Nabbed!: The 1925 Journal of G. Codd Fitzmorgan Read Online Free Page B

deeply.”
    “This…is…not…,”he wheezed.
    “Juts breathe”, Judge told Mr. Hatherford in a soothing voice. “You must come with me, Hiram”. Still bracing John's dad, Judge
     leaned in closed to me. “G. Codd, I have to take Mr. Hatherford back to the house. The police will not be able to arrive until
     the stormy seas die down. In the meantime, I need you to help me. Do you know what to do?”
    It took me a moment to realize what she meant. “You want me to start the investigation?”
    “Yes”, she answered. Her bright eyes scanned the area, probably looking for signs of foul play. “I hope this will turn out
     to be a joke, and John will show up at any moment, but I'm not sure…”
    “Not to worry”, I told her. “I know exactly what to do”. That might have been overstating things, but I wanted to comfort
     her.
    She gave me a nod that said “Then get to it!” and led Mr. Hatherford back to the house.
    Now it was my turn for action. Careful not to disturb any possible evidence, I moved in front of the cockpit door so the guests
     gathered around could all see me. “Ladies and gentlemen!” I called out. “We need to close off this area. We have a missing
     person and a possible kidnapping. Right now, you could be trampling evidence we'll need to find John Hatherford!”
    No one was listening. Guests were chattering away, throwing out wild speculations about what might have happened to John.
     Mrs. Kartier was talking about creatures from Mars.
    I shouted, “Excus me!” and whistled with tow fingers like Judge had taught me years ago. But still, the crowd acted as if
     I wasn't even there.
    Through my growing frustration, I spotted Asyla in the crowd. She was smiling so pleasantly I thought, Good, an ally!
    But then she turned to the feathered woman. “He's only fourteen, you know”, Asyla said loudly, pointing at me. “Just Fitz
     Morgan's child playacting as a grown-up.”
    If for some reason Asyla had wanted to discredit me, he words had the opposite effect. “Didn't that kid solve the mystery
     of that bank robbery in Tulsa, Oklahoma?” the woman next to Asyla asked. “His parents have cracked more cases than the Secret
     Service!” someone else commented.
    A ripple of excitement ran through the crowd. Faces turned toward me and everyone stopped talking.
    Suddenly, I had the entire crowd's attention.
    I mouthed the words “thank you” to Asyla. The smile stayed on her face, yet her dark eyes had turned cold. What did she have
     against me? I wondered. But I didn't have time to worry about that now. I had work to do!

    Everyone was looking at me.
    TEC TIP
    SO YOU WANT TO BE A DETECTIVE!
    The crime scene includes the exact spot where the crime took place and areas from which the site can be entered or exited.
     Here's how to seal off a large crime scene:
Cordon off, or close, the crime scene using rope, large objects, or people
Only individuals who are absolutely necessary to working the scene are allowed in. Keep track of everyone who enters or leaves.
Watch out for nosy neighbors and members of the press–they have ways of gaining entry!
Walk through the area–careful not to disrupt evidence–and get a feel for how to approach the scene.
Document all evidence by keeping notes, drawing sketches, and taking photographs(if a camera is available).
    Living with my parents, I had learned how to investigate a crime scene. I knew the first thing was to secure the area.
    Raising my voice again, I told the crowd, “I want everyone to leave the scene at once, except for you four”. I pointed to
     Charles, the man with the fur coat, Mr. Kartier, and the feathered woman. these four people stepped forward. The feathered
     woman was smiling as if she'd just been named Miss Hunter Island. The other guests, including Asyla, wandered back to the
     mansion.

    I placed each of the four people I had selected at different corners of the scene, creating a large box around the area.
    “What are we