mom and Mrs. Winkle have been super secretive about the details of the mystery dinner theater, but I know it will be awesome because it’s going to include people I love (family and friends), the food I love (lasagna and my award-winning cupcakes), and the things I love (we’re all going to be acting out a whodunit mystery during the party)!

    The one thing I do know about the mystery setup is that I will be playing the part of detective EJ Holmes. I’m still working on my costume, but Mr. Johnson let me borrow a magnifying glass he uses when he works on his stamp collection. The thing is legit.

    Nana and Pops arrived from Ohio in their Winnebago camper late last night. Mom and Dad let us stay up till they got here, but it was so late that Isaac and I both fell asleep on the couch. All I really remember was (sort of) waking up when Pops picked me up to carry me to my bed. And I was just wrapping my arms around Pops’s neck to give him a squeeze hello when I heard my brother wake up in classic Isaac style:

    Isaac: [yawning] Knock-knock,